Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
“Alright,” Erick began as he neared. “Let’s continue this tomorrow. You’re going to strain your eyes.”
As he reached out to shut off the tablet, Audrey interjected. “Wait!”
Erick halted, and Audrey quickly paused the video at a scene where the man with glasses stood in front of a store window for three seconds.
The window revealed nothing but a stark white wall, seemingly unimportant. What was his purpose during those three seconds?
“She was checking her reflection!” Audrey exclaimed.
Erick looked puzzled. “What… Audrey, are you saying you want to check your reflection?”
“Not me,” Audrey clarified, gesturing toward the figure on the screen.
“Her. She was looking at her reflection.”
Erick turned his attention back to the footage, a scene he had reviewed countless times yet failed to recognize anything out of the ordinary.
“Erick, you’ve got the investigation wrong. The person who purchased the medicine wasn’t a man, but a woman!” Audrey asserted.
Erick was shocked. “How can this be? That’s a woman?”
The disguise was convincing. The woman had shoulder pads under the large coat, shoes with lifts, and wore several layers of pants to look bulkier.
But her brief stop in front of the shop window, a pause often seen in women, stopping instinctively to glance at their reflection, gave her away.
Just as Erick was about to put away his tablet, Audrey spotted a four-leaf clover pendant around the woman’s neck. It was a style commonly worn by women.
Thus, Audrey suspected it was actually a woman disguised as a man.
This was a perspective Erick hadn’t considered. He knew the figure in the footage was on the shorter side, but since many men in Aurora were not tall, he hadn’t seen it that way. Now, with Audrey’s insights, Erick agreed that the figure in the footage did seem out of place, perhaps really a woman!
Erick remembered the corner where the figure had vanished, a spot he had checked countless times. There was indeed a suspicious woman in black a few minutes later there. He leaned in and embraced Audrey, saying, “Audrey, you’ve been a tremendous help!”
Audrey felt a surge of hope, as this clue seemed to be a major lead in their mother’s case.
Erick quickly transferred the footage from his phone to review it again with Audrey.
This time, Audrey easily spotted that the woman dressed in black was the same person as the “man” who had bought the medicine.
They were almost sure now that this woman had a connection to their mother. There would be no other reason for her to disguise herself as a man just to purchase Angelica Sinensis. This also served as indirect proof that Casey was indeed still alive. What great news!
Without wasting a moment, Erick forwarded the video to a computer specialist to extract the woman’s image and enhance its quality for better identification.
Soon enough, they had a clear frontal view of the woman.
Erick then sent the photo to Stefan, asking him to use his contacts in Aurora to locate her quickly.
By evening, they had some news. The woman turned out to be Jimena, the daughter of Dr. Hinks from the north district, and she was a medical student.
Erick advised against Audrey joining the search for Jimena, given the potential dangers involved.
Understanding her limitations, Audrey agreed that it was safer for her to stay behind. She urged Erick to be cautious and not make any hasty decisions.
After Erick departed, Audrey’s heart raced with anticipation as she waited at home.
Meanwhile, at Davey’s estate.
It was the day Casey was due for her regular acupuncture session.
Jimena stood at the entrance, waiting for the butler to let her in.
After checking Jimena’s identity, the butler revealed a secret door leading to the basement.
Inside, Casey was seated by her bed, focused on her embroidery. She had convinced Davey to give her some custom-made needles for her craft after much persuasion.
These needles were quite dull, too blunt to pierce even the tip of a finger, let alone create detailed embroidery.
Despite this, the quality of Casey’s work was impressive, though a bit rough, showcasing her solid foundational skills.
When Jimena saw the herbal designs Casey had stitched, she remarked, “Madam, you’ve done well with this piece, though it looks a bit rougher than what I saw last time.”
Casey’s eyes lit up. “Jimena, what did you see last time?”
Jimena smiled as she explained, “The Angelica Sinensis you had embroidered. There are also two swallows, one bigger than the other. There was a verse, too.”
Casey’s hands shook slightly as she asked, “What verse?”
Jimena answered, “Birds return when the time comes.”
“Birds return when the time comes,” Casey echoed softly to herself a few times before falling quiet.
A fragment of memories popped up in Casey’s mind. At one wonderful day, a little girl snuggled up to her knee, asking gently, “Mommy, what are you making?”
Patiently, Casey explained, “Mommy is stitching little swallows, one big and one small, like mommy and her child. Below them is an herb called Angelica Sinensis. Together, they tell a lovely story that birds return when the time comes.”
In Casey’s memories, her little girl, puzzled, asked, “Mommy, I don’t understand. What kind of story is this?”
“Mommy will explain it to you, okay? Now be a good girl and get ready for bed.” Casey gently stroked her girl’s hair, her face soft with affection.
“Alright. Casey’s lovely daughter snuggled up against her, eyes closed while listening to the story.”
The story began by the mommy swallow and baby swallow Living in a lush forest brimming with resources. There was plenty of food and water, surrounded by many neighbors. They were happy every day. Mommy swallow shared a lot of valuable knowledge with baby swallow. Right beneath their little nest, a plant grew.
Baby swallow was always curious about different plants and flowers.
Not recognizing this one, she asked her mommy about it. Mommy swallow explained that this plant was called Angelica Sinensis, a very beneficial medicinal herb that could cure many diseases. It was Like a miracle cure, just like an elixir of immortality.
Baby swallow asked innocently, “Mommy, this Angelica Sinensis is growing right at our doorstep. Could it be a fairy transformed into this to protect our home?”
Mommy swallow replied, “Yes, my dear, remember that Angelica Sinensis is right next to our home. If you ever get lost, just find the Angelica Sinensis, and I will be there waiting for you.”
Baby swallow nodded. “I’ll remember, mommy.”
One day, while mommy swallow was out gathering food for baby swallow, disaster struck without warning. It was an unforgiving fire swept through the forest.
Every creature in the woods either perished or was harmed. When swallow mommy returned, clutching food, all that remained was a charred stump. The forest had turned to ash and broken branches, devoid of any greenery.
Mommy swallow flew round and round, crying out in despair for baby swallow, but the familiar cheerful call of “Mommy” was gone.
After the wildfire, mommy swallow stayed in the devastated forest.
She watched as compassionate people came and restored it. She soared across the sky, tirelessly searching for Angelica Sinensis, until at last, she found a tiny one. She waited for a rainfall, then carefully unearthed the damp soil and tenderly carried the Angelica Sinensis back to where their home once stood.
The giant tree where she had nested was no more, replaced by young saplings. Mommy swallow planted the Angelica Sinensis next to a sapling, hoping they would grow together. She stayed by that sapling, year after year, until it grew large enough to support their modest nest, though it was still not very big.
Mommy swallow collected numerous twigs and soft leaves to craft a cozy nest. In this new nest, she kept waiting, hoping for baby swallow’s return.
As the years passed, the sapling became a large tree and the lone Angelica Sinensis multiplied into a cluster. Mommy swallow grew old and could no longer fly. She had been in the nest for four days, too weak to leave for food or drink.
In a daze, she heard a faint chirp. Thinking she was mistaken, she opened her eyes and looked around, but found the space before her nest empty. Slowly, she closed her eyes again.
Mommy swallow was getting old, no longer able to fly far like she used to at the sound of a familiar call. These days, she found it hard even to leave the nest.
Overcome by sleepiness, mommy swallow slowly lowered her head, no longer feeling hungry. She realized her time was running out.
Just then, another familiar sound came.
Mommy swallow didn’t open her eyes, thinking it was just her imagination.
The calls persisted, clear and vibrant.
This time, mommy swallow opened her eyes and saw a fluffy little head snuggling against her.
It had a familiar voice and scent. She knew it was her baby that came back.
The local people later spread this story, concluding it with “Birds return when the time comes.”
As the story concluded, Casey’s daughter still wasn’t asleep. She lay with wide, teary eyes. “Mommy, mommy swallow is so incredible, so determined.”
Casey gently wiped away the tears from the corner of her daughter’s eyes and whispered, “Because mommy swallow never stopped believing that her baby swallow was alive. She waited and waited, and finally, she saw her that day.”
“Mommy, what if I get lost?” Casey’s daughter looked up at her with wide eyes. “Will you keep searching for me, waiting for me like mommy swallow did?”
“Absolutely, I’ll never stop searching for you, my love. I’ll wait for you to come home, no matter what.”
Casey’s daughter’s smile returned. “Mommy, I’ll keep searching for you too.”
“Time to sleep, my darling.”
Casey’s daughter obediently closed her eyes, and Casey watched her peaceful face as she slept, feeling a warmth in her heart.