At the time of her death, her hands had been chewed raw. She had curled up in anguish, as though it might make her feel better.
There were bloodstains on the wall that she had scratched out with her nails.
The scene seemed creepy in the dark of night.
But Jay wasn’t afraid.
He glanced down at her deteriorating body with a serene demeanour, yet there was a small crease in his forehead as he talked to Jenna.
“You’ve messed up here.”
He rolled up his sleeves, filled a basin with water, and started to clean up.
He didn’t finish dealing with her remains until the first light of morning came through the windows.
He wiped the sweat off his forehead and then picked up the picture of Kyra’s face and kissed the lips in it softly.
He laughed softly, but his voice showed that he was angry.
“Kyra, you aggravating woman. You done so much for me. Why didn’t you ever tell me anything?
“People get gifts on their birthdays, but you just say “happy birthday” and send me on my way? I know you did that on purpose, right? You didn’t want to give me a present because I didn’t know when your birthday was. Was that it, Kyra?
“But now I know. I know now that the day we went to the amusement park was your birthday. Your wish was to ride the Ferris wheel with me, but I had no idea. I called you childish and left you alone. Am I a jerk? I knew you must have been cursing me for being a jerk while I was walking away.”
He sniffled, and tears fell from his eyes and onto her lovely face.
“Kyra, you were right. I’m a jerk!”
He didn’t have any pictures of Kyra, not even one.
In the end, he chose a picture from an old news interview for her tribute.
Jay couldn’t stop crying. He cried so hard that he couldn’t say anything. The only thing he could picture was Kyra’s pallid face when she found out she was sick.
It was at that time that Kyra, the girl who used to grin all the time, stopped.
She had told him to do five last things with her.
The first step is to go to the charity gala with her. But instead, he bought the painting she wanted and presented it to Jenna.
The second thing: go to Muniville with her. But right before boarding the plane, he abandoned her to see Jenna, who had just returned to the country.
The third thing: stick with her. He reluctantly consented, but he tried to keep back his displeasure and secretly cursed her in his head.
The fourth thing you should do is take her to the amusement park. He was irritated and rude to her all day, and he didn’t even listen to what she wanted.
The fifth thing you should do is make her dinner. But he also asked Jenna to come over.
He could still see the disappointment in Kyra’s eyes even now. And that recollection felt like a knife, twisting in his chest and making his insides hurt.
He didn’t perform any of those five things.
“Let me get back at Kyra for you, okay?” Jay said.
He picked up the bottle of spirits off the table as soon as he said the words. After tapping it a few times, he banged it on his own head.
Blood suddenly spilt out, soaking his white shirt.
He was lying on the couch, holding Kyra’s memorial portrait, when his phone rang.
“Sorry, Mr. Grant, but we’ve followed up on every lead and no one has the red string you’re looking for.”
“Got it,” Jay answered, his eyes closing in anguish.
The following minute, he ordered Frank to arrange a flight.
He would go get a crimson thread just like the one he couldn’t find.
The jet landed hours later, and Jay climbed the mountain. Someone who was walking by told him that the temple was at the very top and that only people with a good heart could see the monk.
He kept walking, even though he was dizzy and had a bandage around his head. He kept going, even when he felt weak. He didn’t stop for a second.
Most of the people that arrived here had their own problems. No one was shocked to see him like this.
He finally made it to the top around dusk. He got there just as the temple bell rang. He begged a young monk to take him to the master.
He assumed his dream will come true right away.
But instead, the young monk returned with only a message.
[Too much karma, too many attachments. Cannot meet.]
He stood still, staring at the paper in his hands.
Seeing the young monk turn to go, he hurriedly pulled out his phone.
“I have money. I can pay for anything you need. I just want a red string. I just want the master to give me one more red string so I can honour my dead wife!”
The young monk said, “I’m sorry.” “But the master can’t give you what you want. Ms. Spark earned that red string with honest prayers. You and she have broken up, and it’s time to move on. Holding on so tightly isn’t good for you, her, or anyone else.”
After that, the young monk turned around and left.
Jay’s heart sank as he carefully let go of his hand.
The last light of hope in his eyes went out completely.
When he got back to Eastwood City, he could only be quiet, but as soon as he got there, a throng of police officers encircled him. “Mr. Grant, we need you to come with us so we can ask you questions about the disappearance of Ms. Jenna Scot.”
