Die Geschichte von Prinzessin Song in Heian-kyo

Kapitel 27

"I told them, and I told you too." Scotty seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Julie's oversight.

Julie maintained her hair-combing posture and answered Scotty in as calm a voice as possible: "We tried..."

Yes, but it doesn't seem to suit me.

“Please, Julie,” Scottie pleaded as always.

Julie knew she wouldn't refuse; in fact, she was somewhat looking forward to it. How would Scottie face someone who looked exactly like Mei Ling? How far was danger from this choice in the end? Without giving Scottie any more time to speak, Julie turned and went into the dressing room.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… Scottie’s gaze remained fixed on the silver doorknob outside the dressing room. He stared at the door, wishing he could see right through it and into Julie’s room. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine her walking out…

After an unknown amount of time, Scotty finally noticed the doorknob slowly turning, the door slowly opening, and Julie gracefully walking out. No, a more accurate description would be that Mei Ling was walking towards him step by step.

He was shocked. Although he had imagined it countless times in his mind, he was still stunned by the astonishing similarity. For a moment, he stood there, frozen in place.

Julie was clearly pleased with Scotty's reaction. All the excitement and surprise only proved that Scotty loved Mei Ling, loved the Mei Ling she was playing. She smiled, poised and charming. About a step away from Scotty, she stopped, met his warm lips, and instantly, that long-lost, electrifying pleasure descended upon her…

What a kiss it was! Time had passed, life and death had transcended, and the two of them greedily suckled at each other's lips, all the longing, all the pain, all the happiness of regaining what was lost melting into that kiss…

Twenty-three

Julie's room.

Scotty browsed the newspaper, admiring Julie as she busied herself with her makeup. Since Julie's transformation, their relationship had reached a more stable level. Forget the nightmare of Mei Ling's death; facing Julie now, who could definitively say which woman Scotty loved more? Those pale blue eyes were the haven Scotty would gladly sleep in forever. From Julie, Scotty felt more happiness and joy. After all, Julie was a woman who truly loved him, a woman free from the constraints of marriage, the chaos of memories, and the pain of confusion. If Scotty had to define his feelings, he loved this woman before him, a combination of Mei Ling's face and Julie's gentle nature.

Julie, of course, had no idea of Scotty's complex inner thoughts. She went back and forth between the dressing room and the living room, excitedly discussing where to have dinner.

“I want to eat a delicious big steak,” Julie said as she put on her earrings in front of the mirror, looking at Scotty behind her.

The black evening gown perfectly accentuated Julie's slender figure; it was a dress Scottie had chosen for her, modeled after Mei Ling. Without Mei Ling's often slightly bewildered expression, Julie looked radiant against the black backdrop. Scottie was also very pleased with Julie's attire, smiling and admiringly observing her.

Julie gave herself one last look in the mirror. She noticed her low-cut evening gown seemed to lack something to match. After a moment's thought, she took a necklace from her jewelry box and asked Scottie to put it on. Scottie readily agreed; doing anything for this woman pleased him. But the moment Scottie touched the necklace, his expression froze. The red gemstone necklace was clearly an old-fashioned piece, every meticulous detail indicating its considerable value. But these weren't Scottie's concerns. This necklace was unmistakably the one from the portrait of Carado. Shouldn't it belong to Mei Ling's collection? According to Gavin, it should have been inherited by Mei Ling from Carado, and it was the most crucial evidence proving the relationship between Mei Ling's family and Carado. But why had the necklace suddenly appeared with Julie?

Scotty stood frozen, a blurry outline forming in his mind as he began to piece together fragmented thoughts. These scattered fragments began to be reorganized and categorized in his mind, all the fleeting information he had seen and felt was reanalyzed. Gradually, he found a ray of light in this fog, a path leading to the truth…

“Scottie, do you really love me?” Julie suddenly asked, staring into Scottie’s eyes.

Scotty's thoughts were once again in turmoil. He looked into Julie's expectant eyes and hesitated. Now, he probably held the key to unlocking all the mysteries, but Julie's words reminded him: did he really want to uncover the whole truth? He struggled with this internal conflict. He had to be careful; it wasn't just about solving the mystery, but also about Julie's future, even her life… and the feelings between him and Julie. If everything was proven true, how would they face each other?

“Honey, we can go now.” Julie, seemingly oblivious to Scottie’s change, gently pressed her face against Scottie’s cheek while holding her handbag.

(7)

"Would you like to eat outside the city?" Scotty's tone held little room for negotiation. In his final moments, he recalled the nightmare that had been plaguing him for days... no, he was almost at his breaking point! The only option was to uncover the truth, and Scotty decided to take the risk.

Twenty-four

The car was speeding along. On the night-shrouded highway, only this one car was racing.

The towering trees lining both sides of the road, in the darkness, resembled demons with outstretched arms, revealing their狰狞 faces. Julie had clearly figured out where Scotty had gone, and a look of horror appeared on her face.

"Where are you going?" Julie stammered.

“I’m going to do one last thing, and then I’ll be free, unaffected by the past,” Scotty said coldly, a sinister smile playing on his lips as he looked at Julie. “I’m going back in time once, for the very last time.”

The car finally arrived at the San Juan Parish.

It's that tower again, that bell, and that Spanish village. The village square is shaded by green trees. At the end of the meadow...

A stone house with white walls, and a cute little tree growing in the corner. Everything is still the same as before...

"Why? Why here?" Julie's voice trembled with fear.

“Meiling died here,” Scotty said calmly. Julie’s expression confirmed his final suspicion; the truth was only a short distance from here to the top of the tower. Scotty glanced instinctively at the white tower.

“I don’t want to go… I’d rather wait here…” Julie couldn’t finish her sentence.

“No, I need you. I need you to temporarily play the role of Mei Ling. Once this is over, we’ll all be free.” Scotty clearly sensed Julie’s fear, and his tone was full of pity.

“I’m scared,” Julie pleaded finally.

“People rarely get a second chance. I want to stop the nightmares of the past. You are my second chance, Julie.” Scottie patted Julie on the shoulder, hoping to ease her tension.

"Take me away!" Julie cried out, knowing she had nowhere else to turn.

“Go up the stairs…and then I’ll follow you.” Scotty didn’t want to torture each other anymore; he wanted to end this as soon as possible.

Under Scotty's almost forced orders, Julie meticulously rehearsed every scene from three months prior, following his instructions step by step. She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

“This is the highest point I can climb, but you keep going.” Scotty stood at the corner where he had watched Mei Ling fall from the window. He said, “Remember? Your necklace, Mei Ling, it was an oversight! I remember…”

This necklace.

"Let me go!" Julie tried to break free from Scotty. She knew that this last stretch of stairs was her future. The dark door in front of her led to the top of the tower, but for her, it was an insurmountable chasm.

"The top of the tower! We need to go to the top of the tower, Julie," Scotty commanded.

"You can't do it, you'll faint." Julie couldn't hide her worry.

“Just wait and see! We’ll wait and see, this is my second chance.” Scotty seemed brimming with confidence in conquering his fear of heights.

"But you knew I couldn't keep up with you that day, right? Who was waiting for you at the top of the tower? Gavin and his wife?"

"Yes."

Julie's answer spurred Scottie into action, and the events of that day flashed before his eyes. He continued dragging Julie towards the top of the tower. His tone was anything but calm: "And it was his real wife who died, not you. You're a fake, you..."

It's a fake, isn't it?

Julie didn't know how to answer the question, and Scottie obviously didn't need her answer.

“When you went up there, he pushed her down,” he continued. “But you screamed. Why did you scream?”

"

“I want to stop him,” Julie answered softly.

Enrage turned Scotty's eyes bloodshot. Deception—the woman he loved most had betrayed him. He grabbed Julie's neck and forced her against the wall. Julie's face contorted with suffocation…

“Why did you scream? You were lying to me until then. You played your role so well. He provided you with everything, didn’t he? Just like I provided you, only his supply was better!” Scottie seemed to see right through Julie. “Not just clothes, hair! But also appearance, mannerisms, language… even those dazed expressions.”

"In a daze, you jumped into the sea. I dare say you're a great swimmer, right? Right?" Scotty practically roared at Julie with the last sentence.

“Yes.” Julie felt desperate. Now, all she could do was wait for Scotty’s final verdict.

"And then what did he do? Did he train you? Make you rehearse, teach you what to say, how to do things? You're a very good student, aren't you? But why did you choose me? Why did you come to me?" Scotty became extremely angry, unsure of how to curse this woman. He suddenly felt tired, sad, and his fragile nerves were stimulated once again. His speech slowed down, revealing a sense of melancholy and helplessness. "I'm a victim, am I? I was created by you."

eyewitness……"

Julie was practically dragged to the top of the tower by Scotty. She struggled to break free from Scotty's grasp, cowering in a corner, trembling all over. What followed was likely her fate. She realized that the scene she had tried so hard to erase from her memory had finally returned. And now, she had to face everything that had happened to her; she knew she would drink her own life.

Bitter wine brewed.

Scotty surveyed the not-so-spacious space at the top of the tower. The large clock, which Mei Ling had mentioned countless times, stood right in the center of the tower.

"This is where it happened, and then you hid behind there..." Scotty pointed to a hard-to-find corner hidden behind the clock, "and when no one was around, you sneaked back into town. You were his woman, weren't you? And then, what happened?"

What happened? He abandoned you, didn't he? He has his wife's wealth, freedom, and power, and now he doesn't want you anymore? How shameful!

Scottie's barrage of questions made Julie even more nervous, causing her to curl up in a corner as if she wanted to crawl into a corner for her own safety.

“But he knows he’s safe because you can’t tell anyone.” A look of disgust crossed Scotty’s face.

Did he give you anything?

Julie's answer was soft: "Yes, money."

“And the necklace, Calado’s necklace, that’s where you went wrong. You shouldn’t have kept the keepsake, you shouldn’t have, you shouldn’t have acted on emotion…” Scotty wasn’t sure if he was talking about the necklace or about Julie’s choice to get back together with him. Deep down, he even harbored a hope that Julie hadn’t made that mistake. “I love you so much, Meiling…”

Scottie kept repeating his last words, which brought Julie warmth and comfort. At the same time, Scottie's words rekindled a glimmer of hope in her; perhaps she could use this intense love to secure her own safety...

“Scottie, when you found me, I was safe! You can’t prove anything.” Julie emphasized each word, hoping to evoke Scottie’s pity. “But when I saw you again, I couldn’t run away, I was so…”

I love you. I walk into danger, I let you change me, because I love you!

Scottie's mind went blank; his heart was heavy. Julie was right. If it weren't for love, she could have run away immediately. Fate often seems like a circle, running on a specific track, as if everything was preordained. Mei Ling chose him initially, and in the end, he found Julie. Was their destiny predetermined? If so, fate was too cruel. Why did they have to meet in such a story? Why were they made victims of someone else's conspiracy? Where did their future lie? Despite enduring countless torments for love, they couldn't see a future for their love…

"Scottie, please! You love me, protect me." Julie threw herself into Scottie's arms, closed her eyes, and tears streamed down her long eyelashes. At this moment, the sorrow in her heart was indescribable.

Scotty reached out and pulled Julie into his arms, patting her back, unsure how to salvage their love. Julie's tears fell onto his face, the coldness of them piercing his heart.

"It's too late, it's too late to undo it." Scottie couldn't hold back her sobs either.

“Please…” Julie looked at Scotty, feeling the pain agonizing over both of them at the same time. Julie let her tears fall freely onto Scotty's face, watching the teardrops slowly trickle down his neck, then little by little, slowly flow down…

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in a corner at the top of the tower. Her face was obscured, only her black clothing was discernible. A terrified Julie thought she had seen the angel of death, or perhaps… the ghost of Gavin's deceased wife. She backed away, and backed away again, hoping to escape…

Scotty also saw the black figure. Surprised, he instinctively released his grip on Julie's hands and focused all his attention on the shadowy figure.

Fear made time stand still. With screams, Scotty discovered that Julie had lost her footing and fallen from the top of the tower, dying in the same spot as Mei Ling…

The black figure turned out to be a nun here, who was also stunned by the sudden turn of events.

The tolling of death bells echoed over this small Spanish village...

Whether out of anger or grief, Scotty looked down from the tower and was astonished to find that his fear of heights had been cured...