Chapter 3

"

I lowered my gaze, hiding the disappointment in my eyes, and forced a smile. "Me neither. Out of everyone, I would never get together with Liam Hayes. "

Liam's expression froze for a split second, then quickly returned to normal. He slung an arm over my shoulder, as if embracing a brother, and said casually, "Exactly! We have a purely platonic friendship. "

Suddenly, the tension in the living room eased. I joined in the laughter, vaguely hearing Liam whisper a relieved "Thanks. "

I didn't say anything, just subtly moved a few steps away from him, creating distance. Liven up the atmosphere? No, what I said was the truth. As evening approached, the Hayes family's car was ready to take us to the restaurant. The three young people sat in one car. Throughout the ride, Liam, who sat in the middle, lavished attention on Chloe. He adjusted the AC, fetched a blanket, and even helped unscrew her water bottle. I sat on the left, watching their lively conversation, and silently turned to gaze out the window. Halfway there, a torrential rain began to fall. The road was dimly lit, and the car in front suddenly switched on its high beams. As we drove downhill, the driver was momentarily blinded, couldn't make the turn, and crashed directly into the guardrail. In that split second of danger, Liam instinctively pulled Chloe into his arms, shielding her. *Bang! *

The car windows shattered, glass flying. I, sitting on the inner side, was left bleeding profusely. A searing pain spread through my entire body. I felt like I was coming apart. My consciousness faded, but I saw the car door on the right open. Liam, frantic, carried Chloe out of the car, calling the hospital while gently comforting her. He seemed to have completely forgotten there was another person in the car, showing no concern for me at all. When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics suggested treating the more severely injured person first. But caught between me, lying in a pool of blood, and Chloe, who was merely shaken in his arms, Liam hesitated for only a few seconds before choosing to take Chloe to the hospital first. Watching the ambulance drive away, my vision blurred, and tears I could no longer hold back streamed down my face. Liam, oh Liam. Twenty years of history, and it still couldn't compare to one look from her! My eyelids grew heavy. The relentless pain that had tortured me dissipated like smoke. I couldn't wait for the next ambulance. Everything went black, and I lost consciousness. I don't know how much time passed. I heard a cacophony of voices. Opening my eyes, I saw my mother clutching her chest, her voice a mix of worry and relief. "Thank goodness, Maya, you're finally awake! It's a miracle the ambulance got here in time. You lost so much blood, the hospital almost ran out. You three were in one car, how is it that Chloe only scraped her hand, but you're so badly injured? "

My father sighed with relief, taking a sip of water. "That's because Liam protected her, of course. True feelings are revealed in times of trouble, and that girl was incredibly moved. I just visited her in the next room. Liam was spoon-feeding her porridge. Just seeing the tenderness in their eyes, I'd say they're practically official. "

I listened silently. After they finished their gossip, I finally spoke, my voice hoarse. "How long was I asleep? Are the immigration papers ready? "

"You slept for two days! You scared us half to death! "

"Don't you worry about the paperwork. It'll be finalized in less than a month. Just focus on recovering. "

Hearing it was less than a month away, a sense of liberated relief washed over me. For the next two or three days, I kept hearing nurses talk about all the things Liam was doing for Chloe. He stayed by her bedside constantly. If he heard her cough in the middle of the night, he'd fret for ages, then go find a nurse for hot water. He'd personally test the temperature of all her medicine and have candied fruit ready, afraid the poor girl might find it bitter. Fearing she'd be bored cooped up in the room, he'd go to great lengths to find all sorts of fun toys to cheer her up. I listened in silence, saying nothing. When the nurse pushed me for a recheck, I heard a commotion in the hallway. Passing the room next door, I glanced over and saw Liam, holding a huge bouquet of roses, confessing his feelings to Chloe. "Chloe, I fell in love with you eight years ago. All those 'chance encounters' were actually me deliberately trying to get close to you. I remember all your favorite things, and I know your dreams. I never got to confess back then. Will you give me a chance now? "

Listening to his voice, filled with anticipation and nervousness, I couldn't help but recall how Liam had been preparing this confession a month before Chloe moved abroad. Though it was missed due to a twist of fate, it had only been delayed by a few years. Hearing Chloe say "Yes, I will," I gave a soft smile and walked towards the examination room. The moment I turned away, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause. Liam turned at the sound, and his eyes landed on my solitary, somewhat forlorn figure. The smile on his face froze, a flicker of something unsettling stirring within him. But the discomfort lasted only a moment, quickly drowned out by a tide of joy. He reached out, openly and unapologetically, pulling Chloe into his embrace. That night, I opened a booking app and searched for direct flights from Seattle to Barcelona. Just after I completed the payment, Liam arrived with Chloe. "Maya, good news!