Chapter 1855
chapter1855
Paul had been communicating with Edgar for the past few days, urging him to pay extra attention to Vivian's situation.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened, he could tell that Paul was genuinely concerned something might be wrong with Vivian.
He couldn't help but recall the incident from a while ago when Vivian's friend had been drugged.
Edgar had always felt that something was off about the situation, and he suspected that it might have been Vivian who was targeted.
Fortunately, Vivian seemed to be fine. Edgar was lost in thought as he descended the stairs.
Vivian joined him a few minutes later, but during dinner, she was unusually quiet, clearly lost in her thoughts.
Her conversation with Edgar was distracted and detached. After Vivian finished her meal and went back upstairs, Edgar quickly called Paul.
"Tell me everything. Have you noticed anything unusual about Vivian recently?" he asked.
Paul didn't answer right away. Instead, he asked, "Has Vivian been acting unusually these past few days?"
Edgar responded, "I've been paying close attention. She's been absent-minded. It doesn't seem like it's due to her studies. It's almost as if something's bothering her."
Paul sighed deeply. "To be honest, I also suspected someone was bothering her, so I had people investigate her situation. We found nothing. There are many people who like her at school, but she mostly spends time in the lab.
"When she does go out, it's usually with her roommates, college friends, or sometimes people from the Sullivan family. So, after ruling out all those possibilities, I consulted a therapist. They believed that the incident with Mr. Martin and Mrs. Martin had caused her a lot of emotional trauma.
"Some people show signs of distress right away, but the pain manifests slowly over time for others. Vivian may be struggling
with some mental health issnet
Right now, what she needs most is the support of her family."
After saying all this, Paul sighed again. It had been more than two years since the incident, and although everyone still hoped for
Joe and Skylar's safe return, the pain of that loss lingered.
They all understood that Joe and Skylar might never return.
Edgar's voice faltered as he spoke. "Alright, I understand. I'll talk to Vivian's grandmother and make sure they spend more time with her."
"Okay."
Another half month passed. During this time, Vivian still couldn't see Manfred.
She had gone from feeling lost and disoriented to slowly accepting the situation. She realized that her presence had indeed helped Manfred, but now, he was strong enough to protect himself and even strike back at those who hurt him. Therefore, he no longer needed her.
As for Joe and Skylar... she was still uncertain. For now, she decided to focus on moving forward.
Her strange behavior had started to worry many people. Janine called her daily to check on her. Even Jamie and her family frequently visited her at college.
Gradually, she realized that her odd state had caused them to worry. Though she might never see Manfred again, she still wished him a smooth and peaceful journey ahead.
...
In the dead of the night, Manfred stood alone in the courtyard. Snowflakes fell thick and fast, landing on his head and shoulders. Yet, he didn't seem to feel the cold at all.