Chapter 7

The rain was so heavy that there wasn't a person in sight by the river. The downpour was deafening, yet the world felt eerily dead.

I leaned against the railing, watching the rain hammer the water. Suddenly, Heathcliff's words echoed in my head. "If you ever lose me, Catherine, wait for me. In no longer than three years, I'll come back."

Three years have gone by. He broke his promise.

I also remembered him saying, "Whenever you're in danger, I will definitely come to your side."

Was that so? I'd test that theory. I stared into the hazy, gray void, climbed over the railing, and plunged into the river. Aside from the freezing cold, I didn't feel a thing.

I went limp and let myself sink.

Suddenly, I heard a splash nearby. Before I could react, someone grabbed me and hauled me back up to the surface.

My heart was pounding like crazy. A rush of desperate hope washed over me. I had one thought, and only one: Sam was back. He'd come to keep his promise.

But then, Samuel's voice exploded in my ear, wild and furious. "Are you out of your mind?"

My heart sank. Samuel again. I let out a quiet sigh and drifted off.

Actually, I wasn't trying to end my life. I knew how to swim and dive. Heathcliff had taught me himself. I wanted to see if he'd show up if I stopped saving myself.

Samuel kept shouting, still calling me crazy, though he sounded like the one who'd lost his marbles. I blacked out before I could hear the rest.

*****

When I woke up again, I was in a hospital room. Samuel was slumped by the bed, his eyes bloodshot and rimmed with dark, heavy circles.

He never cared about me before, but look at him now. Maybe his ego couldn't handle the fact that I'd been using him as a stand-in.

Seeing me stir, he stared me down, his expression tight. He looked like he wanted to snap at me, but he was too choked with rage to get the words out.

My phone buzzed with some random spam.

Samuel finally found something to vent about, letting out a cold laugh. "What, did your precious Sam text you?"

I knew Samuel would never let this go. But I didn't owe him a damn thing. For three years, he'd used me as a placeholder and a shield. He wasn't exactly the victim here.

Fed up with his snark, I slid out of bed. "I'm feeling suffocated. I'm going out for some fresh air."

I stepped out and walked toward the elevator. As I rounded the corner at the end of the hall, a wheelchair nearly collided with me.

I scrambled to step aside, and that's when a face slammed into my line of sight. Unmistakable features, a clean jawline, and that tiny mole on the bridge of his nose.

My heart slammed against my ribs. My breath hitched.

The man in the wheelchair stared at me, disbelief written all over his face, and soon his eyes turned red with emotion. "Catherine, I finally found you."

I stood there, stunned for a long moment, my eyes stinging as tears spilled over. Dazed, I took a couple of steps back, staring at him. "Sam? Am I dreaming?"

The man who had haunted my dreams for three years was standing right here, clear as day. He looked more like Heathcliff than Samuel ever did. No, he was Heathcliff.

He rolled toward me, his hand trembling as he reached out to grip my wrist. His thumb brushed my skin gently. "Catherine, it's me. I'm back. I'm so sorry. I was rushed to surgery three years ago, and I didn't die.

"It was my brother. He spread the rumors. Come with me. Please?"

I didn't think twice. With my eyes burning and my body shaking, I nodded desperately.

Then, Samuel roared from behind me, furious. "Catherine, you take one step with him and see what happens."