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"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."
- Albert Camus
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"Olly Wang," she said, her voice clipped and business-like, "so this is the one causing all the trouble?"
Eli swallowed hard, lifting his gaze slowly to meet hers. He could see the pain hidden behind her stern expression, the bitterness that never seemed to fade. "Yes," he replied quietly. "He's the leader of Hostel. We stopped him from causing more damage."
For a moment, there was silence between them. Warren, sensing the tension, stepped aside, letting the unspoken weight of their past settle between Eli and Gangmi. He knew this wasn't about the fight with Olly Wang, it was about something far deeper.
Gangmi's face remained cold as she stared at Eli, her eyes narrowing with contempt. She turned slightly, signaling her team to take Olly away, not once breaking her gaze on Eli. "Save your excuses," she said sharply, her voice dripping with disdain. "I don't want to hear them."
Eli's heart sank at her words, but he knew better than to argue. There was no point. How could he make her understand the guilt and regret that weighed on him every single day? He had loved Heather, but his life had always been a spiral of violence and bad choices. And Heather had paid the price for being close to him.
"Please, Gangmi," Eli started, his voice soft, filled with the regret he had kept bottled up for so long. "I never meant-"
But before he could finish, Gangmi cut him off, her voice cold as ice. "You think you can just apologize and make things right?" Her words were sharp, each one like a dagger cutting through Eli's fragile resolve. "My daughter is dead, Eli. Heather is gone because of you and the life you chose. There's nothing you can say that will bring her back."
Eli winced, the guilt gnawing at him more fiercely than ever. He had been living with this weight for years, but hearing it from Gangmi made it feel like fresh wounds were being torn open again.
"I loved her, too," Eli whispered, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of his own heartbeat thudding in his chest.
Gangmi scoffed, her expression twisting into one of anger. "Don't you dare," she hissed. "You don't get to say that. You loved her? If you had truly loved her, she would still be alive. But she's dead, Eli. And nothing you say will ever change that."
Warren watched silently from the side, his fists clenched. He had never seen Eli like this, so vulnerable, so full of remorse. And Gangmi? Her hatred was almost tangible, a heavy presence between them. Warren knew this wasn't a fight Eli could win, this was a battle of hearts broken beyond repair.
"I... I'm sorry," Eli said softly, though he knew the words were useless. "I didn't want things to end like this."
Gangmi's lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes brimming with the pain she tried so hard to keep locked away. "Save it, Eli," she snapped, turning away from him. "Just stay out of my way. And stay away from anything that has to do with me or my family."
Eli stood frozen, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. He knew Gangmi was right. No apology, no explanation would ever be enough. The love they had shared for Heather was all that connected them now, and it was also what had torn them apart.
As Gangmi turned back to her team, overseeing the operation with her usual strict efficiency, Warren stepped closer to Eli. "She's not going to forgive you, you know that, right?"
Eli nodded, his expression unreadable. "Yeah. I know."
Warren sighed. "That's something you'll have to live with. But you can't carry that guilt forever."
Eli didn't respond. He simply watched as Gangmi moved with purpose, her back to him, the coldness of her presence still lingering in the air.
Once the officers had Olly Wang secured and the area was clear, Gangmi turned back to Eli and Warren. Her face was all business once again, the emotional wall firmly back in place. "I'll handle the rest from here.
But let me make this clear," she said, her tone filled with authority, "you may have your strength, but you're not untouchable. Don't think I won't come after you if you cross any lines."
Warren stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. "We're not looking for trouble, Gangmi. We handled it, and now it's in your hands."
Gangmi's gaze flicked briefly to Warren before returning to Eli. "Just stay out of my sight," she said curtly. Then, without another word, she turned and walked back to her car, leaving Eli standing there, the weight of everything they had left unsaid pressing down on him.
As the car pulled away, Warren gave Eli a sidelong glance. "You okay?"
Eli let out a long breath. "No," he admitted. "But I'll live."
Warren clapped him on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's head back. Daniel's probably waiting for the update."
Eli nodded, pulling out his phone to call Daniel. As the phone rang, he turned and looked at the empty street where Gangmi had just been. The pain in his chest lingered, but he knew there was no moving forward without carrying that burden.
When Daniel picked up, his voice was calm, as always. "Eli?"
"It's done," Eli said, his voice steady. "Olly's out. Gangmi's taking care of the rest."
"Good," Daniel replied, his tone laced with approval. "I'll handle things from here. Come back when you're ready."
Eli hung up, staring at the phone in his hand for a moment longer before slipping it back into his pocket.
The night was dark and quiet, but the storm inside Eli's heart was far from over. He would keep moving forward, even with the weight of the past holding him down.
As Eli and Warren began to walk away, Eli's eyes still lingered on the spot where Gangmi's car had been, haunted by the ghost of a love long lost.
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End of the chapter
Author Out!