Cross Lines

Chapter 29: Adversity

Due to the busy work schedule, Maggie only had time to check in on Grace at the hotel on Wednesday night. By Friday evening, after hastily finishing her work, she went straight to Eva’s bar in her office outfit, without even changing clothes. The bar was crowded due to the weekend, and Maggie didn’t spot the owner. She asked Xiao An, who said that Eva had been missing for almost a week, and surmised she must be searching for Grace. Maggie frowned, wondering if there had been another confrontation.

With no other option, Maggie had a quick dinner and returned to the bar for a juice, idly observing the patrons. The people in the city often had a hollow look, seeking to numb their senses with alcohol and fleeting encounters.

A couple of well-dressed men approached her, but Maggie politely declined their advances. She didn’t want to waste energy on irrelevant interactions, especially those with obvious ulterior motives. As she turned away, another person sat down beside her. At first glance, this person’s gender was ambiguous—short hair, smoking a cigarette, and dressed in very masculine clothing. Despite the dark skin, their complexion was slightly more delicate than a typical man’s, suggesting a person in their forties with notable signs of aging.

Maggie, accustomed to such individuals in this circle, respected their choices even if she didn’t fully understand them. She noted that people’s inclinations toward categorizing others, like heterosexuals discriminating against homosexuals or homosexuals against trans individuals, were unfortunate. It seemed the person beside her was just a passerby.

When Emily Luo arrived, she saw Maggie in her formal attire, incongruent with the bar’s atmosphere, engrossed in her phone. A strange-looking individual was staring intently at Maggie. Dr. Luo hesitated for a moment but then approached, casually placing an arm around Maggie’s neck and sitting close.

Maggie looked up, smiling when she saw Emily. The sight of Dr. Luo after several days made her genuinely happy, and she didn’t mind the closeness. The stranger, noticing the intimate interaction, gave a disdainful look and left with their drink.

Dr. Luo then withdrew her arm and slightly distanced herself from Maggie. “What are you so absorbed in?”

Maggie put away her phone and called Xiao An to get a drink for Emily. “Just chatting online.”

Emily glanced at the departed stranger with a hint of disapproval. “Be cautious when you’re out; there are many eyes on you.”

Confused, Maggie blinked. “Eyes on me?”

Not wanting to linger on the subject, Emily changed the topic. “Where’s Eva?”

“Xiao An said she’s been missing lately, probably looking for Grace.”

Emily nodded. “I visited a couple of nights ago. Eva mentioned she’d been waiting outside the hotel all day, and Grace had only appeared once to buy some necessities. Since then, she’s not been seen.”

Maggie suggested, “We should talk to Grace ourselves.”

Emily looked surprised. “Will she even talk to us?”

“It’s worth a try. We can’t keep avoiding this. It’s better to understand her thoughts and future plans directly,” Maggie reasoned. “Besides, we shouldn’t overestimate Grace; she’s not an ordinary person.”

Emily pondered, “But if she refuses, it will be even harder to handle.”

“It will just make things a bit more complicated, but it’s already difficult as is. My concern is whether Eva will agree.”

Emily sighed. “Eva is quite lost right now. She’ll agree to anything if it means seeing Grace.”

“Then let’s wait for Eva to return and discuss it with her,” Maggie suggested.

Emily agreed, and as she adjusted Maggie’s crooked lapel pin, Maggie noticed this small, intimate gesture—a sign of Dr. Luo’s subtle change. In the past, Dr. Luo would not have done this.

On Grace’s issue, Eva proved pliable. Maggie explained the situation to her, and Eva agreed to let her handle the conversation with Grace alone. Emily acknowledged her lack of eloquence and agreed with Maggie’s approach.

The next day, Saturday, Maggie dressed casually to appear more approachable. After considering various scenarios and responses, she went to Grace’s hotel.

After a deep breath, Maggie knocked on the door. It opened with a click, revealing Grace, who looked at Maggie calmly.

“Oh… Hello, I’m—”

Grace cut her off, “I know. Come in.”

Grace turned and walked inside. Maggie, puzzled but with no time for further questions, followed her in and closed the door gently.

The modest hotel room was old and small, with outdated furniture and a yellowed old TV. Grace sat on a wooden chair and gestured to the edge of the bed for Maggie to sit. Maggie chose the bed’s edge, looking around the room before finally observing Grace more closely.

Grace seemed more relaxed than their initial meeting days earlier, with fatigue less evident. Her face bore the marks of hardship, but there was an undeniable poise suggesting she had once been very beautiful, now weathered by significant distress.

Grace addressed Maggie, “You are—”

Before Maggie could find the right words, Grace continued, “A friend of hers?”

The choice of “her” felt neutral and devoid of emotional attachment, indicating a complete detachment from past feelings. This straightforward acceptance was likely due to Grace having something she needed to express.

“Yes, we’ve known each other for about two or three years. Eva owns a bar—”

Before Maggie could finish, Grace interrupted, “Is she the one who sent you?”

“No, I came to talk to you myself.”

Grace’s expression remained calm. “I know what you want to discuss. No need to elaborate. I want you to tell her that I don’t want to revisit the past. Our relationship has ended. She needn’t feel guilty. I’ve moved on, and I hope she does too. If she feels any remorse, that’s the best compensation she can offer me.”

Grace’s unperturbed delivery of these words, without mentioning her past sufferings, signaled a firm desire to sever ties with Eva completely. Maggie remained silent, recognizing that this calmness was far worse than any overt hatred or anger.