Chapter 2

I felt the cold draft from the hallway seep into the room and stayed quiet for a long time.

Theo had really changed a lot over these three years.

Now, I could pick up a trace of a woman's perfume mixed in with that scent I used to be so familiar with.

Even his usual dark tie had been swapped out for something lighter now.

When he wiped my tears just now, I caught a glimpse of a new tattoo on his left wrist.

All these changes made me start to question everything.

'Was Theo's thing with Elaine really just a fling?' I couldn't help but wonder to myself.

A few days later, Theo showed up alone.

Maybe it was because we hadn't seen each other in three years, but I realized we barely had anything to say to each other anymore.

We used to be so close that we could talk about everything.

But now, there were awkward silences between us.

Before heading, Theo got up and said, "You really should get more rest."

Before I knew it, I reached out and grabbed Theo's hand. He turned to face me.

He looked a little lost.

My heart ached again, but I couldn't hold back.

I asked, "Theo, do you still have feelings for me?"

Theo paused, gently took my hand in his, and knelt down by my bedside.

He looked at me and said softly, "Angela, you know there's no one in this world who loves you more than I do.

"Once you're all better, we'll get married and have as many kids as we want."

His words made all those feelings I'd bottled up since I woke up pour out at once.

I kept begging him to stop seeing Elaine.

I said, "There has to be another way to cure me. We can find another person."

But Theo's expression suddenly darkened.

He stood up, ignoring my tearful pleas, and his voice turned cold.

He said coldly, "Angela, don't act childish. I won't ever let you die.

"I did everything to make Elaine fall in love with me. Now that you're finally awake, do you really think I'm just going to give up?"

After that day, Theo never reached out to me again.

Every time he got upset and gave me the silent treatment before, he never ignored me for more than a day.

However, it had been several days since we last talked.

I couldn't tell if he was upset because of what I said, or because I asked him to leave Elaine.

The day I was discharged from the hospital, I couldn't reach either of my parents.

I didn't want to reach out to Theo, so I just handled everything myself and checked out on my own.

I'd planned to surprise them by showing up unannounced.

But as soon as I got to my front door, I saw Theo's car parked right there.

The housekeeper opened the door for me, but her smile froze when she saw me.

Laughter and cheerful voices spilled out from the house.

I brushed past her as she tried to block my way.

Inside, they were celebrating a girl's birthday.

My arrival shattered what should have been a perfect birthday party.

Elaine, with her birthday hat still on, locked eyes with me as soon as I walked in.

She gave me a nasty glare, her voice pure mockery.

She scoffed, "Angela, don't you have any self-respect? You really showed up here chasing after a guy?

"You are barely hanging on to life. You are Theo's pathetic ex-girlfriend, and you're still dreaming he will come crawling back to you?"

I didn't say a word, just stood there quietly in the doorway.

I stared at the three faces I knew better than my own, and all of them just looked back at me, awkward and guilty, like they wished they were anywhere but here.

I'd been standing there for minutes, but not one of them said a word to stop Elaine from laying into me.

"What are you all waiting for? Kick this crazy woman out of here. She's a total jinx!" Elaine snapped.

The housekeeper glanced uneasily at my parents, still standing by Elaine's side, as if waiting for their cue.

But in the end, she just stood there, not daring to touch me.

I set my suitcase down and turned to my parents, who were just standing there in silence.

"Dad, Mom, can you at least tell me what's going on?" I asked.