CHAPTER 594: CHAPTER 618: ENDLESS GLOOM

Her fingers caressed the badge’s patterns, the tactile sensation, and those faint lines on it felt just like the badge Grace Yowell handed her in the café, and it was the same as the badge in her memory.

"What’s the story with this badge?" she murmured.

"I had it made based on my memory of that badge’s appearance. Over the years, I’ve seen that badge many times, so I sketched the design and had someone produce it. As for the material used in this badge, it was tested once back then, but they couldn’t determine what it was made of. It should be a special alloy, so I could only use a similar one to replace it," Daniel Harris said.

"I see..." Mabel Quinn stared at the badge in her hand for a long while before she finally whispered these words, as tears trickled down her cheeks.

Daniel Harris was startled, and hurriedly said, "Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?" He hastily took out a handkerchief, wanting to wipe her tears.

However, Mabel shook her head, "No, thank you for especially making such an identical badge for me. It’s just that my badge was lost in the explosion, so no matter how many badges there are, none will be that one anymore."

It was no longer the important badge that her father told her to take care of. After all, she still failed to fulfill what her father had entrusted to her. "I’m really grateful that you put so much thought into making this badge, but... I think it’s not what I need."

He bent down, using the handkerchief to wipe away her tears, "If I had known giving you this would make you cry like this, I definitely wouldn’t have made this badge for you. I’m sorry."

Mabel’s mind was still dazed by the badge, reminiscing about the times her father and she looked at it together. During those moments, her father’s eyes always held a tenderness she rarely saw, as if the badge was also a spiritual souvenir for him.

"Then what should be done with this badge? Destroy it?" Daniel’s voice sounded in Mabel’s ear.

"Don’t destroy it!" she instinctively said. Looking up, she saw Daniel’s face so close to hers, and his handkerchief was still pressed against her face, wiping away her tear marks.

"No... no need to wipe..." she said, turning her head away and hastily using her hand to wipe away the tears on her face.

His hand holding the handkerchief paused slightly, then slowly retracted his fingers, pocketing the handkerchief. "If not to be destroyed, how do you think this badge should be handled?" Daniel asked.

Mabel bit her lip lightly. Although it wasn’t her badge, it was almost the same, and she didn’t want to dispose of it casually.

"Then let you handle it. You can decide how you want to deal with it," Daniel said.

For now, that was all she could do. Mabel nodded, placed the badge into her handbag, and then turned to leave.

Daniel Harris stood there, intently watching Mabel Quinn’s retreating figure until she completely disappeared from his sight. Only then did he turn and walk in the opposite direction.

From the second-floor corridor on the other side, a pair of slanted phoenix eyes gazed at the now-empty spot, filled with endless gloom.