"Hartwell is on his way to D City, and so is the Li family. Your uncle has gone back to the military base for more information. Blair, where are you now? I'm coming to keep you company. Wait for me," Joslyn said worriedly.
Blair was silent for a moment. Then, she took a deep breath and said in a rather calm tone, "You don't need to come. His body has not been found yet, so there's still a chance that he has survived. I'm going to D City to look for him." 'I must go.
I need to see for myself whether he is dead or alive, ' she swore.
After ending the call with Joslyn, Blair decisively asked her manager for some time off from work.
She quickly booked a flight ticket, packed her luggage and headed towards the airport. She stared at her suitcase as she was waiting in the lounge to board, an empty look in her eyes. All of a sudden, tears gushed out of those lifeless sockets and streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably.
She covered her face with both her hands and bent over, crying hysterically.
Blair felt frustrated. She blamed herself for being too weak. Crying wasn't going to solve anything, but that was all she could do.
'Wesley, please be safe…' she prayed, again and again.
After venting her emotions, she gradually stopped crying. Wiping the tear stains, she boarded the plane that would take her to D City.
Just as she was about to put her phone on flight mode, she got another call from Niles. The young man spoke in a comforting tone. "Blair, we just arrived in D City. Don't worry. Lady Luck is always on my brother's side. He'll be safe and we'll surely bring him back."
"Niles, I'm on my way to D City too. Wait for me there."
Niles was taken aback. He didn't expect her to take action so soon. "Okay. I'll tell Mom."
It was drizzling when Blair set foot in D city. Without bothering to buy an umbrella, she hurried towards the spot of the explosion.
The wharf had been cordoned off. A lot of people were gathered around the place; the atmosphere felt solemn and heavy. The deafening sound of the weeping and wailing of the victims' families resonated in the area.
Since Wesley had been using an alias while he worked as a spy in D City, his true identity was still being concealed by the military. When Blair asked the local police about Wesley's condition, they all looked at her in confusion and shook their heads since they had no information about such a person.
Blair called Niles immediately and got to know that they were resting at a temporary lounge nearby. She gave him her location.
When Niles came to pick her up, Blair was standing in the beach, staring blankly into the vast sea. She felt at a loss, not knowing what to do next. She had come to this city on an impulse, but she had no idea how to find Wesley.
"Blair."
She snapped back to reality and turned around. Niles was running towards her, holding an umbrella.
The ever-naughty boy now looked weary with a small stubble on his chin, his eyes bloodshot.
Blair nodded and walked up to him. She asked expectantly, "Any news?"
Niles held the umbrella over her head, shaking his head dejectedly. "Not yet. Mom is very upset. Dad is keeping her company in the lounge."
Niles took Blair to the lounge. When she entered the room, she saw Cecelia with Baldwin, her head on his shoulder. Her face was ghastly pale. She looked like she was on the brink of a meltdown.
She sobbed silently and refused to drink or eat anything. She looked even more sorrowful than the last time Wesley had been wounded because of Megan.
It pained Blair to see Cecelia in such a terrible state. In an instant, her eyes brimmed with tears. She walked closer to them and greeted quietly, "Aunt Cecelia, Uncle Baldwin."
Baldwin raised his head and nodded to her.
Cecelia's distant eyes landed on Blair. She cried, "Blair…Oh… Blair…" Sobs escaped her lips before she could say anything further.
Blair's heart tightened. She squatted down in front of her and gripped her hands. "Aunt Cecelia, don't cry. There's still hope. No news is good news, right? He'll come back. He's a survivor."
Cecelia shook her head vigorously. "They said that hope was slim. It has almost been a day since the incident. He…he is probably…"
Blair had wanted to be strong in front of the Li family. But Cecelia's words threw her into despair. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she cried together with Wesley's mother. "No…
That can't be true. No…I'll go look for him now. Wait for me, Aunt. I'll bring Wesley back to you!"
She let go of Cecelia's hands and dashed towards the door.
Niles tried to stop her. "Blair, don't go. Dad has arranged for more men to search for Wesley's whereabouts, so—"
But Blair was already gone. She couldn't give up. And she wouldn't believe Wesley was dead unless his body was right in front of her eyes.
"Follow her. Make sure she's safe," Baldwin hastily instructed Niles.
"Okay," he sighed and ran after her.
Blair ran all the way to the beach. She plodded near the shore, hoping to see some miracle. Wesley might have been washed ashore, like those scenes in some TV opera. She kept picturing the scene where she would be lucky enough to find him and save him in time.
But, reality was crueler than fiction. She walked several kilometers along the beach, but there was no sign of her beloved. Niles silently tagged along the whole time.
Soon, the sun began to go down the horizon. Exhausted, and mentally famished, Blair shouted at the surging sea, "Wesley! Wesley! It's me! It's Blair! Where are you?"
The sound of the waves was her only reply.
But, reality was crueler than fiction. She walked several kilometers along the beach, but there was no sign of her beloved. Niles silently tagged along the whole time.
Soon, the sun began to go down the horizon. Exhausted, and mentally famished, Blair shouted at the surging sea, "Wesley! Wesley! It's me! It's Blair! Where are you?"
The sound of the waves was her only reply.
A strong wave crashed onto the shore, wetting her clothes. But she didn't feel anything other than the overwhelming sadness that was starting to envelope her.
Niles couldn't bear seeing her like this anymore. He walked towards her and tried to help her up. But she didn't move. In a low, cracked voice, she asked, "Niles, do you know something? Your brother never lies."
Unable to lift her up to her feet, Niles let go of her arm. He nodded silently. Of course, he knew.
"He'll come back. He promised, and he never lies. There's still three months left. He'll keep his word and come back by then. Don't you think so too?"
Niles said nothing. He saw the empty look in Blair's eyes, as if all life had been sucked out of her. He felt sorry for her. Wesley would be heartbroken too if he saw her like this.
After a while, Blair continued to walk along the shore and shout towards the sea.
She didn't stop her futile efforts until two o'clock in the morning.
Rescue operations went on for two more days. The rescue ships found more and more dead bodies. There were no survivors.
Three days later, since there was no hope of finding any survivors, the officials had to give up on the rescue operation.
The military decided to hold an official funeral for Wesley, since he had sacrificed himself while on a mission. They had to welcome the hero back home, even though they couldn't find his body.
Everything was ready for the funeral—his portrait, the flowers, the gravesite. They just needed to fix the funeral date and hold the ceremony.
It was a miserable week for Blair. She couldn't remember what she had done every day of that week. The things happening around her didn't feel real.
She couldn't accept the fact that Wesley had died. He had lied to her…
He had promised her that he would come back as soon as possible; he asked her to wait for him. But, he didn't come.
All those negative thoughts haunted her mind. The Ji family tried to cheer her up, but to no avail. Blair had locked herself up in her world of despair, with no way for her to walk out.
The day before Wesley's funeral, Joslyn got a call from Blair. "Hi, Joslyn. Is Patrick asleep?"
Joslyn had been worried about Blair. She was glad that the girl had finally called her. "Yes. He has gone to bed. Blair, you should get more rest. You've tired yourself out. Do take care of yourself, okay?"
