Present day
Julianne i'n Chicago a thlen chuan engkim a fel leh vek thu a dawng a, River a phuahchawp a ni miau a, engmah a tih tak tak a ngai lo
"Pawimawh a awm lem lo, i zinna a thui si a, chawl hahdam phawt rawh. Naktuk tuk leh ah ka rawn bia ang che, zanriah kan ei dun ngei a ngai. Chuan min hrilh ngei ka phut tlat ania"
River a chu chanchin engkim hrilh a hreh ve deuh mahse thudik hrilh a ba miau mai si a, chu lo ah amah pawh a zan phah huai maithei a ni
A sawi ang ngeiin ni hnih hnuah message a dawng a, zanriah kil dun turin a rawn sawm a, chhuak dun tura sawmna a dawng khat bawk a, inchei dan tur pawh a hre lo hial mai
River Jefferson a'n Adams mansion a rawn thlen meuh chuan Julianne i chu a lo mawi lutuk tawh ringawt. Kawrfual ban bul khup chen vel a ha a, a ke sei no tak mai chu a lang haih mai
"Ka lawm e, nang pawh i chhe chuang lo ania"
Italian restaurant ah an chawl a, Julianne chuan Italy a a lo chen rei tawh avangin a lung a leng thar riau mai. Chicago a a let leh hnu hi chuan Italian chaw hi a ei ngai ta meuh lo
"Justin a'n buaina chinfel a ni tih a hriat khan a hahdam huai mai" order an lak vek hnu in Julianne i'n a hrilh a, wine a in pah bawk
"A lawm ngawt tak ang. Phone a ka hrilh lai khan a lungngai lutuk a, company hminghliauna tur hi chu a ngaingam thlawt lo" River a'n a ti a
"Thil fel lo hi chu a hmu thei lo alawm"
"Tunah chuan khatia ka ṭhianpa ve ngawih ngawih tihder ngai khawp hiala i rilru hah chhan kha min hrilh tawh rawh le. I hmanhmawh em em chhan leh i buaina tawh zawng zawng nen min hrilh vek la ka duh"
Julianne chu a thaw halh a, pumpelh theih a ni lo tih a hrethiam ta mai. Mahse River hi rintlak tak mai niin a hria, tunah phei chuan a mamawh ber a ni ta zawk hial mai
"Fapa ka neih thu ka hrilh che kha i la hria em?"
"Aw, kum ruk mi Jared Sanders a ni lawm ni?" River a'n a ti a
Julianne chuan lu bu nghat in wine chu a inthlit leh phawt a, sawi huaina a mamawh ve alawm "Paris a ka kal hmasak ber ṭum khan nau ka pai a"
"Aw, hming lem i invuah a, mahse kha pa kha i hmangaih hman a, chuan fapa pawh i nei a, tun thlengin i nihna diktak a la hre lo"
Julianne chuan lu a thing a "Chu chu a dik tawh chiah lo"
"Eng nge i sawi awmzia?"
"Paris ka kal khan ka hmu leh a"
"Tak tak em ni? Paris a i let leh na ah i fapa pa chu i hmu leh chat a nih chuan khuanun intawng turin a duh che u aniang a"
Julianne chuan a lu a thing leh a "Maithei. Mahse khuanu hian min fiam kual mai mai a ni"
River a'n chiang zetin a rawn en a, engmah chu a sawi lem lo. A thusawi chu a lo ngaithla deuh tawp
Julianne mittui a tling pam a, a thil tawn kha a ngaihtuah chhuak leh a
"Hming lem ka hrilh a, a ni pawhin hming lem a lo hmang ve tho alawm"
"Ngawi teh, engtin maw?"
"A insawi ang khan Jas Mathieu a lo ni reng reng lo. Lemziaha eizawng pawh a lo ni lova, studio apartment ah pawh a cheng hek lo. A thawhrimna hmanga nung ve ṭawk ṭawk pawh a ni lo"
"A nih chuan eng nge a lo nih a?"
Julianne chuan thawk a han la vak a "Mahni inchawm nana lemziak a ni lo, hun khawhral nan a ti mai mai alawm. Hotel tam tak a nei a, ram pawh a ngah lutuk. A hausa in Billionaire alawm a lo nih daih a" a mittui a luang ngiai ngiai a "Ka kalsan chhan pawh ka pa leh Patrick McAllister lak aṭanga venhim ka duh vang ania, a nun an tihchhiatsak kha ka lo hlau em em a, mahse an pahnih inbelhbawm pawhin a hausakna an hen zo lo vang"
River chuan mitko sanin chhunzawm zel turin a ti a
"Lalpa le, ka chhungte lak aṭang ka venghim emaw ka tih laiin a ni erawh ka lak a lo invenghim zawk reng si a, a pawisa it ah min ngai aniang. Min lo ring zo miah lo tihna a nih chu"
"Chuan tu nge a nih chu min hrilh dawn lo em ni?"
Julianne chu a thaw leh halh a "A hming diktak chu... Jin Starck a ni"
River mak ti lutuk chu a ka hau a, Julianne chuan River a'n Jin a hria tih a hrethiam nghal mai
'Ni e, tu in nge hre lo vang? Justin Adams ai pawhin a hausa daih alawm le'
"Chuan engtin nge i tih?" River a'n ngaihtuah hmel deuhin a zawt a
"Nikhaw hre lovin ka awm"
"I ngaihtuah chhuak ṭha hle mai"
"Ka tider lo. Tak tak alawm. Kum liam ta zawng zawng ah khan ka unaupa leh cousin te hian naute pa hi zawn chhuah an chak zek zek mai a, kan kiang hnaiah a lo awm reng tih an hriat chuan an inkhuainuai nasa mai dawn asin"
"Chuan Paris ah kum sarih liam ta a i nun chawk buai vek tu Jin Starck chu i hmu ta a, mahse tumah i hrilh thei lova a chhan pawh i chhungten an khawih nat i hlauva, an buai nuaih nuaih chuan Adrienne leh Jared a lai takah an awm dawn tihna a ni maw?"
Julianne chuan wine lem khalh in "Bingo" a ti a
"Chuan i hmaah chung thil vel i ngaihtuah zut zut laiin hmachhawn i hreh avangin Jin Starck leh i chhungte hlatah i rawn tlanchhia tihna a nih chu"
"I sawi dik leh chiah" wine chu a in leh a
"Chuan eng nge tih i tum tak?"
Julianne chuan lu a thing a "Ka hre bik chiah lo. Kan inhmuh apianga ka tluk chuan thil dik a ni bawk si lo"
"Jin Starck hi zaidam tak leh khawngaihna ngah tak chu a ni lo tiraw?"
"Jas Mathieu a ni tih ka hriat hma in chu chu ka hriat dan ania. Hmuh leh hi ka hlau deuh tlat. A sual an ti bawk si a"
"Mahse i fapa hian a pa chu a hriat a ṭul i ti lovem ni? Min ring rawh. Pa tellova rei tak seilian ka ni a, khang kum chhung khan ka pa hriat ka chak thei lutuk. Min pawm thei ang em tih te ka ngaihtuah fo ṭhin. Tun thleng pawh hian ka la ni reng"
"Ka chhungte buaina thlensak lova hrilh dan a awm dawn em ni? Ka unaupa leh Justin ngaihtuahna pawh ka thunun thei lo ania. Adrienne vangin Justin chu a inbengdai ve thei mahna mahse Gian, Jordan leh Mason te hi engtin nge ni ve ta ang?"
"Ni e, fapa tlanbo leh mi chimawm zet te kha maw?" River a'n lu a bu nghut a, a chhungte ho a lo hre lutuk te chu Ian i'n mak a ti zawk lek lek
"Chung zawng ai chuan Jin a hi ka hneh theih ka ring lo. Kan inhmuh laia ka tlu daih kha a lawmawm zawk. Buaina thuah ka thlen dawn a ni ringawt asin. An vaia hmaah khan inchhuahchhal ila chu kan buai lehzual ngawt ang"
"Chumi hnuah eng nge thleng?"
"Room ah ka harh hlawl. Adrienne, Justin leh ka unaupa'n min lo buaipui a, Jin a'n Vanessa Bernard inhualpuia a sawmna party tur ania"
"Aw, i sawi tawh tak e. An inhual ta em? Eng nge thleng chiah le?"
Julianne chuan lu a thing a "Sawm nang le. A thusawi na ah hmangaihna hi awmze neilo a nih thu leh hlim taka tawpna a awm a rin loh thu a sawi a, min rawn en nghe nghe alawm"
"Tak tak maw?"
A lu a bu nghat a
River chuan thutak deuhin "I fapa thlalak chu i nei mial em? Ka lo en lawk dawn em ni?"
Julianne chuan a phone chu a han hmet thla zar zar a, Jared a thlalak chu River a entir a
"Jin Starck a te chi a ni ringawt alawm le"
Julianne chu a rum nghut a
"A pa a chhun hle mai. Tuman an rinhlelh loh chhan pawh Paris ah inzawmna in nei tih an hriat loh vang mai mai a nih chu"
"Ni chiah e"
"Mahse in inzawmna hre tu mi pakhat a awm"
"Aw, nangmah!" Julianne chuan wine a in a
"Ni lo, mawl lutuk suh! Jin Starck a mawle. I fapa a en anga, zan hun in hman dun tawh kha a hrechhuak ang a, amah a fing dawn nen pakhat leh pakhat a han fin khawm chuan a man nghal mai ang"
"Ka hria alawm. Chuvanga tlanchhia ka nia. Jared pawh a tukah a rawn haw nghal. A phone ka chhuhsak bawk a, Jin Starck a'n a rawn biak theih loh nan. Engtia kalpui zel tur nge ka hre tawh lo"
A mittui a rawn luang leh a, River a'n rawmawl a rawn pe a
"Ssshh...tihdan tur a awm mai ang"
"Engtin? Jin Starck hian thil a ti thei si a, ka fapa hi la daih ta se engtin nge ka tih ang?"
"A sual thiam tih chu ka hria a, mahse chutiang em em a nunrawng chu a ni dawn em ni? A fapa chu nei lovin a siam tawp lo vang"
"Mahse Jared hi ka ta asin! ka ta" Julianne chu a beidawng ve takzet
River chuan lu a thing a "I ta bik a ni lo tlat Ṭhiani. Jin Starck a thisen pawh a tel ve kha. Starck te hian nun nuam tak an pe thei dawn tih i hria tiraw?"
"Ka hria alawm. Jin a'n a hriatchhuah chuan Jared chu a duh apiang a leisak thei ang. Mahse chung chu a mamawh kher hleinem. Min mamawh zawk alawm. Chhungkua a mamawh"
"Jared hian a nu leh pa a mamawh. Chuti chauh chuan a kim thei ang" River a'n a ti a
"Eng maw i sawi?"
"Ka sawi chu maw a hun takah Jin chu thudik hrilh rawh. I fapa in a duh chuan a nunah tel tir ve rawh"
Julianne chuan wine a in leh a "Ka lama ṭang tur i ni asin"
"Ka ṭang reng alawm. Thil dik a ni tih i hriat ve tho kha"
"Justin, Gian leh ka chhungte hi engtin nge ni ve ta ang? Paris a ka thil tawn vang khan Jin hi an haw teh mai ania"
"Jin a'n a hmachhawn mai dawn alawm. Mahni inveng turin a upa ve tawh alawm le"
"Jin a thiamloh a awm lo. Keimah vek a nih kha" Julianne i'n a ti a
"Ṭhiani a thiam lo ve tho aw, a nihna a thup reng kha! A chhan i hriatpui miah lo bawk tiraw?"
"Ni tak e, min mutpui hnuah bo vang vang a duh avangin hming lem min pe a ni chiang mai"
River chuan dar chhin ak in a rawn en a "Ka hrechiang ve chiah lova, i tawn hun angah ka tawng ve lo bawk. Eng thil nge a tum pawh ka hre thei lo mahse ka hmuh lai chuan hlim lai a la nei miah lo"
"I hriat tirh aṭang a ngeng ngal mai tihna maw?"
River chuan dar ti che zeuhin wine a in a
"A thinlung i tihkeh sak vanga chutianga awm chu a ni maithei"
"A nih loh pawhin chu chu a nihna diktak a lo ni zawk maithei asin. Ka bulah a lo inthup vel mai mai aniang"
"I inchhir em?"
"Aih. Jared ka neih phah a, pawi ka ti lo. Jin Starck chuan ka fapa nen min tibuai lo se ka duh a ni mai"
River chuan no a chawi kang a "Vanneihna chuan um zel che rawh se" a ti a
Zan tlai tawh lamah Julianne chuan River lawmthu a hrilh a, a vawikhatna atan a zang ve hawkin a inhria. Sawi chhuahna tur a nei ngai lova, Paris a a thil tawn leh a fapa pa a la hmangaih reng thu thlengin
Jin Starck a'n Jared a pa nih a duh loh chuan engkim a ngai angin a kal leh thei ang a, a suangtuahna a puitlin thei bawk ang. Jin Starck a'n a tihbuai a hlau zek zek
River a'n zanlai velah Adams mansion ah a thlah a
"Hun nuam tak ka hmang a ni"
"Keipawh. Nangmah vangin ka zia hawk mai. Kum sarih chhung ka lo in up beh tawh na te kha a kiang vekin ka hria"
"A hahthlak dawn hle a nih chu a" River chuan khawngaih hmel deuhin a nui a "Engtik hunah pawh min rawn be ṭhin rawh. Ṭhian kan nih kha hrereng la"
Julianne chu a nui a "Ka lo hrereng dawn nia"
River chu a hawi deuh vut a, Julianne i'n a hawina lam a va en nghal a, Ferrari car hring hi a lo ding a
"Justin a'n car thar a lei tawh lo emaw ka ti asin" River a'n a ti a
Julianne pawhin Ferrari hring chu a vawikhat hmuhna ve tho a ni. Mak a ti vak lo. Adrienne i'n khuahkhirh vak lo se chu Justin hian kar tin a thar a lei ziah ang chu
"Chanchinbu ah kar hmasa khan sawng car saw ka hmu a, Adrienne i'n lei a phal theih nan Justin a'n eng nge a tih chiah le aw?"
"Adrienne hian Justin a'n car thar a lei loh nan a veng ve nasa asin. Naupangte hma hun ngaihtuah zawk turin a hrilh a"
"A ṭhat nasat chu. Mi hausa chhungkuaa kan pian vang mai hian thawhrim ngaihzia kan theihnghilh tur a ni lo"
"A dik chiah. Engkim hloh vek theih a ni. Min han en la, keimah ah hian a chiang ber"
"I chhungten nau i pai tih an hriatin engkim an chhuhsak vek tak tak che maw?"
Julianne chuan ngui nghiai in lu a bu nghat a "Tlereuh, trust fund, credit card, saving account leh ka bottle lak khawm thlengin ka chan vek"
"Kan chhungkaw zahna ka thlen tlat si a, ka pa tan chuan chu chu thil pawimawh ber a ni. Patrick McAllister nen khan Paris ka kal hma in kan inhual a, ka haw hnuah ka pa khan inneihna a awm loh tur thu a hrilh a, min ngaidam thei tawh lo"
"Mahse nangmah te pawh hian i ngaihtuahawm vak loh hi" River a'n a fuih sauh sauh a
"Ni e, ka thawkrim em alawm" a inchhuang ve lutuk. Engmah nei lovin bul a ṭan chho a, a cousin Mason a pan rawih a nih kha" ka unaupa angin pawisa ka hmang ve vak lova, ka insawizawi nasa in Jared a ṭhatna turin engkim ka ti ṭhin"
River chuan rawn melh zeuhin "I fapa hian thil ṭha ber zel dawng se i duh chuan a pa chanchin i hrilh a ngai a nih chu"
Julianne chuan lu a thing a "Ka hrilh dawn lo" a ti tlat
"Tinge?"
"Jin Starck hi an sawi ang a lo nih chuan ka fapa in a chhun ka remti thei lo. Nelawm taka a awm lai Jas Mathieu a nih lai kha chu a siam chawp mai mai pawh a lo ni thei. Chuvangin ka fapa hi ka hriattir lo vang"
"A inthlak tawh maithei asin. Nang chuan inkungkaih i duh lo a nih pawhin i fapa chuan a pa nihna a hriat a ngai ka ti tho tho"
"Pawisa aia hlu zawk hi a awm asin. Ka fapa hian hlim a phu, hausakna ni lovin. Keipawh ka lo hausa ve tawh ṭhin. Tlakchham ka nei ngai lova mahse kar hnih chauh Paris a ka thang laia Jas Mathieu ka tawn khan ka la hlim berin ka hria"
"I hriat lawk bik loh kha. Jared a'n a pa a hmuh hma chuan a kim thei lo vang. Min ring rawh ka hria alawm"
Julianne ngaihtuahna chu a buai nuk mai. Jin leh Jas mi pakhat an ni tih a hriatchhuah khan Jin hnenah Jared chungchang hriattir a tum lo bur a, mshse River hian thlirna tlang dang a rawn kawhhmuh a, a ni pawh Jared dinhmuna a din tawh vang a ni
Ner nang in "Ka hua che" a ti a
River chu a nui a "Kan ngaihthlak chak loh zawng hi chu hriat a har asin aw" a ti a
"Ka hria alawm. Mahse tunah hian ka ngaihtuah nasa lutuk a ni maithei. Muangchangin ka hrilh zawk mai ang. Ka sawi awmzia chu Jin Starck pawhin hming lem min hrilh tho a, rei tak min kawp a tum lo tih a chiang viau a ni. A pawi lo zawk a chhan chu engkim hloh mah ila ka fapa ka nei hlauh thung dawn alawm"
"Chuan engtin?"
"Min rawn umzui vat ka ring lo a, Jin a'n DNA test pawh a tum buai lo vang. Fapa kan nei tih ka hrilh loh phawt chuan min zawt lo tawp ang"
"Chuan hrilh i tum miah lo tihna a ni maw?"
"Jared a'n a hriatthiam theih hunah ka hrilh ang. Kum sawmpariat te han tling phawt sela, chutih hunah chuan duh a thlang tawh mai ang"
Julianne chuan a thusawi rual chuan Jin Starck a'n a rawn ngaihven loh a, Jared a pa a nih a inrin loh hram a beisei
"Starck hian Jared a a chhuhsak che ka ring lo"
"Engtianga chiang nge i nih?"
"Paris ah khan engtiang pawhin lo khawsa ula. Adrienne i unaupa a la ni reng a, nang pawh Justin a cousin i lo ni bawk si a, Jared pawh lo ni ta se. Jin Starck hmaa ding thei chu Justin Adams chauh a ni. Justin hian Jared a lak bo tir chu a phal ka ring lo"
"I sawi dik hram ka beisei. Chhungkaw buaina a hnuh luh ka duh lo ania. Buaina ka thlen hnem tawh lutuk. Ka pa in min hnawhchhuah khan Justin leh Adrienne ka lamah an ṭang reng a, keimah avanga an buai hi ka remti thei lo"
River a'n a ban a rawn hmer a "Ka hrethiam lutuk che. I sawi dik alawm. Paris a i hmangaih em em kha i chhungten kutthlak an chak bawk sia, in buai dawn lutuk"
"Ni e, vawi tam tak keima duh thu ngei a ni ka tih pawhin an awih duh tlat lova"
"Dem theih an ni hleinem. Jin Starck hian i thinlung mai ni lovin i hma hun thlengin a ruksak vek che a"
Julianne chuan River chu a nuih sen sen a, mahse a mitmeng erawh a fuh chiah lo "Ka lawm e River. Engpawh ka sawi pui thei che a, ka lawm lutuk ania. Mahse tumahin an hre tur a ni lo aw"
River chuan lu a bu nghut a "Jared a'n a hriat hma loh chuan" a lo ti ve a
"Jin Starck hi bihruksan ka tum zel phawt ang. Hun liam ta ah khan eng pawh lo thleng mahse buaina a duh ka ring lo. Paris a hun nuam tak kan hman kha engmah thlak theih a ni tawh lo. Hun chu a kal zel a ngai si a"
River chuan lu bu nghut in "Vanneihna ka hlan a che. Biak tur i duh chuan min lo call dawn nia" a ti a
"Ka lawm e" River a kut chu a hmer sak a
River pawh car aṭang a lo chhuak ve a "Ka lo thlah ang che"
"Ka ṭha alawm"
Julianne chu a lu a hai deuh thut a, River a'n a lo chelh nghal vat
"Wine vang kha aniang" a nui ker ker a
"Ti teh ka lo thlah ang che"
River chuan a chelh tawh lova a bulah erawh a kal ve zel. Kawngka bul an thlen chuan an in mangṭha a
"Ka lawm lutuk tak tak ania. Hun nuam tak ka hmang a ni"
"Kei deuh hi ania lawm. Kan inhmu leh dawn nia"
Julianne chu kailawnah a invuan chho zel a, inchhung chu a reh ṭhup mai. An muhil vek tawh a ni maithei. Phone a han bih chuan dar khat a lo ri der mai
"River Jefferson pawh a lu a hai ve chhak dawn a nih kha" a ti sap a
A room kawngka a hawng a, room chu a thimin a vawt vur mai. A chang chuan tukverh hawn hi a duh ṭhin. Thlifim te a dawng heuh heuh thei a
Tukverh lamah chuan mipa hlimthla sang tak amah hnungchhawn zawnga ding hi a hmu a, a hlau lutuk chuan a hmui a hup tawp
"Lalpa le" a ti chhuak a
Mipa chuan kekawr dum leh leather jacket dum a ha a, a rawn hawi ta
Thlapui in a hmai a rawn chhun zawng chuan chiang takin a lang kawk mai. A nunrawn hmelin a hmelṭha takzet bawk.
Aw lawi rut hian "Eng...eng nge i rawn tih dawn?" a ti a
Rei tawk fang a rawn thlek vang vang hnuah a rawn ṭawng chhuak ab"Kumkhuain ka lak aṭang i bihruk theih i ring em ni?" a ti a
Jin Starck a aw chu a thumin a fiah kak mai. A lan dan pawh hlauhawm tak a ni. Ramsa in a ei tur rei tak a veh hnua a hmu hlawl ang mai hi a ni
Julianne chuan nikhaw hre lova awm leh a chak zek zek zawk
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End of 9
CHHUNZAWM LEH TUR