Love’s Final Reveal

70% A man in a white lab coat, middle-aged and unremarkable, with round glasses perched on his nose, approached. He was ordinary- looking, the kind that made him seem instantly friendly. “I’m Ethan, and this is Dominick,” Ethan said, eyeing the man cautiously as he introduced us. “We’re here to see Lola.” “Hello, I’m Larry Gray, the director here. You guys are finally here. I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback seeing all of you march in here.” Larry sighed in relief, leading them inside. “We’re from a small town. We never saw such a scene. When over ten people burst in, I thought we’d offended some big shots. Now that I get it. Looks like Ms. Mitchell isn’t an ordinary person.” Larry was quite talkative, keeping up his chatter as he led them upstairs. His words seemed flawless, as if he were someone not quite accustomed to this situation. For a moment, even Dominick was uncertain whether there was any issue with the dean. “Larry, when I walked in, I couldn’t help but notice the trees at the entrance. I have some similar ones at home. I remember these trees are quite expensive. Don’t you think it’s a bit extravagant to have them right at the front?” Ethan spoke in a subtly probing tone, testing the waters. At this, Larry paused in his step. His face still wore a smile, but his eyes seemed to harbor a complex emotion. “Sir, you are quite observant. However, these trees were gifts from a friend. I didn’t know how much it was. As for why they are at the door… “I heard from a friend that this tree is quite weird. It’s not for decoration. This tree symbolizes departure, an early farewell. I planted it at the entrance, hoping that the patients in the psychiatric hospital would recover quickly and leave soon. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“But why would someone plant such a tree at their home? It’s a bit foreboding, don’t you think?” Ethan was slightly taken aback. There was something odd about this director. He had an inexplicable feeling of being caught in a probe. “The tree was a gift from me. I only thought of its value when I bought it, not its meaning.” Dominick took over the conversation with a cold voice. “You are quite something, Larry. Although you don’t know its type or its value, you can pinpoint its symbolic meaning.” Larry’s expression faltered briefly before he laughed. “Well, I haven’t actually been anywhere myself. I’ve just heard about the symbolism of this tree, but I’m not sure if it’s true.” “You mean you planted it at the door without even knowing what it signifies?” Dominick’s tone was indifferent, casually tossing the 16:14 Thu, 20 Jun G D G question back to Larry. A silent battle of wills was unfolding between the two. “I’m not very familiar with the trees, Mr. Sinclair. Cut me some slack. Let’s not forget, today is about Ms. Mitchell. She’s been waiting for you in the ward for quite a while.” Larry swiftly moved the conversation away. The conversation just now seemed normal, but Dominick felt something was off with the dean. His reactions seemed natural, and everything appeared normal, but his responses were too polished as if he had prepared for these questions before. Nevertheless, Dominick said nothing. After all, seeing Lola was the priority at this time. When Larry opened the door, there was finally a flicker of emotion in Dominick’s eyes. No matter what, seeing Lola was good news. He was determined to bring her back safe and sound. “Ms. Mitchell, your family is here.” Larry pushed open the iron gate. Lola sat quietly beside the bed in a loose hospital gown. Her small face looked a bit rounder and more vibrant than it had when she vanished. Seeing Lola again, Dominick couldn’t contain his emotions. He stepped past Larry and quickly

walked towards Lola. “Lola, are you alright? Did you get hurt? We’ve all missed you so much since you’ve been away.” Dominick was worried that his excitement might upset Lola and suppressed all his emotions, speaking calmly. He even refrained from openly expressing his longing for her, using everyone’s concern as a cover. Lola slowly lifted her eyes to meet Dominick’s. “Dom… I thought you wouldn’t come for me.” Her eyes reddened instantly, her voice trembling at the end. Lola looked so pitiful that anyone would feel heartbroken upon seeing her, but Dominick was stunned, the suppressed excitement in his eyes suddenly vanishing, replaced by a complex mix of emotions. It was strange. Lola hated him deeply. When she saw that video, her hatred for him should have deepened. But now, she called him so intimately…. It had been a long time since Lola had called him “Dom”. The last time was when she was begging him to believe her. “Dom? What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy to see me…” Lola tugged at Dominick’s arm. Dominick masked the hint of suspicion in his eyes and gently took her hand. “Of course, I’m happy. I’ve been searching for you for 16:14 Thu, 20 Jun GB G over a month. I haven’t had a peaceful night’s sleep, always worrying about you.” “I was terrified,” Lola murmured, her eyes downcast, tears trickling silently. “I feared I might never see any of you again. It was horrifying… Ethan had initially wanted to rush over and embrace Lola, but now, he suppressed the urge. Lola seemed a bit off, perhaps due to some kind of shock. Ethan walked over to Lola and sat down beside her. “Layla, please don’t cry. We’re here now. Don’t

worry, we won’t let you be separated from us again.” Lola looked up, her eyes glistening as she gazed at Ethan. “Ethan… I missed you so much. You don’t know how scared I was when those people barged in. But then I heard they were your men, and I felt so relieved. “Ethan, I knew you and Dom wouldn’t just leave me behind. I knew it.” She sobbed. While Lola kept crying, a brief shadow crossed Ethan’s eyes, quickly hidden. “It’s okay, Layla. No more tears. Let’s go home.” Ethan softly stroked Lola’s hair, but his attention subtly shifted to Dominick. At that moment, Dominick was also looking at him. A silent understanding passed between them, but their intentions unspoken yet clear. “Larry, thanks for looking after Layla these weeks. It’s time for us to take her home,” Ethan said and left with Lola. On the way back, Lola sat between the two men, tightly holding their hands. “I’m not running away again. I want a good life with you guys. What happened before… It doesn’t matter anymore,” Lola said with a choked voice.