Chapt. 22 - A Real Nightmare

“Mike, I’ll repeat it: half of my soul will be gone if you leave. So stay alive, even if it means nightmares will always haunt me.” –Jiji–

***

Jordan was right; this was her chance to leave. Angie didn’t even consider where the man had gotten that idea from. Jordan knew nothing about Mike’s departure, nor did he know she was waiting for her husband to return safely.

Angie’s common sense seemed to fail her for a moment, so she packed all her clothes to take with her to meet that “other man” and run away with him.

For now, Jordan was the only one she trusted. Without Mike by her side, freedom was hers. Unfortunately, the Genosie family’s control would never fade.

What if Mike had died in the operation he’d carried out, and the Genosie family held her hostage forever—what could she do?

That was one of the reasons Angie made that foolish decision.

Angie’s hand movements suddenly stopped when she heard footsteps outside, approaching her room. Was it Mike?

She stood up, strolling with fear outweighing her desire to escape just minutes ago. She slowly turned the doorknob to confirm if her husband was coming. However, when the door opened, no one was there, even when she checked into Mike’s room.

“Not Mike…” she murmured, then sighed in relief mixed with anxiety. It had been nearly twenty-four hours, but she hadn’t heard any news from Mike or her mother-in-law. “Is he okay? Or does he refuse to come home?”

Angie’s heart was in turmoil, and she didn’t know what was causing her distress. She kept placing her hand over her chest to calm herself. It must just be the adrenaline rush from the big step she’d taken and the sweet life she’d be sharing with Jordan.

A smile played on her beautiful face, still adorned with a light layer of makeup. She hadn’t removed it yet because she thought she’d leave soon after this. However, as she stood up and dragged her suitcase, her steps halted, and she checked her phone, which kept ringing.

Her mother-in-law’s name was displayed on the screen. She couldn’t ignore the call. Though she wasn’t sure whether it was bad news or the opposite, she’d hear from the woman, answering the call felt like a duty to her.

“Yes, Ma? I’m sorry I missed your call. I had something I needed to do.” Angie tried to find an excuse so her mother-in-law wouldn’t feel neglected, even though she didn’t really need to.

There was no response, only sobs and a trembling voice from her mother-in-law, which sparked questions in her mind.

Was that about Mike?

Had his work been completed?

Had something happened to that man?

Why was her heart suddenly so unsettled?

Why was the anxiety growing like a snowball as the sobs grew louder from the woman on the other end?

“Ma, what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you?” Angie stammered. Her mind began to speculate about what could have caused her mother-in-law’s tears to flow so easily, even though she was a strong woman. A woman warrior who had always amazed Angie.

“Mike... I can’t say it here. Come to the hospital right now and see for yourself. We—um, Mike really needs you.”

***

Angie ran swiftly along the path where she had promised to meet the man occupying her thoughts. Not Mike—the man who filled her life but not her soul and heart—but Jordan, who seemed to be everything to Angie, even though they hadn't yet formed a serious relationship.

The person she wanted to meet was standing there waiting with a suitcase in his hand, turning with a smile. A smile she had always admired since long ago. However, the dream that had just blossomed in Angie’s heart and mind a few hours ago vanished into thin air.

Panting, Angie tried to steady her breathing and heartbeat before finally speaking.

“Jordan, I’m sorry,” she said, which caused a moment of doubt.

Would she later regret this decision? If so, wouldn’t it be better to ignore Mike’s situation? Hadn’t she always wanted to live without facing the ridiculous threats she’d experienced with Mike?

“Didn’t you bring anything? We might stay there, Ji. At least bring a few pieces of clothing. We can buy more later.” The smile hadn’t faded, but Angie couldn’t respond. Her tongue felt numb, and if she could choose, she’d rather not know Jordan’s feelings than live in uncertainty.

At least, not now.

“I can’t go,” she replied bluntly, though her chest now felt like it was being pierced by a dagger as she saw Jordan’s expression suddenly turn disappointed.

“Did you change your mind? Did that man threaten you again?”

Angie shook her head, wiped the sweat from her forehead briefly, then forced herself to look into the hazel eyes of the man before her.

“Mike—he... something happened and I can’t leave him. I’m sorry.”

Jordan clenched his fists tightly, his jaw tightening as he glared at Angie. His chest heaved, unable to accept her decision so easily, while Angie couldn’t understand why she should care about Mike, the man who had been restricting her freedom.

It had only been a few months, but their time together had grown her accustomed to him, even though they were only doing everything for their own interests in the end.

“Ji, he doesn’t care about you. He doesn’t need you. Why are you giving up your life for a troubled man like him? The same goes for his family. Aren’t you afraid you’ll end up disappearing without a trace like the others? Not even law enforcement from any part of the world would be willing to investigate this matter.”

Jordan grabbed Angie’s shoulders and shook her, as if doing so would make the girl realize the foolish decision she had just made.

“Wake up, Ji! You couldn’t possibly be in love with him, could you?”

All Angie could do was shake her head. She too felt hurt by her own choice. However, she was reminded of how her family viewed marriage. Love or not, once God had witnessed it, no power could break that bond.

Similarly, according to her family’s customs, a husband was half of a wife’s life, whether she liked it or not. Therefore, Angie should prioritize Mike and her life over everything else, including her relationship with Jordan. She shouldn’t choose another man, which would mean she had cheated, and that would be a disgrace to her family.

“Forgive me, Jordan. I can’t do this. Whether Mike cares about my presence or not, I’ll stay there to support him and ensure he’s okay.”

Jordan had no reason to hold Angie back any longer, let alone ask her to choose him. His shoulders slumped as Angie turned and walked away, leaving him disappointed and resentful toward Mike, who had taken everything from him.

Mike shouldn’t have survived, not even to receive treatment. He should have died there so Angie could be free of him, and he could have the girl.

That was how it should have been, not like this.