Chapter 3

My body would be used for medical research.

And finally, the signature.

To sign electronically, I needed a stylus.

I didn't have a stylus. So, I just saved it for now.

I had to head to the print shop later and sign it myself.

"Amy?" Norman called out.

He kept knocking on the door.

He sounded unsure. "Come on, say something. Don't freak me out, Amy."

I stayed silent. I got up, walked to the window, and drew the curtains open.

The sunlight hit me hard.

Down on the lawn, Serena was laughing and joking around with a group of friends.

She was making big gestures, laughing so hard she doubled over.

Then she looked up at my window. Our eyes met.

Serena's smile stiffened for a moment. But soon, she raised her hand and waved at me.

Her smile was radiant, lighting up her whole face.

I smiled back.

I lifted my hand and mouthed to her, "Wait."

Serena looked puzzled. She tilted her head, clearly confused.

I pulled the curtains shut.

I turned around and started packing up my stuff.

Truth be told, there wasn't much to pack. I'd only brought one suitcase when I arrived.

It was still just the same stuff I had when I got here. Clothes, some makeup, and a few books.

Oh, and all the gifts Norman had given me. Necklaces, bracelets, and purses.

I took them all out and arranged them neatly on the bed.

Then I opened my suitcase and started putting my things in, one at a time. I took my time.

My hands were still a bit numb, moving awkwardly. But I managed to keep my movements steady.

When I finished packing, there was still a little room left in the suitcase.

I hesitated for a moment, then walked over to my desk. I pulled open the drawer. Inside was a velvet box.

I opened it. It was a plain silver ring.

Inside, a date was engraved. It was the day of our first date, three years ago.

Norman told me that once we got engaged, he'd swap it out for a diamond ring.

For now, I'd keep this silver ring as a memento.

I picked up the ring and just stared at it for ages. Then I walked over to the window and opened it.

The laughter and chatter from downstairs drifted up faintly.

I loosened my grip and let the ring slip from my fingers.

It made a gentle arc through the air and landed in the bushes below.

It fell silently, without a trace. It was as if it had never existed.

I closed the window, locked my suitcase, and rolled it to the door. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Norman was still standing outside.

When he spotted the suitcase, his whole expression froze, eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"You're really leaving?" Norman asked, his voice tight.

I brushed past him and made for the stairs.

Norman grabbed my arm and shouted, "Amelia!"

His voice was trembling. "You're really breaking off the engagement just because of this? Do three years together really mean nothing to you?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him.

"Norman," I said.

My voice was calm. Even I was surprised at how calm I sounded.

I continued, "If I'd died in that freezer last night... What would you have done then?"

Norman froze, caught off guard.

I added, "Would you have felt sad? Would you have regretted it? Or would you have raised a glass with Serena, celebrating that you finally ditched your fiancée?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He just stood there, speechless.

I smiled. "See? You don't even care enough to lie to me."

I pulled my arm free from his grip. Dragging my suitcase behind me, I headed downstairs.

Tracy was standing at the stairway, arms crossed.

She said, "Amelia, you'd better think twice. Once you walk out that door, it's not gonna be easy to come back."

I stopped and said, "Tracy, your son locked me in a freezer that was -4°F. Do you really think I'd ever want to come back after that?"

Tracy's expression shifted. "Well, nothing actually happened, right? Look at you, you're perfectly fine. It was just a prank. Why are you taking it so seriously?"

I kept quiet and walked past her toward the front door.

"Amelia!" Norman shouted. He came running after me.

He wrapped his arms around me from behind. His grip was so tight, like he was afraid to let go.

He said, "I messed up, I really did. Don't go. We're getting married next month. I'll do whatever you say. I'll tell Serena to get lost. I swear I'll never see her again, alright?"

His warm breath brushed against my neck. It still carried the lingering scent of last night's alcohol.

I glanced down at his hands, clasped tightly around my waist.

His hands were beautiful. Long fingers, clean, nails perfectly trimmed.

Back when I was sick, these hands would hold mine through the night.

When I was feeling down, they'd gently rub my back to comfort me.

These hands had just pulled me back from the edge of death. And now, they were trying to drag me into hell all over again.

"Norman, let go," I said softly.

But he didn't let go. Instead, he held me even tighter.

He said, "I'm not letting go. If you leave, you really won't ever come back. I know."

Norman sounded like he was about to cry. "I know I messed up, Amy. Please, just give me one more chance. Just one last time."

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, my eyes were clear, all the confusion gone.

I said, "Norman, you're holding me too tight. My frostbite still aches from the freezer."

His arms froze for a second.

He loosened his grip, letting go bit by bit.

I took the opportunity to pull away and open the door.

Serena was standing right outside. She glanced at me, then shifted her gaze to Norman behind me. Her tears started streaming down instantly.

She said, "Amy, are you really leaving? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have run my mouth like that. If you leave, what's Norman supposed to do?"

Tears were streaming down her face, and she looked completely devastated. Her shoulders shook with every sob.

Norman instinctively reached out to steady her. But halfway through, he stopped himself and pulled his hand back.

Norman looked at me. There was a desperate plea in his eyes.

I clutched the handle of my suitcase and walked out the door.

"Amelia Dawson!" Norman shouted. He used my full name.

His words came out hoarse. "If you leave today... That's it for us. We're done."

I turned back to look at him one last time.

I said, "Norman, from the moment you shut me in that freezer, we were finished."

With that, I pulled my suitcase along. I walked forward without a single glance behind me.

The sunlight was blinding. The frostbite on my face began to sting with heat.

But I kept walking, steady and sure. Not once did I look back.

When the taxi stopped outside my apartment, the driver kept sneaking glances at me in the rearview mirror.

"Miss, are you okay? Why does your face look so purple?" he asked.

I paid him and shook my head. "Got frostbite," I replied.

The driver looked like he wanted to say something, but held back. In the end, he just said, "Go on, hurry inside and warm yourself up. With weather like this, don't let the cold get to you."

I pulled my suitcase out of the cab.

The wheels rumbled across the pavement, making a low, rolling sound. The sound of my suitcase wheels was especially clear in the quiet morning.

The building guard was napping, but the noise made him open his eyes.

"Hey, Amelia, you're back?" he said, sounding surprised.

He paused, staring at me. "You... your face..." he stammered.

"Allergic reaction," I replied curtly, swiping my access card.

The elevator stopped on the sixteenth floor.

The hallway was quiet. I fished out my keys and unlocked the door.

The place looked just like I'd left it three days ago.

There was a half-empty glass of water on the coffee table. A book I hadn't finished was lying on the couch.

The window wasn't fully closed, and the morning breeze drifted in, making the curtains sway gently.

I set my suitcase down in the entryway and locked the door behind me.

Pressing my back against the door, I slowly slid down to the floor.

Finally, I could let myself fall apart.

My whole body was shaking. My teeth were chattering, making that rattling sound. My fingers curled up, nails pressing hard into my palms.

It hurt. But that was nothing compared to how much it hurt inside.

I sat there on the floor for a long time. Until the sunlight slanted through the window, landing on the floor.

I finally managed to get up and dragged myself into the bathroom.

I turned on the hot water, letting it run.

I barely recognized the person in the mirror.

My cheeks and nose were swollen and purple from the cold, my lips split and bleeding.

My eyes were puffy and red, but I hadn't cried at all. Not a single tear came out.

I stripped off that stiff, frozen dress.

The fabric rubbed against my frostbitten skin, and the pain made me gasp.

I tossed the dress straight into the trash, along with every memory from last night.

As the hot water poured over me, I instinctively curled up, the pain making me flinch. It was scalding.

The heat on my frostbitten skin felt like a thousand needles pricking me all at once.

But I didn't bother to adjust the temperature.

I didn't bother to turn the water down, just let it run over me, hot and unforgiving. Until my skin turned red and started to sting.