Chapter 3

3.

I stood there in the silence, tears streaming down my face.

Zane had never been that gentle with me. He rarely even hugged me first.

It felt like I was always the one chasing him, playing the role of the perfect, understanding girlfriend.

I tolerated his workaholic nature and his coldness for years.

But today, after staring death in the eyes, I realized this relationship was draining the life out of me.

After I showered, I lay in bed. Zane reached out and pulled me into his chest.

He nuzzled my neck, his voice slightly apologetic.

"Still mad? I've been under a lot of pressure at work lately."

"I'm trying to make it up to you now, okay?"

All the hurt I had bottled up all day finally broke through.

I turned around and hugged him tight, sobbing into his chest.

He patted my back gently. "There, there. Stop crying."

"Tomorrow I'll buy you that cake you like from the bakery downtown, okay?"

He was always guarded with his emotions. He was stingy with his affection.

I knew that this small gesture was supposed to be a big deal for him.

His hug felt warm, and for a second, I felt safe.

"Just don't get tears all over my shirt. It's fresh."

The moment of peace shattered instantly.

I let go of him and wiped my face with the back of my hand.

I smiled mockingly at myself. "I'm fine. Let's sleep."

How could I forget? This was Zane.

He was the man who valued logic over everything―the man who was cold to his core. Why would he actually care about my feelings?

Zane fell asleep quickly, thinking he had fixed everything.

The next morning, I woke up to a sharp, stabbing pain in my stomach.

I tried to get out of bed, but my head spun, and I nearly hit the floor.

I realized I hadn't eaten or drank anything since the previous morning.

The stress and the hunger were finally catching up to me.

I forced myself to call Zane.

"Zane, I..." A wave of pain hit me, and I groaned.

"My stomach hurts so much... and I think I have a fever..."

"Take some Tylenol."

"We're out of medicine. And I'm so dizzy, I can't even stand up."

I was crying again. "Can you please come home and take care of me?"

He was silent for a second. I hoped he would say yes.

"I'm in the middle of something, Emberly. Stop being so needy."

"I..."

The line went dead. My tears spilled over.

I used the last of my strength to dial 911.