Chapter 2

That night, I lay in the hotel bed, but everything that happened during the day kept me tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

I tried calling Ryan a few times, but he never picked up.

Unable to help myself, I opened up the pinned chat and sent Ryan's account a message: [Where can I find Ryan tomorrow?]

Ethan replied almost instantly. [So, what's up? Why are you asking?]

[To break up with him.] I replied.

The typing indicator lingered for a long moment before another message finally popped up.

[He moved out this semester.]

Outside the door, a pair of women's high heels sat, marking the territory of their owner.

I'd seen those heels on Sophie before.

A suffocating, nameless frustration pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.

I kicked them down the stairs, and they fell stair by stair, until they landed beside the trash can.

Trash belonged in the trash can.

After that, I pressed the doorbell.

It didn't take long before Ryan opened the door, shirtless.

Seeing me, his gaze flickered. He subtly shifted to block the doorway, hiding whatever was inside.

He asked, "Baby, what brings you here?

Let me go change my clothes first, and then we can head out."

He moved to shut the door right after.

I caught the uneasy look on his face, swallowed my disgust, and grabbed the door, faking a pitiful look.

I whined, "Why can't I come inside for a bit?"

Ryan mumbled and hesitated, clearly at a loss for words.

I lost my patience, shoved the door open, and barged right in.

A golden retriever started barking its head off at me.

I froze on the spot.

The last time I came over to see Ryan, I noticed a tiny golden retriever puppy out by the road.

My heart went out to it, so I scooped it up. But the problem was, I had no idea where it should go after that.

Ryan didn't even hesitate, just took the puppy problem off my hands.

He said, "I'll sneak it into my dorm. You love apples, right? Let's name it Apple."

I glanced at the golden retriever, still barking like crazy at me, and softly called out, "Apple?"

Apple showed no reaction whatsoever. It just slipped away from my hand, treating me like a stranger.

My throat tightened, and I whimpered, "You don't recognize me anymore?"

Apple seemed worn out from all the barking.

It shook its head and dashed straight for the bathroom.

That was when I noticed the faint sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

I pushed open the door and saw Sophie bent over, scrubbing something navy blue.

She paused when she heard me, her voice dripping with playful sweetness. "Ryan, I'm washing your underwear for you. No need to thank me."

Apple was nuzzling up to her feet, tail wagging like crazy.

Everything just felt so wrong. Like, I didn't belong here at all.

I had no clue what else Ryan was keeping from me.

I couldn't even tell if anything he'd ever said to me was real.

I felt numb all over, couldn't even get a word out.

"Emma, please, let me explain," Ryan pleaded.

He grabbed my wrist and tried to intertwine his fingers with mine, but I jerked my hand away.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Nothing is going on between us," Ryan insisted. "Sophie's family is really struggling, so I offered to share my place to help her save some rent. She does chores around here sometimes to return the favor."

But I wasn't hearing a word anymore. All I could see was Sophie's wrist.

My fingertips turned icy, my mind went fuzzy, and it felt like I couldn't catch my breath.

"So? You pity her?" I challenged, voice shaking with disbelief. "Did you feel so bad for her that you'd give away the bracelet I prayed for you?"

My eyes burned red. I jabbed my finger at the bracelet on Sophie's wrist, cornering him as I practically yelled.

Sophie flinched, tears spilling down her cheeks as she trembled. Between sobs, she hurried to defend Ryan.

"I found it while I was cleaning," she choked out. "Ryan said it was nothing important, so he gave it to me."

So that was all it meant to him—just nothing important.

Even though I'd already lost all hope, that bitter taste still swept over me from head to toe.

When I was eighteen, Ryan got into a car accident. He was barely recognizable when they rushed him into the operating room, covered in blood.

He was in a coma for a whole week, and there was no sign he'd ever wake up.

The doctors just sighed and said it was out of their hands—it was all up to fate.

So, I prayed to Jesus at a church for a whole week for him to pull through.

I read the prayer over and over again until the priest was touched by me.

I saw him gaze at me from a distance.

Even from so far away, I could clearly see the compassionate look in his eyes.

I could still remember what he said when he gave me the bracelet. "Fate has no reason."

Not long after I got that bracelet, Ryan finally woke up.

Even the doctors couldn't believe it—no one saw his sudden recovery coming.

After that, Ryan acted like that bracelet was his lucky charm, never leaving home without it. He'd always tell people that it means more to him than his own life.

But now, he just tossed it to another girl, brushing it off as nothing important.