I'm not even sure how many days it's been anymore. All I know is that time in this room moves strangely, longer, heavier than usual. Sometimes it feels like the clock has stopped. Sometimes it feels like the same day looping over and over.
The curtains are still shut tight. Only a thin sliver of light leaks through, faint like a secret. Dirty plates pile up on the table, empty bread wrappers scattered around. The only "meal" I can remember having lately is a box of bread I bought once, torn into pieces because I didn't even have the energy to cook instant noodles.
I know something has changed, but I can't tell what. I didn't notice my cheeks hollowing out, my cheekbones starting to show, everything felt distant, like I was watching someone else's body in the mirror. I was more focused on the voices in my head. My last words to my father, the look on his face, the sound of that door closing.
Then, a soft knock at the door. At first just one. Then two. I lower my gaze to the dark curtains.
"Val?" Juno's voice, quiet. "You in there?"
There's a pause. Then Max, more panicked, calls out from outside. "Val, we've been calling you nonstop! We finally came here, so, please open up! We can't let you stay alone like this no matter how much you say you need time. It's been two weeks, for freaking sake!"
I stay quiet. My body feels heavy. Their voices sound like they're coming from underwater. I just want to close my eyes again, let everything fade.
The knocking grows louder. "If you don't open up, we're calling someone, Val." Juno's tone is sharp now.
A few minutes later, I hear metal clinking. Click. The door opens.
"Holy—" Max covers her nose. "What the hell is this smell?"
Juno stands at the doorway, her eyes scanning the room before landing on me. "Valerie Kessler," she says quietly. "You look like a corpse."
I try to laugh, but the sound that comes out is a rasp. "Thanks. That's exactly how I feel."
Max rushes over, sits beside me, her hand wrapping around my wrist. "You haven't eaten, have you?" I don't answer.
She glances toward the table full of expired fast food wrappers. "Val, you're insane… this stuff's rotten."
"Leave it," I mutter. My voice is barely audible. "I'm not hungry."
Max looks at me, eyes glistening. "You need to eat something, Val. I'm not letting you die just because you can't stop blaming yourself."
"I deserve to feel guilty," I finally say. "My last words to him—" My voice cracks. I press a hand to my chest, struggling to breathe. "He was just trying to help me, and I—" I can't finish.
Silence. Only the faint ticking of the wall clock.
Juno steps in and moves toward the window, pulling the curtain open slightly. The afternoon light spills in, touching my face.
"You've punished yourself long enough, Val," she says coldly. "He's not coming back. And crying for two weeks straight won't heal you."
I look up at her. "Juno, not now—"
"No. Listen to me." Her gaze is sharp, her tone hard. "We've all lost people, Val. But you can't keep living like this. You're not weak."
"I'm not strong either," I whisper. "I'm just tired. I regret everything. I didn't even say goodbye."
Max takes a deep breath and stands. "Okay, that's enough. Juno, give her some time."
But Juno lights a cigarette instead, exhaling slowly. "Time doesn't heal people like Valerie. You know that, Max. There's only one thing that can."
I look at her in silence.
"Revenge," she says calmly.
"Juno!" Max snaps.
But Juno doesn't flinch. She walks closer, crouching slightly in front of me. "You want to stop blaming yourself? Find who killed your father."
I bite my lip. "And then what? What do I get after that?"
"Closure," Juno answers. "Or at least, a reason to get out of bed."
I let out a bitter laugh. "Revenge isn't a reason to live."
"But it's a reason to stay alive," Juno shoots back fast. "We know you, Val. You only function when you have a goal. If you keep sitting here like this, you'll die slowly."
Her words hit me deep. Too deep. And the worst part, I know she's right.
Max finally joins in, sitting beside me again. "We all lost Thomas, Val. But you… you're his daughter. You deserve to know who did it."
I wipe my face, realizing tears have already been falling. "Where did you say the culprit's from again?"
"Rhys Tech," Max says quietly. "Your dad was investigating them, wasn't he?"
I freeze. Flashes of my father's files come back, stacks of papers, notes, clippings I found at the police station.
"Project Orion-78…" I mutter. "I found that file."
Juno nods. "And the name listed there?"
I bite my lower lip. "Leonardo Rhys."
The room goes silent again.
Max folds her arms, her tone steady but low. "Then we start with him."
I look at them both. "You mean… infiltrate Rhys Tech?"
"Yup," Juno says without hesitation. "We can handle it. You'll get inside, find out from within. I can build you a new identity."
I frown. "A new identity?"
"Yeah. New name, new work history, everything. You'll be someone else."
I go quiet for a few seconds, still half in disbelief.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Max asks. "We're stepping into corporate territory now, not the underground. If we get caught—"
"That's what makes it fun," Juno cuts him off, eyes gleaming. "Valerie won't rest until she finds who stabbed her father in the back."
I stare at my own trembling fingers. "But… I don't even know where to start."
Juno pulls her laptop out of her bag, fingers flying over the keys. The monitor lights up, empty grids filling with names and codes. "I already have the template," she says casually. "What kind of name do you want?"
I manage a faint, tired grin. "Whatever you want, Jun. Surprise me."
Minutes pass in silence. Only the sound of typing fills the room.
Finally, Juno closes the laptop and looks at me. "Done."
"That fast?" Max blinks.
"I'm not your average hacker, darling," Juno says flatly.
I glance at the name displayed on her screen.
"Emily Hart?" I repeat, raising an eyebrow. "You just made that up?"
Juno smirks. "It's safe. Just use it. You don't need to know more."
I want to ask, but her expression tells me to drop it.
"Fine," I say. "When do I start?"
"Whenever you're ready," Juno replies simply. "Not tomorrow, not today, whenever you're strong enough to begin."
Hearing that, something loosens inside me. Not everything has to happen right away. I can take my time. But the path is already in front of me.
That night, they stayed over, just one more night. They made sure I ate, forced me to take vitamins, and checked my temperature. Max placed a bowl of warm soup in front of me, and I ate a little, clumsy, slow, but I ate. It felt like a small victory.
Juno sat at my desk, laptop open. "Here," she said. "Everything's ready, CV, work experience, even your real data's hidden. You're officially Emily Hart now."
"Wow, not bad, Jun." Max came back from the sink after cleaning two weeks' worth of dishes.
"Of course! Oh, and guess what," Juno added, grinning. "I checked the openings at Rhys Tech, and apparently, Leonardo Rhys's secretary just quit. They're hiring immediately. So I already sent your application."
"What? You did what?!" I blinked. "I thought I'd start as, like, a regular employee or even a janitor!"
"Hah? No way, Val!" Max jumped in. "The closer you are to the suspect, the better."
I sigh. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to face that Leonardo guy directly."
Juno takes my hand, squeezing it lightly. "Don't worry. We still have time to prepare, okay?" she says with a small smile.
I nod. Right. It's time.
~~~~~
"Val? You done showering?" Max's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
I nod stiffly, trying to smile, though it probably doesn't look right.
"What's wrong? Something hurts?" Max asks, worried.
Well, everything hurts. My heart, my body. I just don't know how to heal it.
"No, it's just… I felt a little sore, so I sat down for a bit," I say. "So, are we still watching that movie?" I add quickly, walking toward Max and gently pushing her toward the living room.
In front of the TV, Juno's flipping through movie options. She turns to us. "Let's watch this one," she says, pointing at a trending horror film.
I nod.
I have to get my senses back. Max and Juno have done so much for me. I know some things are beyond my control, and some will always hurt, but I have to finish what I started.
At least for my father.
And I'll never forget my child, the one I never got to meet.
I hope they're both at peace in heaven.