Chapter 5

Isabel spent the next two days alone at home, confined to bed. When she woke up, she made an international call to her birth parents. "I've thought it through, and I've decided not to opt for a temporary visa. Can you arrange for permanent immigration for me?" They cried out in surprise and delight, but Isabel's feelings didn't mirror theirs. Leaving the place she'd lived in for over two decades was difficult and painful for her—she wasn't sure whether she could adapt to living abroad, and she also couldn't be sure that her birth parents would care for her unconditionally. The situation was filled with uncertainty and risk, but she still chose to go ahead with it because she knew things couldn't be any worse for her. … Arranging for permanent immigration was more complicated than applying for a visa. Isabel had to prepare many documents and make several trips to the Almonian embassy. A striking Ferrari zoomed past her when she left the embassy for the last time. She wasn't in time to catch its license plate number, but she knew it was a limited-edition one—there were only 100 in the world, and Kendall was the only person in the city who owned one. She panicked for a split second but soon regained her composure. Winifred was all he could think about now, so he couldn't possibly have noticed her. Even if he had, he wouldn't care. … That night, Isabel sat alone on the cold floor and turned the TV's volume to the max, using the noise to keep the loneliness at bay. Just then, the door swung open, and she saw a face she hadn't seen in a long time. Kendall strode in and questioned, "Where are you going?" She looked at him calmly. "Why do you ask?" "I saw you outside the Almonian embassy today. Why were you there?" "Oh. Our research project is ending soon, and the results should be out any day now. My advisor has signed me up for an academic conference in Almonia to present the results." That was the answer Isabel had prepared beforehand. Kendall nodded, quickly masking the hint of emotion that had flashed across his face. Earlier, when he'd seen Isabel at the Almonian embassy, his first thought was that his eyes were playing tricks on him. How could she head to Almonia without telling him? He'd turned the car around to see her getting into a cab. Only then had he started feeling discomfited—not that it had lasted long. He was well aware that Isabel loved him deeply. How could she bear to leave him? She wasn't close to Gordon and Linda. In the past and for many years to come, he was and would be the only person she could rely on. She'd chased after him for so many years. Her reliance on him and her love for him had long since seeped deep into her bones. Those weren't feelings she could sever so easily. Kendall smiled faintly and rubbed Isabel's head gently as he'd done in the past. "Do you want to watch a film? I'll watch it with you." Almost like a gag reflex, she wanted to ask why he wasn't spending time with Winifred. However, she stopped herself and swallowed the words. She knew this was what he always did—he would hurt her with one hand and make a sweet gesture with the other. In the end, she didn't turn him down. She picked an old romance film, which left her in tears. Meanwhile, Kendall kept checking his watch impatiently. When the credits rolled, she got up and said softly, "I'm sleepy. I'm going to bed." As she slowly headed upstairs, he called her name. "There's a party at Bayside Hotel tomorrow to celebrate Winnie's direct admission to the graduate program. You're her sister, so remember to prepare a gift." Isabel didn't answer. She continued up the steps without looking back.