Sweet like Wine: Love Your Dimples Even More-Chapter 120 - 63: Other People’s Stories (Part 3)

"Natural death?"

"Yes, it was sudden death. The file should contain the investigation into the cause of death and the autopsy report from back then. Once we get to the police station, I’ll take out the file and have a look. If you can get your local police station to fax over the proof of parentage, you can directly access the file."

Frederick explained why it’s necessary to obtain proof of kinship to open the file: "After ruling out Hieronymus’ suspicion, at the request of the involved family, we made the dossier confidential and blocked information from the media and outside parties. Non-immediate family members cannot view it."

It was past midnight when Frederick, Sean Lowell, and Gordon Sterling arrived at the police station.

The time difference between Scotland and home allowed Gordon Sterling to get the documents Frederick needed for Sean Lowell as quickly as possible.

The top agent, when serious, worked at remarkable speed.

Not only did he get the proof of parentage from the police station, but he also had the English translation ready and faxed them over together.

The police file was far more detailed than the snippets reported by the media.

It included almost all the information from the letters Hieronymus wrote to Summer Fairmont, except where he expressed that he was a cursed individual and hoped Summer Fairmont would continue to detest him.

Even more was included that wasn’t written in the letters.

The circumstances under which Hieronymus "by chance" took in Quinn Fairmont and Summer Fairmont.

And the "chance" circumstances under which he began the mentor-mentee relationship with Quinn Fairmont.

When Quinn Fairmont died, Summer Fairmont was only four years old and needed a guardian.

Initially, the judge assigned Summer Fairmont to a welfare agency, placing her on the waiting list for adoption.

Ultimately, Hieronymus, disabled, used the factual marriage relationship with Quinn Fairmont, along with a detailed and complete education plan, to gain priority over other families in getting custody of Summer Fairmont.

Additionally, the file contained a social worker’s follow-up record and a public service-oriented child psychologist’s treatment report.

Initially, the psychologist hoped to use mental interventions to quickly help Summer Fairmont move past the trauma of being locked in the whiskey warehouse knocking on the door when her mother died.

When it was discovered that Summer Fairmont, upon waking up in the hospital, didn’t remember the past events at all, the psychologist concluded that not treating might be better than treating, and to only revisit if problems arose.

The social worker also ceased regular follow-ups once Summer Fairmont began school.

...............

While Sean Lowell and Gordon Sterling were reviewing the file at the police station, Summer Fairmont, after drinking at least 1.5L of raw whiskey, began to experience a rare drunkenness.

Come daylight, she would notify the executor of the Brunswick Family’s will of her decision not to inherit the estate. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

With all shackles cast aside, Summer Fairmont had a rare moment of ease.

About to finally bid farewell to the Brunswick Family, Summer Fairmont watched dispassionately the three things Hieronymus left her, aside from the ten thousand bottles of whiskey.

The letter.

The investigation.

The family tree.

The last time Summer Fairmont read Hieronymus’ letter, she stopped after seeing the four words "your mother."

She, Summer Fairmont, had no mother.

This time, with no emotional stakes, Summer Fairmont read the story as if it belonged to someone else, smoothly progressing through it.

Summer Fairmont, without any particular feelings, finished reading Hieronymus’ handwritten letter, somewhat tipsy.

Given Summer Fairmont’s drinking capacity, two 700ml bottles of regular whiskey were nothing more than mild intoxication.

But the Brunswick Family’s raw whiskey, despite decades of aging, surely exceeded the usual forty or fifty proofs of regular whiskey.

What’s more, Summer Fairmont drank more than just two bottles’ worth.

Generally, even slightly more than tipsy, Summer Fairmont wouldn’t allow herself to get thoroughly drunk.

In circumstances like today, lightheartedly free, exceptions were permissible.

In her inebriated state, her mind clouded, Summer Fairmont watched the letter, unable to comprehend a thing it said.

Then she read it once more, twice more, thrice more...

No matter how many times she read it, she couldn’t understand.

And thus, Summer Fairmont cried at her own foolishness.

Weeping fiercely.

It was as though she were draining the reservoir of tears, stored from the age of four, never having opened the floodgates.

Amidst her intoxication, the more Summer Fairmont cried, the less she understood why a story about someone else could evoke tears even though she couldn’t even smile.