Ch. Ch 17 Don’t come back Ch 17

Axel desperately clawed back a shred of rationality from the overwhelming fear, despair, and bewilderment. 

He instinctively objected: “No, she didn’t contact me. 

Yes, they had been siblings for over twenty years. 

Even if things had grown distant between them, even if her heart was filled with resentment, 

She should have at least said goodbye before entering a ten–year closed research program. 

So, she must not have gone. 

Professor Zhang replied confidently: “That’s impossible. 

“I was in the private room and saw it with my own eyes when I stood up–she dialed your number. 

“It was… last Saturday, around noon.” 

Axel was about to deny it again. 

But in a flash of realization, he suddenly remembered something. 

Last Saturday, around noon. 

That would have been about five in the morning in Norway. 

That day, at five in the morning, he had just finished showing Willow the Northern Lights. 

Willow had insisted on taking many photos and excitedly played until nearly dawn before returning to the hotel. 

On the way back, Willow took his phone, saying she wanted to look at the pictures they’d taken. 

She looked at them while walking, quickly falling behind him. 

Axel stopped and turned around, seeing her holding the phone to her ear. 

He assumed she was listening to the audio from a video they’d recorded. 

He impatiently called to her: “Turn off the phone and come here.” 

A terrible premonition washed over him like a tidal wave, instantly drowning him. 

So, at that moment, had Willow really been looking at photos and videos? 

At some point, the call with the professor had ended. 

The bedroom door he had closed was suddenly pushed open forcefully.