Chapter 284 - 284: Waiting For Your Return

In contrast to the blissful atmosphere in April's apartment, loneliness was the only word that could describe the atmosphere in Erick's place. The warm place filled with love was long gone.

Erick didn't have a good sleep. Nothing changed. Either he would stay up all night or would take sleeping pills just to get some sleep. 

Though Erick would fall asleep normally sometimes due to exhaustion there was a time he would wake up in the middle of the night because of nightmares. 

Then every time he woke up it would always be the same ordinary day every day. His world had lost its light. There was a missing piece in his life that no one can replace nor fill in. His heart became numb and empty. His mind was full of happy and sad memories of her.

It was really a miracle that he was able to live on despite all these. This was because of that one hope he had been holding on for the past two years. The hope of meeting her once again in this lifetime.

As time went by that hope was slowly fading but thanks to that last encounter, his hope was strengthened once again. He saw her. He finally saw her.

But Bryan was telling him that the person he saw just only looked exactly the same as Elle. It was a different person, not Elle. But his heart was telling him a different thing. He was certain. That person was definitely Elle.

"Aliyah Ross," Erick mumbled. He was lying on his bed while staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Elle probably has a deeper reason for not coming back for these past two years. I didn't care as long as she's alive. I will be happy with that. But I will definitely find the truth." Erick said to himself with so much conviction.

"Elle… I believe you. You said no matter what happens you will find your way back to me. Wifey, I will be waiting for your return."

"But wifey. I felt really miserable. Don't make me wait for too long. I am missing you a lot. I am about to go mad. If I have to search all the corners of City Z and this country just to see you again then I will do that. 

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For the past three days, Team Alpha Cinco became busy investigating the shooting incident which was related to the death threats Senator Mondragon was recently receiving.

Fortunately, there were witnesses who were able to describe some physical features of the sniper.

"Approximately a six feet and five inches tall man, having a strong build with broad shoulders and muscular body. He had dark tousled hair and tanned skin. There was a long black-inked dragon tattoo on his arm." June said as he read the information they gathered from the witnesses.

The team was currently having a meeting in the conference room.

"The most notable thing about him is that his right eye was covered by a black cloth." Bryan also shared with the team.

"Alright. Write a list of all the male wanted criminals and hired assassins who had injured his right eye." Erick gave his order to his team.

Then suddenly, Bryan and Erick met each other's gaze. A certain man crossed their minds. Kevin Azumi! Two years ago, he received a fatal hit from Elle's dagger. They heard from the underground world that his right eye was severely injured and had lost his sight.

Kevin Azumi might be one of the possible suspects.

After wrapping up, Erick dismissed the team. The rest of them already left the headquarters while Erick remained again for another overtime work. 

Then after a while, someone entered his office. That person was Selena Arison. Since Selena became a regular visitor, the guards were already familiar with her. That's why even though it was already past the working hours, they still allowed her to enter the office.

They already knew that she came to see Chief Detective Erick Lee. The guards even mistook them as a couple. But Selena never corrected their wrong assumption.

"Selena, why are you here?" Erick was surprised to see her.

"I know you will be working overtime again so I brought you food for dinner. Have some bites first before you go home."

Although Erick was aloof to other women he was acting differently when it comes to Selena. He was entertaining her because he somewhat felt sorry for her for the reason that Elle was the one who killed her father.

Erick had no idea about what happened between Jorge Arison and Elle. All he knew that Catseye killed him but he didn't know that Jorge was already dying due to his illness. Besides, Jorge was also grateful to Casteye for fulfilling what he wanted.

His generous and kind attitude towards Selena, she mistook it as Erick's reciprocating her feelings. That's why she's too blind to believe that Erick had slowly begun liking her.

After an hour of staying together inside his office, the two of them finally decided to go home. Erick had asked Selena to go home but she insisted on waiting for him.

They were now standing at the entrance of the building. 

" Erick, my brother is returning from States two weeks from now. We are planning to hold a welcome party for him. Are you available? I want to invite you and your team." 

Erick paused for a moment. He didn't like going to the party but he didn't know how to reject her invitation.

"I'll try. It depends on our schedule. I will let you know if we can attend." 

Selena was glad to hear that. Erick didn't refuse her invitation.

"Alright. I hope you can make it." Selena said as she smiled sweetly at him.

Erick just nodded. He also bade her goodbye. He was about to leave when Selena grabbed his hand. He stopped and turned to face her again.

"Erick… " Selena seemed like she wanted to say something to Erick.

Meanwhile, Erick was not paying attention to her. Suddenly he felt something strange as if he was being watched by someone right now. His 'gut feeling' was telling him to turn in the corner. So he did. 

That was the moment Selena was trying to kiss him on the lips but since he suddenly turned his head, her lips landed on his face.

Then suddenly they heard a loud clanking sound nearby.

Dang!

That sound came from that corner where Erick was now looking at.

'Someone was there!' 

Not minding Selena's action, Erick traced his steps towards the direction where that sound came from. Then he heard footsteps running away from that location.

When he reached that location, the person was already gone. But he saw the metal trash bin lying on the ground. It looked like someone had kicked it so hard.

Erick frowned as he wondered who was the person who did this. Because of that person's action, the plastic garbage inside that trash bin was now scattered on the ground.

Erick shook his head and sighed helplessly. He would clean up this first before going home.

"Selena go home first. I will have to clean this first." Erick said to her.

And with that, Selena's action just a while ago totally slipped out his mind. It was totally ignored and forgotten by Erick in an instant.