Chapter 2

Stacy's parents hadn't expected her to give in, just like that.

"Really? You're sure? When will you be coming back, then? Shall we just proceed with the wedding arrangements? Or would you prefer to meet the guy first, and see how things work out?"

Emotionally drained, Stacy couldn't even be bothered to have an opinion about anything anymore. "I leave it entirely up to you guys. I've just gotta tie up some affairs over here, and then I'll be heading home."

Hearing the weariness in her voice, her parents had a few more words of concern for her, before hanging up.

Silence fell over the room once more.

At last, Stacy climbed back up to her feet, and staggered into the bathroom.

After a shower, she emerged to find Joseph on the sofa in the living room.

"You left without saying anything. Did something happen?"

Stacy's breath caught, and she lowered her head so he wouldn't see how she'd cried her eyes red and raw. "My phone ran out of battery, so I decided to just come back."

Not the most convincing excuse, but Joseph didn't dwell on it. He pulled her close, and with a light tug, undid the sash on her bathrobe…

Stacy gripped his hand firmly before he could reach inside and cause havoc.

"Didn't you just go several times, back at the party? It's only been a couple of hours…"

Not realizing that he was being rejected, he caught hold of her hand in return, lacing his fingers through hers.

"Has it only been that long? Don't you know, the mere sight of you instantly fills me with endless desire? I want you, more than anything else in this world…"

His usual sappy, romantic drivel… it all just sounded like cruel mockery, now.

Endless desire, huh? Wasn't she only a toy, for practice?

Hadn't he had quite enough fun with her yet, over these past five years?

She turned aside from an incoming attempt to kiss her. "Is that so?" she murmured coldly. "And what if you were never able to lay your hands upon me, ever again?"

At last, Joseph began to realize that something might be amiss. He paused in thought for a moment. "You love me; I love you. We are in love. What could keep us apart?"

In love, he said? Really, now…

Stacy's lip curled. Instead of giving a frank response, she dodged the question entirely. "Never mind, it's nothing. I got caught in the rain on the way back, and now I'm feeling kinda unwell. I just wanna get to bed, right now."

Joseph couldn't dispute that she did look somewhat drained and weary. He placed a few gentle kisses upon her forehead, and was about to carry her into the bedroom…

Just then, however, his phone emitted a tone. He reached over to the table to see what it was about. Stacy looked too, and read a message from someone named Charlotte.

[I'm just coming out of the airport now, but I can't find a taxi in all this rain! What should I do?]

Once he'd read that message, Joseph immediately set Stacy down on the sofa instead, then straightened up. "There's something I need to go handle. Get some rest. Don't wait up."

He'd closed the door behind himself almost before he'd even finished speaking.

Eyes watering faintly, Stacy quietly retreated into her room. She blew her hair dry, crawled between the sheets, and turned off the lights.

In the darkness, she was tormented by memories of all the times she'd shared with Joseph, these past several years.

He'd bought her a necklace worth millions, and put it on for her with his own hands, while promising to buy her enough diamonds to last her a lifetime.

To celebrate her birthday, he'd set off fireworks on the beach for three days and nights, non-stop. Cheerfully, he'd declared that everything he owned in this world was hers, without reservation.

As a once-in-a-lifetime comet passed overhead, he'd made a wish to remain with her until the end of time, never leaving her side.

She'd relived that cherished moment more times than she could count… but now, she knew that even then, it had been a lie.

He'd always meant for this relationship with her to only be a temporary thing.

Halfway through the night, Stacy developed a terrible fever, burning up even as she shook with violent chills that went all the way into her bones. By sunrise, the sheets were drenched with her sweat.

Joseph came in and found her, flushed and shivering. Instantly, he was wide awake. Scooping her up in his arms, he hurried frantically to the hospital with her.

As they stepped into the entrance hall, Stacy opened her eyes groggily, and grumbled, "Why bring me here?"

"You're burning up. I've brought you here to see a doctor. You're not a little girl anymore, don't you even know how to take care of yourself?" Joseph's voice was laden with panic and anxiety.

He carefully set her down in a chair, then hurried off to join the line at the counter…

But then, he ran into Charlotte Lane.

"Charlotte?" he exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing here? I just sent you home!"

The girl named Charlotte was clad in a petite white dress. She looked like an angelic figure, innocent and sweet.

"I tried to cook something at home, but I ended up burning my hand, so I came here to get it looked at."

She showed him how the back of her hand was lobster-red. Joseph's expression shifted dramatically, and his urgent concern for Stacy was instantly forgotten.

Joseph accompanied Charlotte to take a number, consult with a doctor, and then pay for some ointment from the dispensary. The whole time, Stacy was the furthest thing from his mind.

Stacy watched in silence as the couple walked off. It was unlikely that Joseph would be coming back for her. She chuckled wryly to herself, and then levered herself upright on wobbling legs, and moved to join the queue.

The doctor prescribed her an IV drip bag, and instructed her to wait for three hours. However, exhausted from her sleepless night, Stacy dozed off.

With no one paying attention to her, the drip bag emptied out completely, and then the intravenous needle started drawing her blood out instead, so that the drip bag soon contained a bloody mess.

Finally, a nurse hurried over and shook her awake. "You came here alone? Is no one here with you? Your family? Maybe a boyfriend…?"

Stacy stared at the deep purple bruise across her hand. "I have no family here in this city with me, and I… don't have a boyfriend."

Right on cue, Joseph Dorne came striding up to her. "Stacy!"

The nurse had just hooked her up to a fresh IV bag. Seeing him, she snapped, "Are you her boyfriend, then? Why weren't you here with her? She was losing blood over here, you know? Things could have gotten ugly!"

Joseph wrapped both hands around Stacy's swollen hand. "I'm so sorry, I ran into a friend and got carried away chatting. Forgot about you for a moment, there. When I came back, you'd disappeared, and it took me a while to track you here."

Stacy knew the truth of the matter, of course… but all she did was nod silently in response.