Chapter 2

Alyssa wrapped Daphne in a sympathetic hug, then turned to Joel, clearly upset on her behalf.

"Ms. Ferguson has sacrificed so much for you. Can't you just tell Valerie the truth and take her somewhere far away?"

Joel froze, his expression unreadable. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Valerie...saved my life. I'll owe her for the rest of mine."

Watching the conflict on his face, I suddenly thought back to all those years ago.

Joel was someone I took in.

Winters over here were brutally cold. His parents had both remarried and started new families, leaving him with nowhere to go. He could only curl up beneath the eaves of my house to escape the freezing wind.

Being abandoned had forced him to grow up fast. He held the bowl of plain noodles I gave him in both hands for a long time before quietly asking what I wanted in return.

My house was huge, but it was lonely. I didn't want anything from him. I just wanted someone to keep me company.

From then on, he followed me everywhere like a shadow.

From the time we were eight until we turned eighteen, he grew quieter and more reserved. Even when he finally told me how he felt, he blushed so hard that he could barely get the words out.

I was a picky eater, but he always found ways to make food I would actually eat. If my stomach started hurting in the middle of the night, he would wake up right away and get me medicine and water.

At first, Daphne looked down on him. She said he wasn't good enough for me, and that all he had to offer were those little acts of kindness.

Whenever Daphne made a dig at him, Joel gave it right back. The two of them were always bickering.

I tried to keep the peace for a while, but eventually, I gave up. I figured they only fought so much because they both cared about me.

After all, one was my best friend who had protected me since we were kids, and the other was the man who always put me first.

Then one day, Daphne crossed the wrong people and got cornered in an alley by a group of thugs.

Joel, who was usually calm and controlled, knocked over a table in his panic and ran out without even looking back.

By the time I got there, Joel, who almost never fought, was going after those men like he had lost his mind. His lip was split, and he was covered in bruises and cuts.

I didn't stop to wonder why he was acting so out of character. I rushed in to protect him, only to get shoved into the street during the struggle and hit by a car.

I lost both my legs in the accident.

Joel stood in front of my parents, who looked like they had aged ten years overnight, and promised them he would never betray me.

Daphne held me and cried until her eyes were swollen, promising she would stay by my side until I learned to walk again.

The day I first put on my prosthetic legs, both of them had tears in their eyes.

Back then, I thought they were hurting for me. Now, I knew they were grieving a love they could never openly admit to.

Daphne's voice pulled me out of the memory.

"Joel, have we done something awful to Valerie?"

Everyone immediately rushed to reassure her.

"This isn't your fault. Valerie's the one who made things so difficult.

"If she weren't so emotionally fragile, none of us would've had to go this far just to keep the truth from her and avoid setting her off."

Joel said nothing. He only pulled Daphne into his arms.

It felt like someone had wrapped a fist around my heart and squeezed. Every breath hurt.

With trembling hands, I pulled out my phone and sent him a message.

[You once told me that if you ever betrayed me, you'd give me a big gift. Does that still count?]

His reply came almost immediately.

[Yes.]

I stared at that single word, wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, then stepped out and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Tell me. Whose fault is this?"