After that, Jessica turned and went up to the attic where many of her belongings had been thrown by Jeje.
She brushed away the choking dust, uncovering the remnants of a love that once felt eternal.
Their wedding photos. The shared mouthwash cup. Graduation pictures taken side by side. And a thick love diary Liam had given her, meticulously recording their sweetest memories.
But those beautiful days… were gone, never to return.
Jessica didn’t open the diary. She simply stared at it for a long moment, then quietly lit a fire and burned it all; memories, keepsakes and another make-up ticket.
In the past, she had refused to believe time could change everything. Now, she finally understood.
She pulled out her phone, intending to upload her data report, only to find there was no signal in the attic.
She turned to leave, but paused. The door had been shut behind her. A sinking feeling gripped her.
Jessica rushed over and knocked on the door. “Hello? Is anyone out there? Let me out!”
She pounded harder, calling again and again, but there was no answer. Panic began to rise. She took out her phone and dialed Liam, but he didn’t pick up even after more than ten attempts.
Her heart sank, piece by piece. Just when she was about to give up, the line finally connected.
“Jessica,” Liam’s voice came through, calm and unbothered, “don’t make a fuss. I’m in the middle of an experiment, this part is critical.”
Then he hung up. Before Jessica could call again, her phone died, completely out of power.
At that moment, a gust of wind rushed through the window that hadn’t been properly closed. Thunder rumbled in the distance. A storm was approaching.
On the other end of the line, Jeje was curled up in Liam’s arms.
“She’s still angry,” Jeje murmured, her voice soft and sweet. “She probably wants you to go back and comfort her.”
She wore sheer lace pajamas, the outline of her chest vaguely visible beneath the fabric.
“What does Jessica take me for?” Liam muttered impatiently. “I have my limits too.”
A loud clap of thunder suddenly rolled across the sky.
“Ah!!” Jeje cried out, burying herself deeper into Liam’s arms, her pretty face streaked with feigned tears. “Liam, I’m scared.”
Liam knew she was afraid of thunderstorms. He gently patted her back, his tone soothing. “Don’t be scared, Jeje. I’m here.”
“Aren’t you going to check on Jessica? It’s going to pour,” Jeje asked softly, her wide, tearful eyes blinking up at him. That look made Liam’s heart skip a beat. Suddenly, Jessica’s situation didn’t seem quite so important.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll come crawling back after she cools off, won’t she?” he replied.
His hand slid beneath Jeje’s pajama top and the lingering kiss between them deepened until her soft resistance melted away.
Liam deftly activated the empathy link between them.
Outside, the sound of pouring rain gradually drowned out their heavy breathing and muffled moans.
Upstairs, in stark contrast to the heated entanglement below, Jessica struggled to close the rattling window. The wind howled through the attic, cold rain slapping against her exposed skin. She hadn’t planned to stay long and hadn’t dressed for the storm.
Her thin coat had long been soaked through. She wiped the cold rain from her face and tried to curl into herself, but it was useless. The dampness seeped into her bones.
A blinding flash lit up the sky, followed by a deafening thunderclap directly overhead. Jessica flinched, her face turning pale with fear. She could only hug herself tightly, trembling from head to toe.
She had always been afraid of thunder since childhood.
Back when Liam was still by her side, he knew this. No matter where he was or how important his business, he would drop everything to be with her the moment a storm rolled in, wrapping her in the warmest embrace.
“Don’t be afraid of the thunder, I’ll always be here, okay?” he used to whisper.
On stormy nights, his gentle voice had been her only refuge, his comfort the most powerful cure. But now… that embrace no longer belonged to her.
Her wounds hadn't fully healed and being soaked in the cold rain caused them to worsen. Fever overtook her, burning through her body. Jessica collapsed on the cold floor, her consciousness fading with each passing minute.
Eventually, the rain stopped and she fainted completely. In the final moment before blacking out, she seemed to see the attic door being kicked open.
Then, silence.
When she finally woke up, the first thing she heard was Liam’s scolding voice. “What were you doing in the attic for no reason? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?”
Jeje suddenly burst into tears and knelt beside the bed. “I’m sorry, Jessica!”
Tears clung to her delicate face, making her look heartbreakingly pitiful. “I didn’t know you were in there… I’m really sorry.”
Jessica stared at the familiar 18-year-old face and for the first time, felt utterly repulsed.
"Alright, alright, don’t cry. It’s not entirely your fault,” Liam said softly, gently wiping Jeje’s tears with a look full of tenderness. “If anyone’s to blame, it’s her for storming off in anger. She brought this on herself.”
Jessica sat in silence, watching them. She had to admit: the technology behind this bionic woman was truly something. Jeje wasn’t human, yet she could cry like one.
There were only two make-up coupons left. Jessica wondered if the lab had received the data she had sent back.
