Chapter 365


    Watching his tiny figure from the back, Sonia smiled even wider, and soon, he returned from the


    washroom. He even showed his hands to her so she could check if he had cleaned it. After she


    complimented him, saying that he had cleaned it well, only then did he drop his hands happily.


    They left Paradigm Co. and she drove home to Bayside Residence together with him. In the midst


    of making dinner, she realized that she had run out of salt in the kitchen and wanted to buy some


    from the convenience store in the neighborhood.


    Taking off her apron, she walked out of the kitchen and spoke to Dous, who was watching TV on


    the couch in the living room. “Dous, I''m going downstairs to buy some salt. Be good and stay at


    home, then open the door for me when I''m backter, okay?” “Sure, Aunt Sonia,” he replied,


    spinning his head around.


    “Good boy.” She walked toward the door, and he followed to send her out.


    After putting on shoes, she recalled something and reminded Dous, “Also, regardless if I’m the


    person who presses the doorbellter, you shouldn’t open the door straight away. Use the inte


    camera to check the person outside the door. Do you get it?”


    What if someone elsees while I’m out? I am worried, having a child alone at home.


    “Don’t worry, Aunt Sonia. I know what to do.” Standing on the step at the entrance, he waved


    goodbye to Sonia, who stroked his small head before heading out.


    After she bought the salt, the sky had turned even darkerpared to the time when she left the


    apartment. With the salt in her hand, she walked toward her apartment building on the street, which


    seemed especially quiet without many people around. This was basically dinner time for the people


    in the neighborhood and not the time for evening walks yet.


    Sonia walked for a while, and suddenly, she felt someone following her. Stopping in her tracks, she


    turned around and looked behind, but she didn’t see anyone or anything.


    With a frown, she wondered, Was it just my illusion? Without pondering over it further, she turned


    her head around and continued walking forward. I’ll reach my apartment building after passing by


    this building.


    However, barely a few stepster, she once again felt that someone was stalking her. This time, she


    was sure that it wasn’t her own illusion anymore; somebody was really following her because she


    heard the sounds of footsteps. Although it was light, she had really heard it.


    Her body turned stiff as her hands and feet started to turn cold, but she dared not stop and


    quickened her pace instead. Unexpectedly, the footsteps behind her sped up as well because she


    could hear the sounds of the footsteps bing


    heavy and hurried.


    She didn’t know who was following her nor what motive this person had; all she knew was that it


    couldn’t be anything good. In addition, the sounds of those footsteps sent panic and fear through


    her.


    Her scalp was tingling numb, and she had goosebumps all over her body; besides, her hand that


    was holding the salt had turned mmy. Even her legs were shaking and turning into jelly.


    She didn’t want to stay outside anymore; she just wanted to get back to her apartment as quickly as


    possible. Only then could she escape from the person behind her and feel safe.


    At the thought of this, her pace broke into a sprint, and she dashed toward her apartment building.


    Despite that, the person behind gave chase, and she could hear the distance drawing closer


    between them.


    I can’t out-run this person! she realized and panicked. “Help! Somebody—”


    Before she could finish, a thick stick raised behind her and hit her hard on her head.


    Wham!


    A crisp sound echoed, and Sonia felt a sharp pain on the back of her head. Then, she rolled her


    eyes and passed out on the spot.


    Staring at Sonia, who was slumped on the ground, the person seemed to be in shock and


    staggered backward. Energy drained from those tightened hands, and the thick stick in those hands


    fell to the ground with a loud ng.


    Hearing this sound, the person felt weak and crumpled to the ground, breathing heavily as their


    body quivered. With a hat, mask, and sunnies on, the person’s hair and face was covered tightly


    while they wore oversized clothes to hide their figure beneath. Even the shoes this person was


    wearing were sport shoes which were clearly heightened.


    Under such a disguise, nobody could tell if this was a man or a woman.


    After a while, this person seemed to have awakened from their shock and panic, speaking in a


    voice which was neither feminine nor masculine. “I’m sorry. I really am...”


    With that, the person scrambled up, held Sonia under their arms, and dragged her toward the


    apartment building in front of them until they were inside the emergency stairwell of the building.


    Dropping Sonia, they then closed the door and took a deep breath before whisking out a small fruit


    knife from the pocket of their jacket.


    Lowering their body next to her, the person raised their left hand with the palm side up. Then, they


    pulled out the knife from the sheath and drew it closer to her wrist slowly. The whole while, thisAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    person’s hand was shivering, showingjust how nervous they were. Within seconds, the tip of the


    knife reached the red mole on Sonia’s wrist.


    Behind the sunnies, they shut their eyes and took a deep breath. With a surge of determination,


    they pierced the knife into her skin and cut out the red mole with the tip of the knife little by little.


    The whole process took about ten minutes.


    After making sure that the red mole was gone from her wrist and only a patch of bloody mess was


    in its ce, the person let out a sigh of relief, whereupon they picked up the sheath and slid the


    knife back in without even cleaning it. Then, they quickly fled from the scene.


    Barely a few seconds had passed after this person had left when Sonia’s phone started to ring, but


    she had already passed out, so of course she couldn’t pick it up.


    Meanwhile, in her apartment, Dous listened intently on his smartwatch, but nobody picked up his


    call, and his little brows knitted tightly together. When the call reached a dead dial tone, he


    murmured, “It’s been so long. Why isn’t Aunt Sonia back yet?”


    He had been to the convenience store before. It was on the ground floor of the third building, and he


    remembered very well that it wasn’t far from here because Sonia had brought him there to buy milk


    in the morning.


    It’s been so long, he thought. Aunt Sonia should be back by now, but she’s still not back yet, and


    she didn’t even pick up her phone. Where exactly did she go? Worried, he decided to wait for her


    downstairs and hopped off the couch. After switching off the TV, he grabbed the ess card on the


    coffee table and left the apartment.


    Two minutester, he reached the ground floor. First, he stood at the entrance of the building and


    peered outside, trying to see if Sonia was around. At this time, there was already a growing number


    of people around the neighborhood. These were the people who were out for an evening walk after


    they already had their dinner.


    When he didn’t see any signs of Sonia after peering around, he called her number again, and


    exactly at the same time, a phone rang. He immediately recognized that as Sonia’s ringtone


    because he had heard it in her office during daytime.


    Delight washed over his face, and he turned toward the source of the ringtone. Even when he saw


    that it wasing from the emergency stairwell, he ran forward happily without any hesitation.


    However, when he reached the emergency stairwell and saw Sonia on the ground, his face froze


    and he broke into tears. “Aunt Sonia...”


    Outside, Charles had just entered the building holding a huge bag of freshly picked pears, thinking


    to surprise Sonia with it, but he stopped in his tracks upon hearing Dous’ cries.


    What’s happening? Why is a child crying? And he’s crying while calling his aunt... Has there been


    an ident? Charles thought and marched over while asking loudly, “Hey, kid, do you need help?”


    In the stairwell, Dous stopped crying when he heard him. Sniffling, he answered anxiously, “Sir,


    please save my aunt!”


    Just as I had thought, there has been an ident! Charles thought and quickened his pace. Within


    a couple of steps, he was in the stairwell as well, and just when he was about to ask what


    happened to Dous’ aunt, he saw Sonia lying on the floor. Instantly, his face fell, and the bag of


    pears in his hand scattered across the floor. “Darling!”