Chapter 3

"Honestly, hanging around you guys for too long just pollutes my aura," Vincent scoffed.

After Vincent stormed out, my parents' fury finally erupted. They pointed at the tightly shut door, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

My mom snapped, "Is this what you call true, everlasting love?

"Vincent is the man you were willing to give up years of your dreams for, the one you desperately tried to hold onto?"

My dad said, "Jocelyn, you're so stubborn. Love has completely blinded you.

"Vincent doesn't love you at all. Did you even hear what he said? He said he hates you! Keeping someone like him around will only bring you misery. Jocelyn, please, let him go. Whatever you want, your mom and I can give it to you..."

I turned them down without a second thought.

My nails dug deep into my palms, but that sting was nothing compared to the ache in my heart.

"No, I only want him," I said.

My dad slapped me hard across the face, his eyes filled with a storm of disappointment and aching concern.

He shouted, "Jocelyn! How long are you going to keep refusing to see the truth?

"Forced affection brings no joy. What's the point in pushing him like this?"

I shook my head, not caring at all. All I could think about was Vincent, my possessiveness for him overwhelming every part of me.

I said, "It doesn't matter to me if it brings joy or not.

"He just hasn't sorted out his feelings yet. One day, he'll notice me, maybe even love me..."

Just like the way I loved him, always afraid of losing him, never sure if I could hold on, grasping at the tiniest hint of him.

"You're beyond saving!" my dad snapped.

"Vincent's not someone you can control. He'll never stick around," my mom said.

I just laughed it off.

"Then I'll keep him by my side until the day I can't," I said.

But I never expected that day to hit me so suddenly.

It was the first time I'd lost my certainty.

I couldn't believe my eyes. On Vincent's left arm, there were several cut marks, some fresh, some faded, all clustered together.

The scars were ugly and shameful, like a harsh black stain marring pristine skin, so out of place, so jarring.

In that moment, all my shame and stubbornness collapsed, swept away by an overwhelming surge of panic and anger.

Vincent was hurting himself...

Someone as proud as him, someone who always flinched at pain, was actually cutting himself.

I couldn't understand why.

Was it because of me?

Did being around me really make him feel that awful?

Was I really that repulsive to him?

My head was pounding, and my chest was so tight with overwhelming emotion that the pain made it impossible for me to stand up straight.

For the first time in more than ten years, the idea of giving up on Vincent actually crossed my mind.

I could endure any pain he gave me, but I could never bear to see him die right in front of me. Maybe I deserved to go to hell, but he deserved to live forever.

It was in those moments that I decided to let Vincent go.

So, during one of our usual fights...

Vincent sneered at me, just like always. "How much longer are you going to keep pestering me? Doesn't it bother you at all that I can't stand you?

"Do you even have any dignity?

"Jocelyn, I really don't love you. Can't you show some compassion and let me go?"

"Alright," I said.

Vincent, who'd been lounging around like he couldn't care less, suddenly snapped his head up and looked straight at me. His eyes were bloodshot, and for the first time, panic was written all over his handsome face.

"What did you just say?" he demanded, stunned.

"Vincent, I said I'm letting you go," I replied.

Vincent shot to his feet, disbelief written all over his face. His suit knocked over a cup, spilling coffee all over his expensive custom suit, but he didn't even bother to clean it up. Frowning, he walked toward me, his steps unsteady and trembling.

He gave me a strained, awkward smile.

"Jocelyn, are you kidding me? This isn't funny," he said.

I looked away from him.

I was afraid that if I let myself look at him even a second longer, I'd regret it.

I said, "I'm leaving Alverton for good.

"Barring any accidents, I will most likely never come back for the rest of my life. So you can finally have some peace. I promised to let you go, and I won't ever chase after you again.

"I'll handle all the rumors and anything bad about you in the entertainment news. Except for us, no one will remember what happened during these days."

My chest was numb with pain, and I could barely stay on my feet. Not wanting Vincent to see me falling apart, I staggered out the door, desperate to hide how wrecked I was.

Just as the door slammed shut behind me, the sound of ceramic smashing echoed through the room, mixed with some muffled sobs.

Vincent was in trouble.

I rushed to the hospital, frantically weaving through the empty corridors.

My heart felt like it was about to explode from my chest, as overwhelming panic engulfed me, and my breath came in sharp, painful gasps.

I had already let him go.

Why did he still end up getting hurt?

Why did fate always have to be so cruel?

Vincent was in the hospital room, his head wrapped in several layers of bandages. His lips were pale, not a trace of color left in his handsome face.

Compared to before, there was an indescribable change in his eyes, a touch of innocence that hadn't been there before.

I stood at the doorway, unsure whether to go in, and kept my distance, staying as far from Vincent as possible. I was worried that seeing me would upset him, and his emotions might make his injuries worse.