Chapter 3

After all the tossing and turning, I came down with a high fever that night. I didn’t even know what time Chloe came back.

When she noticed something was wrong with me, her cold face instantly filled with anxiety.

“You’re burning up! Why didn’t you call me if you felt so sick?”

Feverish and delirious, I replied, “If I called, would you have picked up?”

She froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Listen to yourself. I always pick up your calls.”

Hearing my silence, Chloe sighed helplessly. “Mark, you’re crossing the line. Do you know how guilty Logan felt today? Listen to me. Once you’re better, apologize to him. You shouldn’t ruin your friendship over such a trivial matter.”

I raised my head. “I’m crossing the line?”

“Aren’t you? It’s the holiday season. Stop making everyone miserable just because you’re in a bad mood.”

I stared into her eyes before I turned my head away, not wanting to hear another word from her.

A moment later, seeing that my high fever still hadn’t broken, Chloe frowned and told me to go to the hospital. Not wanting my parents to worry, I got into the car with her without saying much.

Along the way, she kept checking my temperature. For a fleeting second, it felt like a flashback to our university days when we were deeply in love.

Back then, when I got injured playing basketball, Chloe ran toward the health clinic, dragging me along in a panic. It was as if a moment’s delay would cost me my life.

Halfway through the drive, Chloe’s phone rang. It was Logan.

A soul-crushing voice came through the speaker. “Chloe, the cross pendant my grandmother gave me is missing! I’ve kept it on me since I was a kid! It might’ve dropped near the hotel. Can you come help me look for it?”

Chloe swerved the steering wheel slightly and looked hesitantly at me in the passenger seat.

“Mark has a fever. I’m driving him–”

“Take him to the hospital! I’m fine. I’ll just look for it alone. It’s no big deal…” As Logan spoke, his voice trembled slightly.

Chloe said nothing, but the car slowed down.

Three seconds later, she said, “Logan’s hotel is right up ahead. It’s late. It’s not safe for him to search for it alone…”

I opened my eyes and stared at her, my vision hazy from the fever.

“Chloe, I’m feeling really awful right now.”

“I know. I promise it’ll be quick!” she said anxiously. “Don’t worry, I’ll drive you right after we find it.”

Without waiting for me to speak again, she swiftly pulled the car up to the front of the hotel. The moment Logan saw her, he rushed forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

Chloe patted his back. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you find it.”

Just like that, the two of them walked away along the curb.

This wasn’t the first time. During Thanksgiving two years ago, Logan said he felt lonely spending it alone, so Chloe ditched the family dinner to spend it with him overseas.

On my birthday last year, a phone call from Logan saying he had a fever sent Chloe running off to bring him medicine, leaving me alone in front of my birthday cake.

Most recently, when I went on a business trip, Chloe took my mom to the hospital for a checkup. However, when a call came from Logan saying his dog was lost, she left my mom all alone at the hospital without a second thought.

Every time, I had to make way for Logan.

Catching my breath, I took a taxi to the hospital by myself. The nurse took my temperature and frowned.

“You’re burning up. What took you so long to get to the hospital?”

I was too weak to answer.

The next second, hurried footsteps rushed into the emergency room. Two familiar figures came into view.

After looking around, Chloe strode toward me. Yet, she grabbed the nurse who was about to set up my IV drip.

“Please check his foot first!”

The anxious tone in her voice was identical to when she had shouted at the nurses in the clinic back in university.

Logan told her off. “Chloe, how could you leave Mark alone in the car? He still has a fever. Aren’t you afraid something might happen to him?”

Chloe sighed helplessly. “It’s just a fever. Losing your cross is the real emergency! But let’s get you checked first. He’s not a child anymore. He’ll be fine. If you’re worried, I’ll give him a call later.”

After examining him, the nurse sighed softly. “Your foot is fine. Your girlfriend was so worried that I thought it was something major!”

Stunned, Chloe replied, “You misunderstood. I’m not–”

Before she could finish, Logan suddenly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, raised an eyebrow, and smirked at her playfully.

“Did you hear that, babe? I told you I was fine!”

Seeing that, the nurse smiled. “It’s sweet that you two have each other. That poor gentleman over there came to the hospital all by himself even though he has such a high fever.”

“Huh? That poor guy?”

When they both looked toward me, Logan’s face instantly turned pale.

“M-Mark!”