Chapter 2
Not long ago, Kaylee's husband, Kurt, passed away.
To look after her, Sidney started spending nights away from home, and his priorities had changed long ago.
That day, Sidney, for once, actually suggested spending time with Elena himself.
Elena remembered she had bookmarked a restaurant on her phone ages ago and asked if he wanted to check it out together.
That place was a rural retreat with all the basic recreational facilities. It was tucked away in the mountains, so getting there was quite a trek.
But halfway there, Sidney's phone rang.
Elena overheard the guy mention Kaylee's name.
Sidney's brow furrowed, and Elena felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach. Sidney pulled over.
"It's only 3 miles from here, Elena. Just get out and walk the rest. I've got something urgent to deal with," Sidney said.
"Is it because of Kaylee?" Elena asked in a low voice, looking at him.
Instead of answering, Sidney lashed out at her, his frustration spilling over.
"Can you stop acting up? Do you even realize how irritating it is when you're always doubting me?" Sidney shot back.
"Just get out. I've got something urgent to deal with. I mean it," he said.
Elena had wanted to remind him that this spot was in the middle of nowhere, and she had no idea how she could make it back.
She wondered why he could not just give her a lift back with him.
But Sidney looked so impatient.
She figured Kaylee must have been incredibly important to him, and that was why he was in such a rush.
Elena started to say something, but in the end, she just couldn't get the words out.
After all, speaking up would only make her look pathetic.
As soon as Elena got out and closed the door, Sidney floored it and sped off.
Watching Sidney's car vanish into the distance, Elena felt her heart ache all over again.
She pulled out her phone and headed to the roadside, opening her ride-hailing app.
But she was so far from the city that she had to offer a fat tip just to get a driver to accept her request.
The driver would need nearly an hour to reach her.
She waited by the side of the road for what felt like forever before finally getting in the car and heading home.
Maybe it was all that cold wind she caught during the day, but by the middle of the night, Elena was burning up with a fever.
She drifted in and out of sleep, her throat so dry it felt like sandpaper. When it got unbearable, she finally dragged herself out of bed to find some medicine.
But there were no meds.
Feeling totally drained, Elena, without thinking, dialed Sidney's number.
All these years, whenever she got sick, Sidney was always the one by her side.
She tried calling Sidney several times, but he never answered.
Just as Elena was about to give up, the call finally went through.
"Elena, I told you. Kaylee's feeling down, and I have to take care of her. I even texted you, saying I couldn't come back because something urgent came up. Are you seriously not getting it?" Sidney snapped.
Elena snapped right back. "Why does Kaylee even matter to me? Is she your mom or what? Why are you always so protective of her? Get your priorities straight. I'm your girlfriend!"
"Elena. How can you talk like that? Why are you being so mean lately? Maybe we both need to take a break and calm down," Sidney said.
Before Elena could say anything else, Sidney ended the call.
Elena's hand, still clutching her phone, finally dropped weakly to her side.
She checked her phone and only then noticed the message Sidney had sent her that night.
She had been so exhausted from everything that happened during the day, she had crashed early and totally missed it.
'So in Sidney's eyes, does he really think I'm just trying to annoy him on purpose?' Thinking about it, Elena couldn't hold back her tears.
Sidney was the person she trusted most, so she instinctively reached out to him first whenever she needed help.
But his words crashed over her like the wild wind outside, jolting her awake.
In that moment, Elena came to the realization.
She needed to let go.
She spent the whole night buried under the covers, and by morning, Elena finally felt a little better.
She immediately grabbed her phone and ordered some cold medicine on a delivery app.
Just then, a message popped up on her screen.
It was a video, sent anonymously.
One could tell right away from the angle that it was filmed on the sly.
The video showed Sidney cradling Kaylee in his arms, softly comforting her as she drifted off to sleep.
The way he held her was full of tenderness and deep affection.
"Just sleep. I'll stay right here with you," Sidney whispered.
Kaylee's eyes welled up with tears, and she looked genuinely hurt.
Kaylee said, "You're here with me now. Elena won't be mad, right? Your wedding is only a month away.
"And she doesn't want me to have this baby. I feel so miserable."
She started sobbing, unable to hold back her tears.
She looked fragile and vulnerable, like a flower wilting in the cold.
Sidney felt a wave of sympathy for Kaylee and quickly tried to comfort her, speaking softly and protectively.
He was still holding her when Elena's call suddenly interrupted.
The video cut off right at that moment.