Part 3She Disappeared for Seven Years

Seven years, and he seemed to have changed so little.

His face was firm and righteous, his physique lean and tall.

Only, he spoke less, his emotions buried deeper.

The silent flash of red and blue police lights cut through the mountain road, stopping at a desolate field overgrown with withered grass.

It was the dead of winter, the ground frozen solid.

A shovel strike only left a white mark on the surface.

He took command of the scene.

“First, soften the ground with fire. The wind is strong; extend the downwind isolation zone by another five meters.”

Selene Vance emerged from the volunteer team, unlatching a thermos.

“Drink some hot water, Ryan. You’ve completely shredded your voice.”

Ryan took a sip, asking softly:

“Why are you here?”

“It’s crowded and chaotic here; you should go home soon.”

Selene rested her head on his shoulder, her voice filled with worry.

“I watched the trial.”

“Do you think… it could be true?”

Ryan scoffed dismissively, but didn’t answer.

He simply ran his fingers through the woman’s long hair, smoothing it from top to end, then curling a strand around his finger.

Just like he used to comfort me.

Back then, both our fathers were detectives.

They worked together, went on missions together, and ultimately died in the line of duty together.

During the wake, I clung to him, seeing him as my only support.

He held me just as tightly, his hand smoothing my hair from the top of my head to the ends, then curling a strand around his finger.

From that moment, we became inseparable.

Later, we both got into the police academy, inheriting our fathers’ badge numbers.

We were partners with shared ideals, and lovers completely devoted to each other.

Before we got married, my mother laughed through her tears:

“You scoundrel, you stole my daughter’s heart.”

Ryan possessively pulled me into his embrace.

“Not at all, Auntie. You just gained a son.”

“Don’t worry, I promise I’ll never let Cassie suffer an ounce of injustice in her life.”

And he kept his word.

If I wanted to reopen an old case, he would pull several all-nighters to organize the case files.

If I encountered armed criminals during a patrol, he would selflessly shield me with his body.

I couldn’t eat spicy food, and the man who couldn’t live without it hadn’t touched a single chili pepper for years after we got married.

Back then, we both believed there was no bond stronger than that of partners and comrades.

Who could have known?

This relationship ultimately crumbled because of a woman rescued from a drug den.

I observed Selene Vance’s alluring face.

It was hard to imagine that in just a few short years, she had transformed from a seductive streetwalker into a charming, sophisticated woman.

Perhaps a woman’s tears were the ultimate weapon against a man’s steely heart.

After Selene was rescued, she would often call Ryan late at night.

Crying about not being able to find a good job, crying about how everyone discriminated against her for having been a prostitute and a drug addict.

Ryan’s heart was softened by her tears.

Pity and compassion sprouted like spring grass, growing uncontrollably.

He brought her home, subsidizing her entirely with his salary, under the guise of “cleaning fees.”

All household expenses fell on me, and we lived from paycheck to paycheck.

Several times I tried to fire Selene, but he always insisted:

“Cassie, Selene is very fragile and has suffered too much. We have to help her.”

But over Ryan’s shoulder, I clearly saw her eyes filled with defiance, directed at me.

I was furious. I grabbed her hair and dragged her out the door.

She clutched her aching scalp, her tear-filled eyes seeming to hold back a thousand words.

And Ryan, the man who had once sworn to protect me with his life—my lover, my partner.

He didn’t hesitate to raise his hand against me.

I was slapped to the ground.

He, meanwhile, cupped Selene’s face, gently wiping away the tear streaks from her eyes with his thumb.

“Don’t cry. I told you, no one will ever bully you again.”

Then, he looked down and coldly reprimanded me:

“When are you going to change your arrogant nature?”

“Selene is also a victim. Are you worthy of the badge you wear by treating her like this?”

But in this betrayed relationship, weren’t he and Selene colluding to “abuse” me?

A thousand words clogged my chest in that instant.

Ultimately, I just quietly packed my bags and moved into the police dormitory.

Aside from work-related interactions, I didn’t speak another word to him.

I actually knew that he and Selene had never had any physical relationship.

I just couldn’t swallow it.

He had given the tenderness and pampering that once belonged to me to another woman.

Yet, all the responsibilities of our marriage were left for me to bear.

We remained in this stalemate for a long time.

Every day, I thought, maybe tomorrow we’ll make up.

But the next day, the words died on my lips, replaced by a fresh wave of resentment.

Sadly, fate had other plans, arriving sooner than any tomorrow.

I never waited for him to come back to me.

Instead, I unexpectedly discovered.

Selene Vance had an undisclosed connection with the criminal organization we had been investigating for so long.