Chapter 6

Nathan didn't come back until the next evening.

David and I were having dinner when Nathan suddenly burst in from outside.

He looked like he was about to lose it, eyes blazing red as he fixed me with a furious stare.

From the look of it, I knew things with Charlotte must be pretty rough.

I glanced at him, then quickly looked away, lowering my gaze and focusing on my food.

David just said calmly, "If you haven't eaten yet, come join us for dinner."

It was unusual for Nathan not to get scolded by his father today.

Nathan's anger seemed to deflate a little.

After a long pause, he finally walked over.

He still had that stern look on his face, but he sat down without a word, keeping his distance from me.

A storm was brewing, and the whole dinner passed in tense, uneasy silence.

Once we'd finished eating, David suddenly said, "There's going to be a counterattack down south.

"Put in a request with your superiors and try to get yourself sent there.

"Take this chance to redeem yourself, and you might snag a promotion to battalion commander."

My heart skipped a beat, and I shot a sideways glance at David.

He kept his face calm, not looking at me.

Yesterday, when I told David the truth, he promised he wouldn't say a word to Nathan.

I was heading south, but I wasn't naive enough to think Nathan would actually worry about me.

Nathan was always overthinking things, forever doubting my motives and suspecting I had some ulterior plan.

I'd already made up my mind to go, but I was worried that if he found out, he'd get suspicious and try to stop me.

My heart was in my throat. I was terrified that Nathan might agree to go with me.

I really didn't want to go with him.

Before I could start worrying, Nathan suddenly shot to his feet. "I'm not going. Things with Charlotte..."

Before he could finish, David snapped, his voice booming with anger. "It's not your call. Soldiers fight, and that's what they're supposed to do. You think you can run away?"

Nathan snapped, "I said I'm not going, and that's that.

"Nobody said I had to go, so how does that make me a deserter?

"Charlotte's mom is still fighting for her life. If it weren't for you guys—"

David's face was thunderous with anger. He grabbed the nearest plate and chucked it straight at Nathan. "You little punk. I'm sending you because it's for your own damn good."

I was terrified he'd lose control and let something slip.

Instinctively, I jumped in. "David, take it easy. Don't get so mad you make yourself sick."

Nathan didn't try to dodge the plate—it hit him square on.

The plate struck his forehead, and blood started to trickle down almost immediately.

David raised his hand for another slap, but I stepped in and stopped him. He barked, "Get out there and stand."

Nathan let out a cold, mocking laugh.

With a huff, he turned around, tore off his jacket, and stormed out to the front yard.

It was the dead of winter, days before New Year's Eve, and the snow was coming down harder and harder.

The snow we'd cleared away that evening was already piling up again, thick and heavy.

When Nathan stood there, his feet sank right into the icy snow, but he didn't blink.

I didn't pity him at all.

But since I was leaving, I wanted a clean break.

Before I left, I didn't want to owe him the tiniest bit.

I turned around, hoping to plead with David.

But he shot me a stone-cold look and went straight upstairs without saying a word.

Clenching my jaw, I marched straight outside and stood down next to Nathan.

Nathan was stone-faced, showing no emotion. When I stood down beside him, he scowled, his voice sharp. "Get inside. Mind your own business."

I stood down in the snow, refusing to look at him. "I'm here for my own reasons. This has nothing to do with you."

Nathan was quiet for a while, then finally snapped, frustration all over his face. "You two keep teaming up for your little act.

"My dad making you stand? Seriously, that's the biggest joke I've ever heard."

I ignored him and glanced up. The light in the study was still on.

The curtains were wide open. David could see everything.

But this time, he was dead set on teaching Nathan a lesson.

Night kept getting darker until finally the curtains in the study were pulled shut.

David never gave Nathan the go-ahead to get up, and he didn't call me in either.

Snowflakes drifted down, settling on my hair and clothes.

They melted into my hair and clothes, leaving a biting chill behind. They'd frozen solid against me.

The cold spread through my body, growing sharper and sharper, until it felt like blades digging into my knees.

Nathan mocked me, "Just go inside already. Someone like you wouldn't make it ten minutes out here."

I ignored him.

Watching the snow fall, I suddenly remembered the last New Year's Eve I spent with Frank. It was like this, thick snow coming down all around us.

That year, the snow was especially white and beautiful.

I was out in the yard building a snowman, and the neighbor's boy came over and smashed it to bits.

I got so mad that I ended up fighting him and left him with a black eye and a swollen nose.

His parents came over to complain, but Frank stuck up for me. "Little Hannah was defending herself."

After he sent the angry parents packing, he turned to me.

He poked my nose with a resigned grin, teasing me. "If you keep acting so tough, you'll scare off all the boys."

It had been fourteen years since he left.

Standing there in the snow, I felt my eyes stung with tears.

I didn't know if it was the cold or if I missed him.

Nathan scoffed, "You can keep pushing me all you want, but it's not gonna change a thing."

I muttered, feeling awkward, "Like I care about marrying you."

If Frank were still here, he'd have found me a guy as good as he was. It should be someone who'd trust me, love me, and treat me right, not someone like Nathan.

Nathan was still talking beside me.

My mind started to drift, and I stopped paying attention to what he was saying.

After a while, his voice grew more and more distant.

I didn't feel the cold anymore, just felt myself getting sleepier.

As I was about to fall asleep, Nathan turned his head and called my name softly, "Hannah."

I tilted my head, feeling like I had to look him in the eye. I couldn't let him win.

No matter how long I stared, his face stayed blurry.

Snowflakes seemed to melt right into my eyes, making everything fuzzy.

The harder I tried, the less I could see him.

He seemed to be frowning as he nudged me with his elbow. "Hey, I already told you to get inside."

I forced myself to blink, but his face was still a blur.

With that little shove, I fell to the side, and everything faded to black.