Chapter 3 · Northern Lights Don't Shine For Liars

On the drive home after dinner, Ryan's expression turned dark. "Don't you think you went a little overboard tonight?"

"What do you mean, overboard?" I frowned. "She was spreading incorrect information. I was just setting the record straight."

"It's a dinner party, not a lecture," he said. His voice had an edge to it. "Who cares about those details? You called her out in front of everyone. Do you think that was appropriate?"

"So she can imply I'll never get to see the Northern Lights, but I'm not allowed to respond?" I looked up at him and felt something cold settle in my chest. "Ryan, do you see me as your fiancée or as some student who needs to be educated by Emily?"

"Stop being ridiculous!" He looked angry for a moment, then took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "That's not what I meant."

We didn't speak for the rest of the drive.

When we got to the door, I stood in the darkness and watched his back. He suddenly felt like a stranger.

I'd been in meetings all day at work, and by the time I got home, my throat felt like sandpaper. My head started pounding, and I couldn't stop shivering.

By eight that evening, my fever had climbed to almost 140 degrees. My whole body felt drained. I barely managed to grab my phone and text Ryan.

[I have a fever. Can you pick up some medicine from the pharmacy on your way home?]

A few minutes later, he replied, cold and flat: [Ok.]

But I was too exhausted to think about it. I curled up in bed and stared at the ceiling. I kept telling myself he'd come home. He'd bring the medicine.

But the minutes dragged on, and I didn't hear the door.

I checked my phone and called him.

It rang for a long time before he picked up. There was noise in the background, and his voice sounded rushed. "What's up?"

"When are you coming home?" I forced the words out through my raw throat.

"Soon. Emily had a nosebleed, so I'm dropping off some medicine at her place." He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Is something wrong?"

I froze. My voice came out hoarse. "Emily had a nosebleed?"

"Yeah, she hasn't been feeling well lately. Probably stress," he said. "Just hang tight. I'll be back soon."

The call ended, and I stared at the screen for a long time without moving.

My fever was nearly 140 degrees, but he'd left me here to run medicine over to Emily because she had a nosebleed.

I didn't know what I was supposed to be to him anymore.

I forced myself up and opened a delivery app. I ordered medicine from the nearest pharmacy.

An hour later, it arrived. I swallowed the pills, crawled back into bed, and pulled the blankets tight around me while I shook.

Late that night, the door finally opened.

Ryan came in and kicked off his shoes. He looked relaxed, like he'd just finished doing someone a favor and felt good about it.

He glanced at me lying there weak and pale in bed, and then he actually started complaining. "Emily's been pushing herself way too hard lately. Her health is really suffering. I need to tell her to take better care of herself."

I turned to face him and stared at his completely calm expression. My fingers twisted the edge of the blanket.

"Don't you realize I need rest too?" My voice came out hoarse. It took everything I had just to get those words out.

Ryan looked startled for a second, then he laughed like he didn't understand what I meant. "You took medicine, right? You'll feel better after some sleep. It's fine."

He said it so casually, like my burning fever was just as minor as Emily's nosebleed.

"Oh, by the way, Emily and I talked it over. We already ordered your wedding dress," Ryan said. He sent me a photo. It was the mermaid-style dress I'd turned down that day.

He knew I didn't like it, but Emily did.

I lay in bed and stared at the moonlight coming through the window. The cold I felt wasn't just from my fever. It was coming from somewhere deeper inside me.

It felt like someone had pulled away the warmest blanket and exposed the bare, freezing reality underneath.

Chapter 3

On the drive home after dinner, Ryan's expression turned dark. "Don't you think you went a little overboard tonight?"

"What do you mean, overboard?" I frowned. "She was spreading incorrect information. I was just setting the record straight."

"It's a dinner party, not a lecture," he said. His voice had an edge to it. "Who cares about those details? You called her out in front of everyone. Do you think that was appropriate?"

"Stop being ridiculous!" He looked angry for a moment, then took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "That's not what I meant."

We didn't speak for the rest of the drive.

When we got to the door, I stood in the darkness and watched his back. He suddenly felt like a stranger.

I'd been in meetings all day at work, and by the time I got home, my throat felt like sandpaper. My head started pounding, and I couldn't stop shivering.

By eight that evening, my fever had climbed to almost 140 degrees. My whole body felt drained. I barely managed to grab my phone and text Ryan.

[I have a fever. Can you pick up some medicine from the pharmacy on your way home?]

A few minutes later, he replied, cold and flat: [Ok.]

But I was too exhausted to think about it. I curled up in bed and stared at the ceiling. I kept telling myself he'd come home. He'd bring the medicine.

But the minutes dragged on, and I didn't hear the door.

I checked my phone and called him.

It rang for a long time before he picked up. There was noise in the background, and his voice sounded rushed. "What's up?"

"When are you coming home?" I forced the words out through my raw throat.

"Soon. Emily had a nosebleed, so I'm dropping off some medicine at her place." He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Is something wrong?"

I froze. My voice came out hoarse. "Emily had a nosebleed?"

"Yeah, she hasn't been feeling well lately. Probably stress," he said. "Just hang tight. I'll be back soon."

The call ended, and I stared at the screen for a long time without moving.

My fever was nearly 140 degrees, but he'd left me here to run medicine over to Emily because she had a nosebleed.

I didn't know what I was supposed to be to him anymore.

I forced myself up and opened a delivery app. I ordered medicine from the nearest pharmacy.

An hour later, it arrived. I swallowed the pills, crawled back into bed, and pulled the blankets tight around me while I shook.

Late that night, the door finally opened.

Ryan came in and kicked off his shoes. He looked relaxed, like he'd just finished doing someone a favor and felt good about it.

I turned to face him and stared at his completely calm expression. My fingers twisted the edge of the blanket.

"Don't you realize I need rest too?" My voice came out hoarse. It took everything I had just to get those words out.

Ryan looked startled for a second, then he laughed like he didn't understand what I meant. "You took medicine, right? You'll feel better after some sleep. It's fine."

He said it so casually, like my burning fever was just as minor as Emily's nosebleed.

"Oh, by the way, Emily and I talked it over. We already ordered your wedding dress," Ryan said. He sent me a photo. It was the mermaid-style dress I'd turned down that day.

He knew I didn't like it, but Emily did.

I lay in bed and stared at the moonlight coming through the window. The cold I felt wasn't just from my fever. It was coming from somewhere deeper inside me.

It felt like someone had pulled away the warmest blanket and exposed the bare, freezing reality underneath.