horror effect

Julian and Elena Theoros met again two days later.He was drinking beer and reading the newspaper alone in the corner of the Four Calendar Tavern when Irina walked in and came straight to him and sat opposite him.He really wanted to run away, firstly because this woman gave him a feeling of panic caused by elusiveness, and secondly because he knew very well that ambiguous words with Irina in front of everyone in the tavern would cause others to misunderstand, Moreover, at this moment, many people who were drinking in the tavern were peeking at them.

Neither of them spoke, and Julian continued to stare at the newspaper, while Irene stared at him motionlessly, making him very uncomfortable.After a while, the wine Irone ordered was brought to the table, she took a sip, and then began to speak: "Have you decided?" she asked.

"Huh?" Julian put down the newspaper at this moment, "What decision?"

Elena sneered, of course she knew very well what Julie's purpose was in installing the fool. "Have you decided to trade 'Secret' and 'Freedom'?"

"I don't quite understand," he said, "Secrets are your secrets, and freedom is your freedom. It has nothing to do with me."

"Looks like I didn't make it very clear. I have a secret, and you..." She gave a smile so flamboyant that Julian found it creepy.How could he not understand!He understands it all.Only two nights ago he had understood exactly what Irone meant: she would tell him the secret in exchange for her being his mistress, and all he had to do was find a way out for her in London.

Apparently it was Elena who lost her freedom, but in fact it was himself who lost her freedom.He sees better than most of those countless lovers throughout the ages: when a woman falls into their arms, it is they who lose their freedom.

"And what about your husband?" Julian said suddenly.

"Do you think I love him?"

"Do not."

"Then please make up your mind, Monsieur Julian Raymond." Secrecy or freedom.

He lowered his head and took a sip of his beer, then said slowly, "I only agree with a part. I understand your desire to leave here, and I can help you. As for the relationship between the two of us, you have the initiative, and I will never force it. As for the secret you said, if you are willing to tell me, then I am happy to know; and if you are not willing to tell me, it is the same-I will never force you. I only do what I should do, and you Only do what you are willing to do. As for 'exchange', let's change the word, how about 'mutual aid'?"

While he was talking, Elena became more and more surprised. She didn't expect such a result, and looked at him in surprise.Some thoughts swayed in her heart, shining like stars, and then disappeared, replaced by others.

The bloated arrogance on her face was gone, and she felt that she had transformed into an ordinary woman again in an instant, and this warmed her heart so much that the ice in her veins melted into fine wine.She couldn't help showing a gentle smile, and said in a low and trembling voice:

"Let me decide? . . . by myself? Oh! Yes! 'Mutual aid', that's the word! I'll tell you, I'll tell you one day!" Julian was asking Looking at her, she suddenly stood up, bent over, and said to him, "I will tell you, but not today... No! I have to go! I have to go! My God! I have to go! "

As she spoke, she picked up the wine glass, drank the rest of the wine in one gulp, then threw the money for the wine on the counter, and left the tavern quickly, leaving Julian sitting alone in a daze.He obviously didn't know that Irene Theolos, who was threatening, deceiving and teasing him just two nights ago, was already ashamed of her threats, deceit and teasing when she walked out of the tavern up.

On the weekend, Julian and Stephen met to go hiking together.He did this mainly for his own work.Now that he has told the London newspaper that he is going to interview here, it is really unreasonable to go back empty-handed. He has finished writing the description of the local customs, and now he needs to take some photos.Moreover, Julian also wanted to put aside the investigation about the secret of the white lion. Although he wanted to find out everything before he left, it was useless to be anxious without further information. It is better to take the time to relax.

The weather was fine that day, though still cold, but the bright sun was pleasant on the face and hands.They climbed up along the road winding among the mountains.The snow line in the mountains in winter will drop. Stephen pointed this out to Julian. There are only a few scattered pieces of snow below the snow line, and the snow above it has never melted. The sun is very dazzling, and it is estimated that it will go up again. For a while they need to wear sunglasses.

After more than two hours, they came near the snow line. Because they did not bring professional climbing equipment, it would be dangerous to go up, so they stopped there for a while.Using this time, Julian took some photos of the mountains and the town in the valley.

After putting the camera in his backpack, Julian turned back to look at the towering mountain and took a few deep breaths.The peaks were as sharp as being torn, and they themselves tore the sky, so tall, so sharp, so relentless.

He has never had the desire to conquer the mountain in front of him like a mountaineer, but he would rather stay away from these oppressive stone judges.He also knows what kind of pleasure he will get from standing on the top of the mountain-the world will be laid out under his feet, and those buildings and characters that you need to look up to on weekdays will become as insignificant at this time.But what is the height of a man you are taller than a mountain?When you stand on the top and look at the small crowd like ants in the distance, you suddenly feel a sense of satisfaction from looking down: you are greater than them.

And what are you really worth?The mountain has stood there silently for hundreds of millions of years, human beings who have only a few decades of life rush across its body, just a breeze on its thick skin.

"What are you thinking?" Stephen asked seeing that he was silent.

"I was wondering how far the investigation of the white lion should go. The truth is sometimes not what people want to see. What if we found something terrible? We have no time to bury it. .”

Stephen smiled and said, "If that's the case, would you be afraid?"

"I'm not worried about myself. Father Collivan told me that no matter what happens in this place, I can leave as a foreigner, but you still have to live on."

"Stupid life?" Stephen looked at the small town in the valley and sneered, "Instead of turning into a cold and heartless stone, it is better to choose to die while still feeling. Remember Elena Theo Rose's words at the Four Calendar Tavern? 'I'd rather see the aftermath of everything that happens from here on out.' I think I feel the same way. If someone weeps with joy, there's someone who weeps with pain. I want to know The truth, no matter how painful the truth, should be accepted and made a part of life itself."

Julian heard his words, sighed, and said, "That's not what you should say."

Stephen looked at him, his own shadow reflected on the smooth surface of the sunglasses, unable to see Julian's eyes.He turned his head and looked into the distance again, but he was thinking in his heart: Do you think I am a kid who is only interested in sweet candies?Do you think bitterness is just for you to taste alone?Don't think, when you tell of your painful experiences, that I fail to see your hidden happiness.You long to taste them.

There are still more than half a month before Christmas, and the weather is gradually getting darker, with small but bitingly cold snow graupel flying all over the sky from morning till night.The number of ski tourists in the Cedar Hill Hotel is decreasing, and the cold weather makes the small town with few residents even more quiet and desolate.Some people can't bear the severe cold and take their whole family to the Mediterranean region for vacation, while those who have no money to go abroad have to live in their houses all day long and can't easily come out.

However, in such disheartening weather, there are still people who take the opposite route, returning from the warm Tuscan coast to the cold mountains.

In the evening, when the dim and yellow sun was about to set behind the mountain, a luxury car, rarely seen in small towns, drove slowly through the deserted streets, climbed up the slippery slope with difficulty, and stopped quietly in Mihai In front of the gate of the mansion of Le Bouilly.After the door opened, the person in the passenger seat got out first. He was wearing a black suit and holding a black umbrella in his hand. Under his cover, a person in the back seat quickly got out of the car, and then disappeared into the house. Behind the gate of the mansion, even people on the street could not see his face clearly.

Therefore, the only people who knew that Mikhail Bouilly had returned to town that night were his servants.

However, no matter how strict the secrecy measures are, it is useless for a closed-off town. People living in this kind of place are born with a keen sense of smell. Their ability to speculate based on clues impresses the detectives. Sociologists are intrigued by this love of gossip.On the second day after Boay returned to the town, the town's big shots—the mayor, the police chief, and the bank president—entered Boye's mansion together, and that afternoon, everyone in the town knew The financier is back.So, in the rooms of every house in the town, people began to talk about it.

Of all the townspeople, Theoros, the lumber mill owner, reacted the most to Bouilly's return.He had heard it from his son Nikolay at supper.His initial expression was contemptuous, as if he wanted to draw a line between himself and the financier, but as he spoke, his attitude changed unknowingly.

"...Although the methods used by Bowai to start a business are somewhat unclean, after all, most of them should be attributed to his father. Moreover, whoever has money these days is the winner. Economic laws, like It is the law of nature—Darwin’s theory of evolution—the strong eat the weak, and poorly managed companies should be swallowed up by outstanding large companies or squeezed out of the market—the weak should make way for the strong, otherwise, how can economic growth be achieved? What about it?" Theolos was so proud of himself citing the evidence of evolution that he didn't even notice the cold expressions of Nicholas and Elena.He continued: "Let's look at those economically powerful countries. Which one doesn't have many large global companies? They rule a certain field, establish business rules, and maintain market stability. Our country should also allow such companies to grow and grow That's right."

Irina frowned impatiently and poured a large spoonful of corn chowder onto Theolos' plate, almost touching his chin with the scalding spoon.

"What are you doing!" Theoros yelled.

"Eat your meal." Elena said, "Stop talking about things that have nothing to do with you."

"I care about the country's economic development! What do you know?"

"What do I know? I know that if you don't have money to buy food, you will starve. I also know that those big companies you said will never give you a penny for your speech. I also know what economic laws you are talking about. Never cared about the life and death of ordinary people!"

"Irene!"

"Forget it, Theoros. When did the economic laws and the theory of evolution that you keep praising ever control your life and death? According to what you said, your logging factory that is in debt and on the verge of bankruptcy should be finished, and you, the factory owner, should be finished." You should starve to death, you won’t create any value anyway, why not make way for those who can create value!”

Theolos was dumbfounded when asked.He became a little annoyed, his face flushed red, but all his anger finally condensed into a sentence with no clear meaning: "Just wait and see, wait and see..."

Waking up in the morning, Renee Hostatova felt very depressed.

She knew that this emotion had arisen because she was going to meet her biological father, Mikhail Bouai, today.Last night, she received a call from him. Although she already knew that he had returned to the town, she was still a little surprised. After all, it had been seven years since they severed their relationship with their father and daughter. Even pretending to be a stranger.Bowai invited him to meet at the mansion, which indicates that something big must happen.Hostatova had actually already guessed a bit: she had heard that Bovay had married a lady of status and money in Italy before, and she must have wanted to meet her for this matter.

But what does that matter to me, Hostatova thought.It is your freedom to continue. I am no longer your daughter, so naturally I will not interfere with your behavior, but what do you mean by dragging me into it again?appease me?Or do you feel sorry for my mother because of your conscience?

Hostatova covered her face, the thought of her mother was painful for her, and she did not want to see Bouilly.

However, there was a magic power hidden deep in her body, which drove her to put makeup on her face, put her hair into a bun, put on a black dress, and came to the gate of Bouy's mansion at the scheduled time .

In the brief moments waiting for the gates to open, Hostatova inspects the exterior of the mansion: it looks much the same as when she resolutely left all those years ago, still stucco and ivy-covered , black iron fences and gates, the yard is full of trees, which would cover the entire main building in summer, but now it is winter, and the gray main building can be seen through the gauze-like branches, and it is still the same as before Standing coldly in the center of the yard.

The door opened, and a middle-aged servant dressed in black directed her through a winding cobbled corridor and into the drawing room of the main building.Mikhail Bouilly was already there.Hostatova feels that these years of life do not seem to have had much impact on his appearance. He is still as straight as he was in his 40s, with a dignified look, black eyes, and a hooked nose. Absolutely, the only telltale sign of his age is his gray hair, which was jet-black ten years ago.

Mikhail Bouy, a little excited when he saw Hostatova, walked quickly towards her.And she discovered this, and in order to prevent the "touching hug" she hated, she immediately stretched out her right hand and said at the same time: "Hello, it's an honor to meet you, Mr. Bouilly."

Her words were polite and thoughtful but without any emotion, which quickly faded Bowai's enthusiasm. He reached out and shook her, and said very politely: "I am also very honored, Miss Hostatova. Please sit down." He pointed to the sofa.

After the two of them were seated, the servant served some refreshments, and then they withdrew.During this period, Hostatova kept observing him, but found that he did not know this person, and then realized that those old servants might have been sent away, and she couldn't help feeling a little melancholy.Bowai noticed this and said, "Do you remember Dimitri? The servant you loved playing with when you were little?"

"Yes, Dmitry Yulyanov, he was very young then. How is he now?"

"He's doing an excellent job now as a department manager in one of my banks."

"... Ah, very nice..." said Hostatova softly.She didn't understand what he meant: to jog her memory?In order to ease the tense atmosphere between two people?Or is he showing his kindness?If it's the first two goals, she can still bear it, but if it's the latter, she has reason to be angry.She didn't want to see his kindness acted out, she didn't need it at all, she knew who he was better than anyone else. "What do you want to tell me when you invite me here?" she asked.

"...I want to tell you that I got married recently."

She didn't speak.So what, what does it have to do with me.

Boai continued: "We had our wedding in Italy, which was still secret and with few friends and relatives. Following the tradition here, I wanted to have a more formal and family wedding in town. I hope You can too."

That's why, Hostatova thought.You're trying to get me on good terms with that stepmother who didn't show up, afraid that I'll hate her for my mother's sake.Who do you think I am!So many years!As my former father, you still thought that I would hate innocent people out of personal grudges!I never misjudged you, and I feel sorry for my mother, she would love you persistently!

"I know what I should do," Hostatova said coldly, "and what I shouldn't do. I have my limits."

Bowai noticed her dissatisfaction, and said with some embarrassment: "This makes you very difficult, I understand. I thank you for your understanding."

How do you know what I'm thinking?Hostatova's dark eyes fixed on him.I could break up you newlyweds if I wanted to, she thought.

"I will attend the wedding."

Hostatova agreed, and after they had said something casually, she took her leave.On the way back to the infirmary from the Bouilly mansion, she had been feeling very uncomfortable, as if something was lying on her heart and preventing it from beating.After returning to the medical center, she fell down on the sofa in the reception room and covered her face with her hands.