《关闭小说畅读模式体验更好》

        Officersalsotrackeddownformeremployeeswhohadn''tappearedinanyphotos.Eveniftheyhadn''tsufferedtheworst,mosthadbeengropedorharassedtosomedegreebythemanager''swanderinghands.

        AsforReya,aftersubtlyprobingotherfemalestaff,theylearnedthatJulianhadoftensteppedintoshieldherwheneverthemanagertriedtotakeadvantage.Thatatleastexplainedhowthetwoofthemhadgrownclose.AlthoughLucianwasreluctanttoacceptit,hehadto—deathdemandsrespect.AtleasttheboyhadprotectedReyawhenhecouldn''t.

        TheofficerssenttoLinisan''shomecamebackempty-handedandbegantosuspectsomethingmighthavehappenedtoher.Butsheeventuallyturnedherselfinatthestation—beforeJunevenfinisheddraftingthekiller''sprofile.

        Herstorywaschilling.Themanagerhadfirstassaultedhertwoyearsprior.Shehadconsideredgoingtothepolice,buthethreatenedtoreleasecompromisingphotostoherrelativesandpostthemonline,effectivelyruiningherlife.

        Hermotherhadaheartcondition,andafterherfather''sdeath,distantrelativeshadbeencirclingtheoldfamilyhouse.Ifthephotosleaked,hermotherwouldn''tbeabletotaketheshock,andthosegreedyrelativeswouldsurelyfindanexcusetoseizethepropertyandkickherout.So,shelivedeachdayinfear,waitingforthemanager''soccasionalsummons.

        Themanagerwasacautiousman.Everytimehehadintercoursewithher,heworeacondom.Thechildshewascarryinghadbeenconceivedaftershesecretlypokedholesinit,hopingthepregnancywouldforcehimtohelpherkeeptheoldfamilyhouse.

        Whenthemanagerdiscoveredshewaspregnant,heeruptedinrage,demandingshegetanabortion.ButLinisanhadcounteredwithaquiet,terrifyingresolve:evenifshewentthroughwithit,shewouldkeepthetissue,havetheDNAtested.Sheknewofhisaffairswithotherfemaleemployeesatthepark,andshewasreadytodraghimdownifhepushedtoofar.

        Themanagerhadneverencounteredanyonelikeher.Mostofhisvictimswereyoung,naive,easilymanipulated.Linisanwasolder,hardenedbylife,andnotthetypeheusuallypreyedupon.Twoyearsago,hehadchosenheronlybecausesheappearedvulnerable—asickmother,alonewithoutmalerelatives.Thatmiscalculationhadbecomehisnightmare.

        Formonths,theylivedinatensestalemate.Eachhelddirtontheother,andneitherdaredfullycrosstheline.

        Linisan''splanhadalwaysbeensimple:carrythebabytoterm,thenleave,reclaimherlife.Despitethechildbeingconceivedunderduress,itwasstillhers—herfleshandblood.Shehadbeguntoformabond,howeverreluctant,withthelifegrowinginsideher.

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