Chapter 2

Zack stormed into the house, slamming the door with a thunderous bang.

Sophia, who was sitting on the couch flipping through a medical journal, looked up at the noise.

She asked, "What's wrong? Who pissed you off?"

"Who else but Nina?" Zack tossed his phone onto the coffee table. "She actually had the nerve to pull this stunt on me."

Sophia's face froze for a second, then she got up and pulled Zack into a side hug. "Take it slow. What happened with her?"

Zack replied, "Apparently, the neighbors said she died, three years ago.

"And they even showed me screenshots of news articles? Do they think I'm a toddler? They really think I'd buy that kind of crap."

Sophia instinctively tightened her hold on his arm, anxiety written all over her face. "She... she's dead? No way, that's impossible."

Zack pushed her aside and started pacing the living room, restless and agitated.

He scoffed. "No way that's true. Someone like her? She's practically indestructible.

"She made it through that whole medical mess back then. Now she's pretending to be dead just to mess with me?"

Zack suddenly stopped, turned to Sophia, and stared at her. "Do you think she's still pissed at me for making her take the blame for you back then? Is she faking all this just to force me to give in?"

Sophia's face turned pale. She picked up her coffee, took a slow sip, and said softly, "I don't think so... But I'm worried.

"If she's really gone, what happens to the deputy director spot?"

That was what Sophia cared about most.

But Zack didn't notice the oddness in her voice. He just let out a cold laugh. "Relax, I've already spread the news."

"What news?" Sophia asked.

"I had my assistant look into her mom's whereabouts," Zack replied.

He crossed his legs, his tone dripping with self-satisfaction, like he had everything under control.

He continued, "The nursing home said they lost contact with her mom last year, but Nina definitely knows where she is. She'd never leave her mom behind. No way she'd just abandon her.

"I had Ethan spread the word. If she doesn't show up in three days, her sick mom will be out on the streets."

With that, Zack wrapped his arms around Sophia. But Sophia tensed up beside him.

"What's wrong?" Zack noticed, glancing down at her. "You look a little pale."

"No, it's not that." Sophia forced a smile. "I'm afraid... what if she really is dead?"

"No way. That's not possible," Zack said flatly. "She's just out for revenge. She's been holding a grudge ever since I made her take the fall for you.

"Now that you're up for deputy director, she's trying to get leverage over us."

As he spoke, his tone grew impatient again. "I really don't get why she's being so petty about this. I told her I'd make sure everything was set up for her.

"She always thinks I'm playing favorites with you, that I don't care about her. Why does she have to be so hung up on everything?"

Sophia looked up and pressed a gentle kiss to his chin. She said softly, "Maybe she's just scared of losing you? It's fine, really.

"If this is making things tough for you, just put me aside. Don't worry about me."

"What are you saying?" Zack wrapped his arms around her waist, his voice muffled as he spoke into her chest. "She's always so aggressive, always picking on you.

"If she was even half as thoughtful as you, things wouldn't be so tense between us.

"Let her stew. She needs to realize where she messed up."

Listening to Zack's so-called punishment and watching Sophia fake her pitiful look, I couldn't help but physically gag.

Sophia always played this game, acting like she was backing down, just to make me seem like the irrational one.

And every time, it pushed Zack even further away from me.

It was such a simple, crude tactic, but Zack always took the bait.

Afraid Zack might catch on, Sophia quickly fixed her expression and switched topics. "Oh, once the selection's over, let's go celebrate with a trip.

"Anywhere you want? Steucia? Eupoland? Or maybe Hakon City? Didn't you say you always wanted to see the snow there?"

"Hakon City?" Zack's eyes sparkled. "We should go in winter, stay in one of those little cabins, and wake up to a world covered in snow."

Zack was all fired up, practically glowing with anticipation as he spoke.

As I stared out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the fading sky, memories from years ago suddenly flooded back.

It was just like this evening, with Zack curled up on the couch in my tiny apartment, flipping through travel magazines.

Zack said, "Nina, when we get married, let's go see the Northern Lights in North Eupoland, okay?"

"Sure," I replied. I'd just finished a long surgery and was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open.

But I still forced myself to stay awake and flip through the magazines with him. "Wherever you want to go, I'll go with you," I added.

"Then we'd better start saving up," Zack said, poking my forehead. "Those Northern Lights tours aren't cheap."

"Yeah, I'll just do a few more surgeries and hand over all my bonuses to you," I said, grabbing his hand and grinning like a fool.

Back then, I really thought we'd be like that forever.

Then what? Sophia came back from overseas.

Zack introduced her, saying, "This is my college friend, Sophia Lynn. She just got back and doesn't have a place to stay, so she'll be staying with us for a few days."

I believed him. I even carried her bags, tidied up the guest room, and naively told her. "Miss Lynn, if you need anything, just let me know."

When did things start to change? Maybe it was when Zack began covering night shifts with Sophia more and more often.

Or maybe it was when their conversations on his phone started getting longer and longer.

Or maybe it was the way his eyes grew more and more impatient every time I questioned him.

"Nina, can't you stop being so petty? Sophia just got back from overseas. Of course I have to take care of her," Zack snapped.

I shot back, "Taking care of her means bringing her hangover remedy at two in the morning? Or staying up until three to watch movies with her?"

"You're being completely unreasonable," Zack shouted.

We'd fight, then go cold on each other, then make up, only to fight all over again.

It went on like that until the whole medical mishap happened.

Sophia was the lead surgeon, but the patient never made it off the operating table. The family went absolutely crazy, causing a huge scene.

Zack was crying, begging me, "Nina, please help Sophia. She only took that risk to save the patient. She didn't mean for this to happen."

I said, "There's a process for investigating medical incidents. Whoever's responsible has to face the consequences."

Zack got down on his knees. It was the first time I'd ever seen him kneel before me.

He pleaded, "Nina, I'm begging you. Please shoulder the responsibility. Say you performed the surgery. You've got seniority, so the hospital won't punish you too severely.

"Once you get through this, I'll be by your side again. We'll start over, and I'll make sure your mom gets the best care, okay?"

I looked into his red-rimmed, tearful eyes, and my resolve crumbled.

I thought that was love. But now, thinking back, it was nothing more than a bargaining chip for him to use against me.

"Don't worry, Sophia." Zack's voice snapped me back to reality. He was holding Sophia in his arms, his tone firm. "I'll handle it for you.

"Nina has to be alive, and she has to take the fall for you."