Chapter 2
Every word in that voice message felt like a poison-tipped needle, stabbing right into my ears.
I didn't bother replying. I just tossed my phone onto the bed.
The heating was cranked up, but I still felt a chill all over.
Without my documents, I couldn't even step out of the hotel, let alone buy a ticket home.
Michael treated me like a disposable item he could shelve whenever he felt like it.
He would take me out when he wanted to show me off, and the rest of the time he left me locked away.
I forced myself to calm down.
I looked up what to do if people lose their passport in Nordland.
A few results popped up.
First I had to report it to the local police and get a lost passport certificate.
Then I had to get to my own country's embassy to apply for a temporary travel document.
The whole process would take about two to three business days.
I glanced out the window at the blizzard, which was getting worse by the minute.
The embassy was nearly twenty-five miles from the hotel.
Without my documents, I couldn't rent a car, and even hailing a cab was next to impossible.
And on top of that, I didn't speak a word of the language.
Just as I was racking my brain for a solution, I heard the beep of a keycard unlocking the door outside.
The door swung open, and Michael walked in, trailing a blast of icy air behind him.
His hair was sprinkled with snowflakes, and the tip of his nose was bright red from the cold.
He spotted me sitting on the couch, stopped in his tracks for a moment, then flashed me a gentle smile.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" he asked.
He walked over, reaching out to ruffle my hair like he always did.
I turned my head, dodging his hand.
Michael's hand froze in midair.
But he didn't get mad. He just let out a helpless sigh and dropped his hand.
"Are you still mad about the scarf?" he asked.
He shrugged off his snow-soaked coat and tossed it onto a chair.
He said, "See? I came back to check on you.
"Emily's asleep over there, so I hurried back while she was out to pick up some stuff."
I shot him a cold look.
"What are you here for?" I asked.
Michael walked over to my suitcase and crouched down.
"Emily's coat zipper broke, and she gets cold easily. I remember you packed two, so I'm borrowing one of yours for her," he said.
He started rummaging through my suitcase.
That was the top-tier polar jacket I'd spent a fortune on, custom-made just for this aurora trip.
"That's mine," I reminded him.
Michael did not even look up, and he went straight for the white polar jacket as though he knew exactly where it was.
He said, "Yeah, I know it's yours. But you're just holed up in the hotel, not even going outside, so you won't need it anyway.
"Emily's fragile. She can't take the cold."
He stood up, casually slinging the polar jacket over his arm like it was nothing.
Then he walked over to me, giving me a helpless look.
He said, "Sophia, don't be so selfish.
"Emily has been through enough. You have everything a person could want, so why get worked up over one jacket?"
I laughed in disbelief, the anger bubbling up inside me.
"Everything? Is that what you think I have?" I shot back.
I stood up, locking eyes with him.
I said, "Michael, this is supposed to be my honeymoon.
"You gave her my honeymoon, you gave her my ocean-view room, you let her cut up my scarf, and now you're taking my jacket too.
"So tell me, what do I even have left?"
Michael frowned slightly.
He said, "I told you, once she's had her fun, I'll make it up to you.
"Why do you always have to make a thing out of stuff this small?"
He placed his hands gently on my shoulders, his voice softening.
He said, "Sophia, you weren't like this before.
"You used to be so understanding, so considerate. You never put me in a tough spot."
I pushed his hands away.
"Give me back my passport," I said.
Michael's gaze wavered for a moment.
He said, "It's locked up in my car. If I keep carrying it around, it's easy to lose.
"You're not leaving the hotel anyway, so it's safest with me."
"I'm going home," I said, and my voice did not waver.
I stared him down, enunciating every word.
Michael's face darkened completely, his expression turning cold.
He looked at me, and the soft facade slowly faded, exposing his true arrogance.
"Home?" he said, and his tone went sharp and mocking.
He sneered, "Sophia, don't push your luck.
"I came all the way back just to calm you down, not to listen to you complain."
He gripped the polar jacket tightly in his hand.
He said, "Without your passport, you're not going anywhere.
"So sit tight and don't make this difficult.
"Once Emily's depression improves, I'll take you back myself."
With that, he turned and headed for the door.
He stopped with his hand on the doorknob, not even glancing back.
"Oh, and just so you know, Emily wants to check out the Blue Ice Cave tomorrow. The signal's terrible out there," he tossed over his shoulder.
"Don't bother calling me unless it's urgent. I don't want you interrupting her rest," he finished.
The door slammed shut behind him.
The room was left utterly still, dead quiet.
I stared at the closed door, and for the first time in three years a weight came off my shoulders.
So this was what it felt like to finally give up on someone.
No more soul-crushing tears, no more screaming matches.
There was only a barren, empty calm.
I walked over to the bedside table and picked up the hotel phone.
I dialed the front desk.
I said, "Hello, this is the guest in room 1208. Do you offer private car service to Aurora City?"
The front desk responded quickly.
"Yes, ma'am, but with the blizzard, the fee will be higher," the front desk replied.
I replied calmly, "That's fine. Money's not an issue.
"Can you book the earliest car for me tomorrow morning?"
"Of course, ma'am," the front desk replied.
After hanging up, I started packing up the few things I had left.
If I couldn't get my passport back, then I would replace it myself.
I stuffed the last piece of clothing into my suitcase.
I glanced at my phone screen, where a message from Michael had just popped up.
Michael: [Just sit tight, all right? Once Emily's better, I'll make it up to you twice over.]