Lyra Smith listened to the end of the audio recording.
In the end, she silently put the recorder back into its box, closed the lid, and placed it aside, along with the diamond-studded eternal flower.
She turned on the bedside lamp and went to bed.
Several minutes after closing her eyes, the words Erwin Jackson had left in the recorder replayed in her mind.
There weren't many words, just a few short sentences. His apologies and regrets, his inability to let go, and his blessings. He mentioned hardly anything about the past, as those memories weren't good ones for Lyra.
[I used to think love would come in cycles, and it seemed to. But in the end, you thrived in your love life while I still can't let go.]
[I've been cold-hearted, and this is my punishment. I was once humble, and it's a sin I need to atone.]
[Lyra, may you and your loved one grow old together. May you have a peaceful life year by year.]
...
New Year's Day is coming, bringing good fortune.
