Chapter 209. Where Is She Now? (1)

Translator: Lili

Weekly Chapter 7/7

Upon being bluntly informed by Henriad that the event she so desperately wanted to believe was a dream was, in fact, real, Shushu lost her appetite in an instant.

The food on the table, meticulously prepared and worthy of a magazine photoshoot, held no appeal for her now. She was in no mood to calmly chew anything, let alone enjoy it.

As a last-ditch effort, she mumbled to herself, ‘He’s just messing with me. He’s lying’, as if chanting a mantra to convince herself. But when she had gone to the bathroom to inspect her body, the unmistakable marks left behind only served to confirm Henriad’s words.

Forced to face the reality of what had happened, Shushu retreated to her room and collapsed onto her bed in defeat. Her mind spun in circles, her thoughts dark.

‘Of all people… with Henriad?’

The cruel irony of the situation was suffocating. Being a harsh landlord who treated him like a servant or slave would have been better. At least in that case, she could apologize to Mini Cat and perhaps earn forgiveness. But this? This was a situation that stripped her of the right to even beg for pardon.

Thinking about Mini Cat, who was still alone in Augwell, Shushu clutched her head in frustration. No matter how she tried to think her way out, there was no solution. If Mini Cat ever found out that it was Shushu—her friend, her supposed ally—who had slept with her brother…

— So, there’s something I need to tell you. I slept with the guy you introduced me to.

— Hey, Mini Cat! Something crazy happened, I thought your brother was you. It was a mistake, really! Sure, you’re a woman and he’s a man, but in my dream, you were a guy!

As her imagination conjured the horrifying scenes of facing Mini Cat, including her own unthinkable dialogue, Shushu’s mind spiraled.

She even imagined standing next to Henriad after Mini Cat’s release, babbling some absurd nonsense about how they were family now, whether she became her sister-in-law or something else entirely. Shushu couldn’t bring herself to imagine Mini Cat’s reaction beyond that point; she feared the inevitable disgust or anger.

Whether Mini Cat would look at her with contempt or click her tongue in frustration, accusing her of not being able to resist, either reaction felt like it would shatter her heart.

Shushu sighed deeply,

‘Maybe… this is fate telling me to give up on these feelings.’

With a heavy expression, she pulled a small slip of paper from her drawer. It was just a scrap, small enough to hide in her palm, with a phone number scrawled on it—the number of a counseling service she had found in a newspaper ad.

She’d written it down ages ago but had never actually made the call. And now, she found herself too ashamed to explain the situation even if she wanted to. Sighing again, she shoved the slip of paper back into the drawer.

Shushu stared at the ceiling.

She still couldn’t even define her feelings for Mini Cat, and yet this had happened. Now, instead of figuring out whether she loved Mini Cat, she had to grapple with whether she even deserved to be near her anymore.

But staying silent about the matter felt even worse.

After a long internal debate, Shushu finally grabbed her phone.

The number she dialed was familiar—a contact detail she had seen numerous times on a poster near the visitation rooms at Augwell. Against a backdrop of green pastures, the poster had cheerfully encouraged people to call their loved ones:

—— Call your family, friends, or partner! Be the source of their new beginning! TEL – XXXXXXXX ——

Shushu pressed each number carefully, making sure she didn’t mess up. Then she waited for the signal tone, her heart racing.

***

‘Alright… let’s at least try applying for a phone visitation.’

Shushu exhaled nervously as the signal rang.

She had no intention of confessing everything to Mini Cat—far from it. But just hearing her voice might calm the storm raging in her chest.

She didn’t need a long conversation. Just a curt ‘What?’ or ‘Why?’ in Mini Cat’s familiar, indifferent tone would suffice.

— Hello, this is Augwell, the private correctional facility helping individuals prepare for a new start. How can I assist you?

The signal stopped, replaced by the bright and cheerful voice of a young man. Shushu could tell right away that he must be an administrative officer; correctional officers didn’t sound that polite or cheerful.

“Hi… I’d like to apply for a phone visitation.”

The warmth in the officer’s tone only served to remind Shushu that she wasn’t the one imprisoned, and the realization made her feel even worse. She knew exactly who had given her this freedom, and the guilt weighed heavily on her.

— Ah, a phone visitation! Sure. Could you tell me the name of the inmate?

Though Shushu’s tone was steeped in gloom, the officer didn’t seem to notice or care. Then again, who would sound cheerful calling a place like Augwell?

Shushu took a deep breath before answering hesitantly,

“M-Mini Cat… the inmate is Mini Cat.”

— Alright, let me check. One moment, please.