Chapter 3

When I finally left the police station, it was already past 1 a.m.

Back in school, I used to stay up late all the time, always feeling like a zombie the next day. But after I started dating Alan, I got my act together. His schedule was super strict-bed by 10 p.m., up at 5 a.m. on the dot.

I suddenly remembered the day Alan proposed to me.

That day, he said, "Early risers get this special kind of satisfaction. They feel the calm before dawn, see the night turn into day, and in that moment, realize life is pretty simple. Living like this every day is enough."

Then he smiled, paused, and added, "But for me, it wasn't perfect until I met you. You completed my life."

As he said that, he pulled out a ring, got down on one knee, and proposed.

What a cheesy proposal! I laughed so hard I almost fell over.

Alan gently hugged me and said, "You're the compass, and I'm the pencil. Without you, I'd just be scribbling aimlessly, never making a perfect circle."

Later, I told my dad about the proposal. My dad, who spent his life in architectural design, always drawing with a compass, got really mad and asked why I didn't just marry a compass and an alarm clock.

But now, it was all over. My life felt incomplete. No matter how early I woke up or how late I stayed up, I would never see him again.

I wandered through the cold autumn night, not wanting to call a cab or talk to anyone.

It was late autumn, and Alan had just mentioned paying the heating bill yesterday.

He hated the cold. With the floor heating on in winter, the house was always toasty. I'd be in short sleeves, while Alan would still be in thick pajamas, sitting upright.

I often teased him about wearing so many clothes, and he'd always smile, pull me onto the sofa, and hug me tight, saying that was the winter vibe. He loved warmth; it made him feel safe, especially with me. I was his sun.

Hearing that, I'd scoff and laugh.

Alan would get flustered, his face blushing, scratching his head and stammering, "Anyway, with you, I'm not afraid of winter."

Now, winter had come, and I realized Alan was the compass and the sun of my life.

I couldn't hold back anymore and burst into tears.

I didn't know how to go back to that cold house without him and stay calm. All the mental prep I had done fell apart. On the street past 1 a.m., I curled up in a corner, as fragile as a fallen leaf in the wind, unable to take any more.

I didn't know how long it was before I heard someone sigh beside me.

I was tired from crying, and in my daze, I had a faint, unrealistic hope. I stood up abruptly and saw the coroner who seemed to know me from before.

He was wearing a trench coat, standing silently in front of me. When he saw me look up, he showed a pained expression, his face stiff. After a long time, he nodded as a greeting and said, "Mrs. Smith... my condolences."

My mind was spinning, not understanding why he was repeating himself.

Seeing my red, confused eyes, he gave a bitter smile and asked, "Mrs. Smith, don't you recognize me?"

I looked at him carefully. He was about the same height as Alan, around 6 feet, with short hair and a beard. His face was slightly round, but there was a softness in his features, showing that he had been quite handsome in his youth, with a somewhat androgynous appearance.

"Are you... Joseph Davis?" I asked.

I suddenly remembered a pretty boy from the forensic science department at Silverlight University who loved playing female roles. He was a big deal in the opera club. Back then, he had long hair and was often mistaken for a girl. Some guys even hit on him by mistake, causing quite a scene.

In my senior year, I was already close to Alan, who was the playwright for the opera club. Even though he was busy with graduation, he'd occasionally go watch the performances and had a lot of respect for Joseph's acting skills. He told me several times that Joseph was talented and would be a star in the club's future.

"Yeah, that's me. I only found out about this a few hours ago. Seeing the body..." Joseph's eyes darkened, and he didn't finish the sentence. "After the autopsy, I cried in the bathroom. Alan was really good to me back then and taught me a lot."

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and said in a hoarse voice, "Even though we lived in the same city, we never met after graduation. I never thought our reunion would be like this..."

After letting out all my emotions earlier, I felt a bit calmer, slowly getting back to my usual rational self. I nodded and said softly, "Joseph, I know Alan's death is hard for you too. Let's calm down. I don't think you're here just to comfort me."

I looked at him intently. For him to be here, it was either a coincidence or he had followed me. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that, according to him, we hadn't been in contact for ten years after graduation. Simple comfort wasn't necessary, at least not for me at this stage. So, if he stayed, he must have something to tell me.

Joseph looked at me with admiration, probably not expecting me to pull myself together so quickly.

"Mrs. Smith, your reputation in the prosecutor's office is well-deserved," Joseph said respectfully. "I heard you mention to Mr. Williams from the prosecutor's office that Alan went to a class reunion?"

I nodded. Alan had been talking about a few close college friends who were all coming back to Silverlight City. He said they hadn't seen each other in years and wanted to have a good reunion.

"Is there a problem?" I asked, sensing something off.

Joseph looked puzzled and said, "During the autopsy, I heard two detectives discussing the case. According to them, none of the witnesses at the scene knew him. In other words, it seemed like Alan was there alone."

"What?" I couldn't process this information.

I thought, 'What does this mean? What about the other three people? Did that mean there was never a class reunion? Then what has Alan been talking about for the past few days? Could he have lied to me? No, I trust him.'

Suddenly, I realized something, thinking, 'Why would Alan be at the Entertainment Club? He's a homebody, reliable, and meticulous. He even tends to choose cheaper restaurants when he goes out to eat, except when I'm with him. He's so quiet, loves reading, and dislikes noisy places. If it's a gathering with friends, he always picks the quietest private room in a restaurant or prefers a café. How could he go to such a high-end venue, especially one that's known as the city's most exclusive business entertainment club? Also, according to Joseph, the witnesses at the crime scene all said they didn't recognize Alan. So, what about the class reunion he mentioned?'