Chapter 3

I'd only just woken up.

I pushed at him with everything I had, trying to see his face, but he kissed me even harder.

I gave in.

My phone slipped from my hand.

It hit the nightstand with a soft thud, and the screen lit up.

He must have been startled, because he broke the kiss.

I tried to use the chance to look at him.

But he was faster than my eyes.

Before I knew it, he slid off the bed, dug into his pants pocket, and pulled out a mask. He snapped it on in one motion.

Then, with long arms, he grabbed the baseball cap on the nightstand and shoved it on his head.

I froze.

One second, he was passionately kissing me. The next, he was playing mysterious.

Was he crazy?

"You're not going to show me your face?" I asked.

"No, no, Sophie," he said. "I've got a flare-up on my face. I look terrible."

"Take the hat off," I said.

"I haven't washed my hair," he answered.

I slid off the bed and squatted beside him. I stared at the side of his face that he'd almost completely hidden.

"It's fine. I don't mind if you're messy," I said.

"I do mind," he replied.

"Take it off," I insisted.

I narrowed my eyes and stared him down.

He gripped the brim of his cap and lowered his head even more.

"Don't be like that, Sophie. This is our first time meeting in person. I want to make a good impression," he said.

My skin was itching to see him. I wanted to know what he looked like so badly it hurt.

I even used the same coquettish trick I used on Charles back then.

"But I just want to see you," I said.

The air froze.

I felt ridiculous.

Before I could think of anything else to say, I heard him swallow.

He sounded like he'd made up his mind. "Okay. Sophie, wait here. I'll wash up and then I'll show you."

"Okay," I answered.

I watched the tall man disappear into the bathroom. For a moment, my mind slipped back to Charles.

Look at that. Mike clung to me.

Why didn't Charles like me?

The sound of running water pulled me back.

I remembered something and reached down for my phone.

Alice called then.

I hit answer. Her voice exploded in my ear.

"Sophie, something's wrong," she said.

Alice had never sounded this panicked. I frowned.

We'd known each other a long time. I'd never heard her speak like this.

My tone went serious. "What happened?"

She stumbled over the words. The more she hesitated, the more alarmed I became.

I cupped the phone and looked toward the lit bathroom, then walked out onto the balcony and pressed her for details.

"Spit it out. Did you get pregnant because you didn't use protection with your boyfriend?" I asked.

"No," she said.

"Are your parents fighting and about to kick you out? Or did you borrow from a shady loan app and they're threatening to leak nude photos?" I rattled off.

"Fuck you. I don't have any nude photos or videos. It's just that—" she said.

"Just what? Can you please be quick? Don't waste my time. I have important things to do," I snapped.

I still wanted to see what Mike looked like.

But Alice's next words almost made me drop my phone. She said—

"What? Charles is dying?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Right then, I heard a loud thud from the bathroom, like Mike had slipped and fallen.

Rationally, I knew whether Charles lived or died had nothing to do with me.

I should've just barged into that bathroom and enjoyed the sight of Mike, completely bare, all sculpted muscle and jaw-dropping good looks.

But my hands were trembling, and I forced myself to sound casual as I answered,

"Are you kidding me at this hour? Bastards like him always live forever. If he really drops dead, I'll light fireworks for three straight days. So tell me. What is it? Car accident? Or did the doctors find cancer?"

Alice went quiet for a long time before she finally sighed. Her voice had turned uncharacteristically serious.

"Sophie, I wasn't supposed to tell you this. But I honestly can't stand keeping it from you anymore. You know I've got a friend working at that hospital.

"She told me this afternoon, Charles collapsed during a patient consult with sudden gastric hemorrhage. His condition was critical. She suspects it's stomach cancer," she said.

"That can't be so certain," I muttered.

"Sophie, it's real. The terrifying part is that he refused further tests and just walked out. My friend said he's still in danger, but no one can find him now. His phone's off, too," she continued.

"Then call the cops," I said flatly.

"They won't take a missing-person case until it's been twenty-four hours. Look, you two were married once. Maybe you can get through to him. He needs treatment.

"Think about it. If he actually dies of stomach cancer, then no matter how good your life gets, he won't be around to envy you." Alice said.

I thought back to how indifferent he'd been earlier when he overheard me lining up a hookup. Something in me bristled. Alice had a point.

Still, it was strange. He'd been so cold, so arrogant in the morning, and then by afternoon, was he supposedly at death's door?

Whatever. Saving a life was never wrong. I needed to find out where he was.

With that in mind, I walked back to the bathroom door, knocked, and said a little awkwardly, "Something just came up."

"Go ahead, Sophie," Mike called back.

"How about we rain check?" I asked.

Mike's gorgeous face was just a door away. And yet, thanks to that bastard Charles, I had to walk away from the real prize. My fingers itched. I twisted the doorknob, hoping for one last peek before leaving.

But the door was locked tight.

Mike was sharp, but I would give him that.

Then he answered, "All right. I'll be waiting to hear from you anytime."

There was no time left to linger. As soon as he said that, I turned on my heel and left the hotel.