Chapter 2

It wasn't until the sharp crash of shattering glass echoed through the room that I jolted awake, tumbling straight into a freezing cold embrace.

"Adrian, what's wrong?" I asked on instinct.

His body stiffened. In the pitch black, his hand found my face, tracing my cheek before he suddenly roared.

"Narcissa! There's a damn blizzard out there and you're not answering your phone! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Only then did I realize how violently the snow was whipping against the broken window.

Panic finally set in. I grabbed his hand, my voice hoarse.

"I didn't hear it."

Evan had died on a snowy night exactly like this one.

Ever since then, whenever it snowed, the terror kept me awake.

In the past, Adrian would always rush over, staying by my side and coaxing me until I finally fell asleep.

He stared at me in the dark, his face tight with anger.

"You're coming to stay at my place tonight."

I pushed him away and shook my head.

"You have someone you love now. I shouldn't be there."

As I spoke, my eyes caught the faint red smudge of a lip print on his shirt collar.

Adrian's face darkened, his tone turning harsh.

"Narcissa, stop being unreasonable. I left Brie alone at the restaurant because I was worried sick about you."

"If you don't come with me now, what are you going to do? Wait until I leave, then call me crying to come back?"

His voice grew heavier. "Just come with me and save us both the headache."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, staying silent.

In the past, I would call him because I knew we were the most important people in each other's lives.

But now, he had a girlfriend. No matter how complicated my feelings for him were, I would never be the other woman.

I turned and walked toward my bedroom.

"I'm not going. Go back to your girlfriend. I can handle this myself."

Before I could finish, Adrian grabbed my wrist, forcefully dragging me toward the door.

His grip was brutal. Pain flared in my wrist as I struggled desperately.

"Adrian, let go of me! I said I'm not going!"

He scowled, his face twisted in deep annoyance.

Losing the last of his patience with my struggling, he suddenly scooped me off the ground, trapping me against his chest.

He carried me out the door, grabbing the blanket off the sofa on his way out and wrapping it tightly around me.

The blizzard outside was blinding. Seeing how thinly dressed he was, I stopped fighting him, not wanting him to freeze, and just buried my face in his chest.

But after a few steps, Adrian suddenly stopped dead, his entire body going rigid.

I turned my head and saw Brielle standing a few yards away.

Snowflakes clung to her tear-streaked face. Her voice trembled.

"What is going on here?"

Adrian's arms instantly went slack. He dropped me.

Before I could even find my footing, he was already rushing toward Brielle, taking the blanket that was wrapped around me and draping it over her shoulders.

I collapsed into the snow, watching him softly comfort her, preparing to take her home.

Before they left, he threw a glance over his shoulder.

"Narcissa, find a hotel. Brie and I are leaving."

With that, they turned and walked away.

I didn't watch them leave.

All my attention was violently ripped away by the excruciating pain tearing through my abdomen, and the bright, blooming red staining the pure white snow beneath me.

My vision blurred. I don't even know when I finally lost consciousness.

Chapter 2

It wasn't until the sharp crash of shattering glass echoed through the room that I jolted awake, tumbling straight into a freezing cold embrace.

"Adrian, what's wrong?" I asked on instinct.

His body stiffened. In the pitch black, his hand found my face, tracing my cheek before he suddenly roared.

"Narcissa! There's a damn blizzard out there and you're not answering your phone! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

Only then did I realize how violently the snow was whipping against the broken window.

Panic finally set in. I grabbed his hand, my voice hoarse.

"I didn't hear it."

Evan had died on a snowy night exactly like this one.

Ever since then, whenever it snowed, the terror kept me awake.

In the past, Adrian would always rush over, staying by my side and coaxing me until I finally fell asleep.

He stared at me in the dark, his face tight with anger.

"You're coming to stay at my place tonight."

I pushed him away and shook my head.

"You have someone you love now. I shouldn't be there."

As I spoke, my eyes caught the faint red smudge of a lip print on his shirt collar.

Adrian's face darkened, his tone turning harsh.

"Narcissa, stop being unreasonable. I left Brie alone at the restaurant because I was worried sick about you."

"If you don't come with me now, what are you going to do? Wait until I leave, then call me crying to come back?"

His voice grew heavier. "Just come with me and save us both the headache."

I pressed my lips into a thin line, staying silent.

In the past, I would call him because I knew we were the most important people in each other's lives.

But now, he had a girlfriend. No matter how complicated my feelings for him were, I would never be the other woman.

I turned and walked toward my bedroom.

"I'm not going. Go back to your girlfriend. I can handle this myself."

Before I could finish, Adrian grabbed my wrist, forcefully dragging me toward the door.

His grip was brutal. Pain flared in my wrist as I struggled desperately.

"Adrian, let go of me! I said I'm not going!"

He scowled, his face twisted in deep annoyance.

Losing the last of his patience with my struggling, he suddenly scooped me off the ground, trapping me against his chest.

He carried me out the door, grabbing the blanket off the sofa on his way out and wrapping it tightly around me.

The blizzard outside was blinding. Seeing how thinly dressed he was, I stopped fighting him, not wanting him to freeze, and just buried my face in his chest.

But after a few steps, Adrian suddenly stopped dead, his entire body going rigid.

I turned my head and saw Brielle standing a few yards away.

Snowflakes clung to her tear-streaked face. Her voice trembled.

"What is going on here?"

Adrian's arms instantly went slack. He dropped me.

Before I could even find my footing, he was already rushing toward Brielle, taking the blanket that was wrapped around me and draping it over her shoulders.

I collapsed into the snow, watching him softly comfort her, preparing to take her home.

Before they left, he threw a glance over his shoulder.

"Narcissa, find a hotel. Brie and I are leaving."

With that, they turned and walked away.

I didn't watch them leave.

All my attention was violently ripped away by the excruciating pain tearing through my abdomen, and the bright, blooming red staining the pure white snow beneath me.

My vision blurred. I don't even know when I finally lost consciousness.