Heechul found himself loudly gulping down his saliva.

“Don’t tell me you’re defending her because you have a thing for her?” questioned Donghae. “I saw you in front of her doorway that morning.”

Heechul shrugged off his hand and turned around to face Donghae, “I’ll laugh in your face when you discover that she is innocent.”

With that Heechul hurried out of Chief Kang’s office then down the hall out the front doors. He stopped in front of his car feeling nervous. What if Victoria got into trouble? What if they brought her to the police station? She…wouldn’t…she wouldn’t hurt her friends. Heechul looked around then made a call back to his office.

“Could you locate a Victoria Song for me?”

/////

“What was that? Why is he so worked up?” Donghae asked as Heechul walked out of the office.

“What’d you say to him?” questioned Chief Kang.

Donghae turned around to look at the chief, “Did you find anything interesting?”

“No. Heechul already said there was nothing in the photos. Why don’t you go out and continue your investigation? Our meeting should end here for today.”

“Yes sir!”

After Donghae returned to his desk he stared at his phone as if summoning a call, but no phone calls came. When Sasha had gone out for lunch Donghae finally began pondering about Heechul’s words. What if he was right? That Victoria would never hurt a soul. She seemed too quiet and hesitant, but that didn’t reason anything out. That was the first time Donghae began wondering if he was doing the right thing by investigating her.

/////

After two hours of waiting restlessly Heechul finally got the reply he had been waiting for.

“Victoria Song is now currently in Seoul. Do you want her phone number or address?”

“Why are you asking that stupid question? Give me both.”

After writing down both her number and address Heechul was down the highway and now in Seoul where he was searching frantically for her apartment. When he finally found the apartment house he double checked just to make sure he’d got the right place then got out of his car. No one came to the door after a minute and that was when he realized that no one was home.

“Should I wait? Why isn’t she home?” Heechul questioned then kicked the ground.

He paced back and forth for quite some time before finally sitting down on the front doorstep. Two hours passed by before a car entered the driveway. He got up ready to greet her, but found her slightly frowning at him.

“Hi,” he nervously greeted, “you may not remember me. I’m Kim Heechul.”

“Oh…the man from the funeral.” Victoria said.

Heechul had to lower his head to hide his disappointment that she still hadn’t remembered him.

“Come in.” her voice came after she unlocked the door.

When he walked in he glanced around feeling amazed with the house itself.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Victoria asked. “You can sit down.”

“No, I’m good.”

Victoria nodded then remained where she was standing beside the couch opposite him.

“Why are you standing? Sit.” Heechul said after letting out an awkward laugh.

“Is there a reason why you’re here?” questioned Victoria without taking a seat.

Heechul bit his bottom lip then said, “You must still be upset about your two friends.”

Victoria didn’t reply but her face remained blank, expressionless as it had always been.

“I’m sorry to mention the incident, but I think you should be careful of yourself.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“The cops involved in the investigation are suspecting you.”

“Thanks, but I don’t see why you should be telling me this. I don’t even know you well.”

“But you do and I know you.” Heechul wanted to say but nothing came out from his mouth.

“Yes, I’m sorry,” Heechul said suddenly standing up. “You probably didn’t need to know.”

Victoria watched him without motion.

“Sorry to bother you.” Heechul apologized then silently added, “I’ve always bothered you one way or another.”

/////

Victoria watched from the window as Heechul drove off in his car and suddenly felt bad. She’d shunned him out from her life. She didn’t know him and didn’t understand why he’d want to warn her about Chief Kang and Donghae. His warning was a bit late because Song Philip had already told her the same thing and Donghae had already approached her more than once.

/////

He was angry. Another man had entered her home. Why had she let someone else enter her home! He wanted to be the only one, the only person who’d be with her, share a room with her, sit with her, do everything with her! He was beginning to regret that he hadn’t caught her at the cemetery. If he had she’d be gone forever from everyone else’s touch. But she was making him angry and the fire was growing out from its pit. She was allowing herself to be too easy to other men…he had to try to get rid of her. He had to teach her a lesson!

/////

Lee Donghae finally received the call he’d been waiting for the next morning.

“Good morning, investigator. I heard you’ve been looking for me?” it was the doctor.

“Yes, I have some questions to ask you but I’m afraid it would be better to see you in person.”

“I’ll be free until 12 in the afternoon. You can come in anytime you wish.”

“Thank you, but I’d also like to trouble you about where your office is.”

“I work in the maternity department. You can find me in room 413.”

After hanging up Donghae’s mind lingered over the word maternity. What in the world had Victoria been doing there?

/////

Victoria slowly backed out of her driveway and was headed toward Seoul University. The roads weren’t too busy early in the morning and Victoria had decided to stop by a store and buy some bagels that morning. She’d probably also buy some donuts to share with the faculty members too. As Victoria to the busier intersection she tried stepping on her brakes to slow down her turn but didn’t feel anything change during the turn.

“What in the world?” she asked aloud as she tried stepping on the brakes again, but they still didn’t perform anything. The realization hit her only seconds later when the lights before her turned red that her brakes weren’t working. Her heart beat began to race when she anxiously stepped on the brakes again and again, but they didn’t change the speed the car was going at.

“Oh no.” a voice rang in her head as she went passed the red lights.

All Victoria remembered were car horns beeping loudly at her before she crashed into the car before her. The sounds of the shattered windshield echoed in her ears as she threw her arms up to block herself from the flying glass before she out.     

/////

Donghae stepped out of the elevator and searched for room 413 arriving at the door a minute later. The doctor was in as he’d promised and welcomed Donghae in with a happy smile. He’d heard that the doctor had rushed back to the hospital from his vacation because of an urgent surgery that needed him. Donghae felt bad that his vacation had been cut short but also glad because he’d came back.

“The nurses have told me you were trying to locate me all over the hospital. You should have asked the front office.”

Donghae smiled feeling foolish, “I see, but I didn’t know your name.”

“So what’s the matter?” the doctor questioned with his full head of hair shining under the light.

Donghae quickly filled the doctor in about the current case he was investigating and about the reason why he needed to know about where Victoria had been that Sunday night.

“A woman told me Miss Song had told her that she felt strange Sunday so she came to the hospital. Can you confirm that she’d been in the hospital?” Donghae questioned.

“Miss Victoria Song?” the doctor asked. “I still remember her. Give me a moment.” The doctor looked through some drawers and pulled out a manila folder taking a glance at the papers inside. “I know why I remember her now.”

Donghae waited for him to go on patiently.

“I felt sorry for her because she arrived here alone.” the doctor said. “The 3 month old fetus had suddenly given out and she needed to have surgery to remove the baby immediately, so she had an operation. I can assure you, investigator, that Victoria Song did not hurt her friends. The operation didn’t turn out as successful as I had wished so I made her stay in the hospital overnight and she didn’t leave until morning.”

Donghae let the doctor’s words slide through his ears and sat there feeling a moment of surprise. He’d received the confirmation that Victoria was innocent and Heechul could laugh in his face, he knew that, but he also felt curiosity which got the better of him. He clearly understood that it wasn’t right to look further into her life, but he wanted to know.

“Who…her boyfriend…where was he?” Donghae asked slowly.

“She informed me that he’d passed away after a car accident which left him paralyzed.”

Donghae left the office feeling dumbstruck. Slowly making his way down the hallway he stopped in front of the large glass window that allowed outsiders to look in at the babies sleeping in their cubicles. He suddenly wondered if she’d cried when she saw them. Her pale face from the morning he first saw her flew into his mind and he suddenly became unsure of how he’d face her if he ever saw her again.

The ringing of his phone interrupted his thoughts.

“Lee Donghae speaking.”

“Donghae! Your suspect has just been admitted into the hospital in Seoul.” Chief Kang’s voice came.