Chapter 1
At the engagement party, my fiancé locked me inside a -4°F freezer to "sober up."
His childhood sweetheart laughed. "It was just one night in the cold. She didn't die, did she?"
I looked at the man who once promised to love me for a lifetime. He said nothing.
At that moment, it all became clear to me.
I took off my engagement ring and handed it to him.
I said, "Norman… let's break up."
*****
By the time they dragged me out of the freezer, it was already morning.
My limbs were stiff and wouldn't move, my teeth were chattering, and every breath felt like inhaling ice shards.
"Hey, you're still alive?" one of them said.
"You lost the bet, Lewis. Told you she's hard to kill," another guy said.
"Her face is so purple, she looks like an eggplant. Someone snap a pic and post it to their feed," one of them snickered.
A bunch of guys in dress clothes circled around me, prodding my legs with the tips of their shiny shoes.
They still smelled like last night's engagement party, bow ties crooked, smirks plastered across their faces.
I tried to stand, but my knees gave out, and I dropped right back to the ground.
My hands pressed against the icy concrete, and the frostbite made them feel like they were being stabbed with needles.
"Move aside." Norman's voice cut through the crowd.
He walked over, crouched down in front of me, and reached out to help.
I shrank back.
His hand paused in midair for a second before he pulled it back, a resigned smile flickering across his face.
"Amy, don't be upset," Norman said.
"Serena's just being playful. You know what she's like," he added.
I looked up at him.
Norman was dressed in a light gray cashmere coat and a crisp shirt underneath. His collar was immaculately neat.
He'd just stepped out from the warmth inside, his cheeks still carrying a healthy flush.
All I had on was last night's thin satin dress. The skirt was frozen solid, scraping against my skin like stiff cardboard.
"Just a joke," I echoed. My voice was rough and barely recognizable.
"Yeah, that's right," Norman replied. He smiled, his eyes soft and crescent-shaped.
He explained, "She saw you had a few drinks last night, your cheeks were flushed, so she thought you needed to cool down.
"Who would've thought you'd actually spend the whole night in there?"
He reached out, aiming to touch my cheek.
I turned my head away.
His fingers grazed my earlobe. The icy sensation sent a jolt through my whole body.
"Your hands are ice cold," Norman said, his brow furrowed with concern.
He took my hands and rubbed them, trying to bring back some warmth.
"You must be frozen. Come on, let's get you inside and warm you up," he urged.
He reached out to pull me to my feet.
I stayed where I was.
"Norman." I heard my own voice, calm and steady. "You locked the freezer from the outside."
Norman's expression stiffened for a moment.
But he quickly returned to that helpless, doting smile.
He said, "I was worried you'd wake up drunk in the middle of the night and run off. Out here in the middle of nowhere, it's dangerous for a girl to be alone."
He said it like it was nothing.
Someone in the crowd chimed in, "Norman, you really keep your wife on a tight leash."
"That's just adding some spice to things, you know?" another guy chimed in.
"Yeah, Amelia, you're being way too serious. Serena's just blunt. She doesn't sweat the small stuff," someone else added.
I turned to look at the guy who spoke.
It was Charles Carver, Norman's childhood friend.
He was there last night too, raising his glass and wishing us a lifetime of happiness.
He lounged there with a cigarette hanging from his lips, wearing a cocky grin like nothing could bother him.
Charles said, "Come on, Serena and Norman have been buddies for years. What's the big deal about a joke?"
He snorted, "Amelia, you're being way too petty for a fiancée. Lighten up, will you?"
Norman patted Charles on the shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough," Norman said.
Then Norman turned back to me, his voice gentler than before. "Amy, how about I carry you inside? Look at you, your lips are so blue."
He reached out, trying to pull me into his arms.
I pushed him away with all the strength I had left.
Norman wasn't ready for it and stumbled back a step.
His face finally darkened.
Norman murmured, "Amelia, don't make me regret being good to you."
He said it so quietly. Only I could hear it.
But I caught it. I saw that flicker of irritation in his eyes. I noticed the tense line of his mouth.
I knew those subtle cues all too well.
Three years ago, when we first started dating, he'd always show those same signs whenever he was annoyed.
But later, Norman learned to put on a mask.
He mastered the art of saying harsh words in the softest tone. He learned to hurt me while acting like he cared.
"Norman!"
A crisp female voice rang out from the villa doorway.
Serena jogged out in workout clothes, her hair up in a high ponytail, completely bare-faced.
She headed straight for Norman and casually hooked her arm around his, like she'd done it a thousand times.
"So? Amy's okay, right?" Serena asked, sounding all casual.
She craned her neck to look at me, eyes wide open, all innocent.
She said, "Whoa, why's your face so purple? Sorry about last night, Amy. I was drunk and just talking nonsense."
"Who would've thought that stupid Norman would actually lock you in the freezer?"
Serena gave Norman a light, affectionate punch, her tone casual and close.
She said, "Seriously, Norman, you actually believed everything I said? What if Amy had really gotten hurt in there?"
Norman let out a laugh. He reached over and tousled Serena's hair.
He teased, "Wasn't this whole mess your crazy idea to begin with? And now you're pinning it on me?"
The two of them stood there together, right in front of me.
Serena had her arm wrapped around Norman's, while he was messing up her hair.
They were bantering like a couple, totally wrapped up in each other.
Meanwhile, I was sprawled on the freezing ground, feeling like some awkward intruder.
"Amy, come on. Get up," Serena called out.
She suddenly acted like she remembered I existed, reaching out to pull me up.
Her fingers were warm, but when they touched my frozen hand, I instinctively pulled away.
"Wow, you're really frozen," Serena said. She crouched down beside me, leaning in close.
She whispered so only I could hear, "Why are you pretending to be so pathetic? So you spent one night freezing. What's the big deal? You're still alive."
Serena stood up, that easygoing grin plastered back on her face. "Come on, I'll help you inside. Auntie made some hot chocolate for you. She said it'll help chase away the cold."
She reached out to take my arm, but I jerked my arm away.
The force sent me sprawling backward, and the back of my head slammed against the concrete.
There was a dull thud.
For a moment, everything went black.
"Amy!" Serena cried out.
Norman's expression finally darkened, and he hurried over.
He crouched down, reaching out to see if I'd hurt my head.
I raised my hand to stop him.
"Don't touch me," I said. My voice was quiet, but unmistakably clear.
Norman's hand hovered in the air. He stared at me, his expression hard to read.
There was a mix of surprise, confusion, and a hint of annoyance in his eyes.
He said, "Amelia, are you done with your drama?" Norman said, his voice sharp. Serena said sorry, and I've already told you what happened.
"It was just a joke. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"
I slowly sat up, bracing myself against the cold concrete.
The back of my head throbbed with pain, but I didn't reach for it.
I just stared at Norman.