Sweetheart, Do You Still Love Me

The plaintive sound suddenly stopped soon after Elspeth entered a court, and she was about to turn and leave when the door behind her suddenly shut tight.

Shoot, I’ve been had. Those guys probably haven’t had enough and quickly devised a plan to subterfuge me, seeing that I’m alone.

At that, she looked toward the coping, intending to climb over the wall. However, it was too high, and she couldn’t even reach the top.

Hence, she wandered around, traversing a corridor and a bridge before arriving at a massive side court.

Elspeth had sensed a depressing atmosphere before even entering the place, but her curiosity drove her to continue forward. With that, she walked into the place, which was smoke-filled despite being brightly lit.

As she went further in, she found an octogenarian dressed in a cleric’s robe, lighting candles at the altar.

“I don’t mean to intrude, Abbot…”

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, child of God.”

“Have you been waiting for me?” Elspeth was stumped.

“Yes.” The abbot turned around with a rigorous smile. “The Holy Father guides those who have a predestined relationship with fate.”

Elspeth smiled in response. “Well, technically, I’m an atheist.”

Nuance laced the abbot’s face as the young woman continued, “I was drawn over by a strange noise. I haven’t come looking for you, Abbot.”

Just like that, the smile on the elder’s face stiffened.

“But if there’s something you’d like to say, I’m all ears.”

Elspeth smiled so harmlessly that the abbot became rather ill at ease. “Well, you see, it’s been a long while since I last had visitors, and you’ve shown up out of the blue. It’ll be nice if I can have someone to talk to…”

Well, this isn’t what I was expecting…

Elspeth thought he must be some prophetic saint who would tell her some kind of secret that must not be told if she talked to him. But when she found the elder smiling somewhat reservedly, she was suddenly baffled.

not going to tell me some kind of secret?” She looked skeptically at

am but a simple man, child of God. I know no prophecies.” The abbot’s eyes curved into

science… The head of the abbey is telling

elder’s words stupefied Elspeth, and for a moment, she didn’t know what to

honest, I don’t know what led me here. Can you tell me how to leave this place?” Elspeth gazed at the strange octogenarian and thought she should still head

disappointment laced the abbot’s face. “You’re the first person in many years

“But…”

hour. There’s no need to rush,” said

pulled her phone out to call Callum, only for her

phone dead, child

Elspeth nodded in response.

me.

me, or is this conversation somewhat

was, she still handed the

God. You must

Abbot.”

guess is right, you must be a Lynwood,

should know my name if

you know me,

course. I surf

young woman was rendered at a loss for

exceptionally like the woman who often donated money to our abbey twenty years ago.” The abbot gazed at her like he saw another

“I’m sorry?”

my guess is right, she’s probably your mother, Miss

have other news about her, Abbot?!” Elspeth

know her situation, child of God. However, I can tell

just said? Elspeth quirked the corner of her lips and said, “Well, can you tell

a very gentle woman. She would come and donate money every month for three years. All of us in the abbey came