Chapter 3

Hearing my shout, Mom burst out of the bedroom.

I held up my arm for Mom to see. The bruising on the inside was already starting to show. "Keith pinched me! He also threatened to kill me if I told you! It was exactly like my dream!"

Mom's expression darkened instantly.

Keith clearly hadn't expected me to expose him like that. He immediately put on an innocent smile. "I didn't. Melissa accidentally bumped into something herself."

Mom pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "Keith, maybe you should go home."

Keith stood up, his smile faltering. "Wait, just hear me out. She was the one who—"

Mom opened the door. "Get out."

Keith paused for a second, then lowered his voice. "My mom's not going to make it much longer. The doctor says she won't last more than two days. Her only wish is to see me get married. I was going to take you to the hospital after we got married so she could see you. Can you really bear to let an old woman die with that unresolved regret?"

Keith knew Mom was softhearted, so he used his sob story to try and pressure her.

I noticed Mom was wavering, so I lay down on the floor, crying out in pain.

"Just leave, Keith. I have to reconsider our marriage," Mom said without even looking at him.

Keith lowered his head, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Alright, I respect your decision. I'll always be here. Once you think it through, call me."

Mom crouched down and hugged me. "Melissa, I think something's wrong with him too. I'm staying home today and not going anywhere."

I nodded, but I still couldn't relax. After all, Keith had given up way too easily.

In my last life, he'd spent more than six months pretending to be a good man just to win Mom over. Today, he left without putting up a fight after Mom told him to leave.

Something was seriously off.

Just then, Mom's phone rang.

It was a call from Keith's best friend, Bradley Dunn. In my last life, every time Keith beat Mom, he was the person who dragged her into the bedroom and locked the door.

Mom answered the call and put it on speaker.

"Scarlett, come over quick. Keith just left your house, and he was so upset that he got into a car accident! He's bleeding badly. I don't think he's going to make it!"

Mom's chest heaved as she hung up and immediately ran for the door in a panic.

"Mom!" I rushed over and grabbed her. "You can't go!"

"Melissa, let go of me! Keith's been in an accident!"

"Even if something really happened, there are doctors! An ambulance can also get there faster than you can! Mom, you can't go!"

Mom froze on the spot. "Yeah, you're right."

My whole body was shaking from fear. I told her, "Mom, we're not safe here."

My mind raced as I tried to think of what to do. In the end, I decided to call my grandma, Dorothy Tate. She lived in military housing, which was the safest place for us to stay for now.

After Mom went through with the divorce despite Grandma's objections, Grandma cut off contact with her. But only I knew that Grandma secretly sent us money every month because she was worried we wouldn't be okay.

"Melissa, what's with the sudden call today—"

I cut her off, my voice urgent. "Grandma, ten minutes from now, have someone meet Mom and me at the west gate of the complex. I'll tell you everything when we see you."

Then I hung up.

Mom looked at me as if she wanted to say something, but I said, "There's no time. Mom, let's go!"

This time, Mom didn't ask why and rushed into the bedroom to change into a pair of flats.

"Mom, we're taking the side door."

We took the elevator down to the basement level, cut through the courtyard, and slipped out through a side gate that hardly anyone knew about. The metal gate creaked shut behind us.

The alley was deserted. Once we turned the corner, we'd be on the main road, and as soon as we got into the car Grandma had sent, we'd be safe.

I held Mom's hand as we walked, the wheels of our suitcase bumping over the gravel. When we turned the corner, I saw two people standing at the mouth of the alley. Keith was in front, while Bradley stood beside him, a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

A slow smile crept onto Keith's face. He lifted the cake in his hand and gave it a little shake. "Melissa, I bought you another cake. Once your mom and I get married, you can take your time eating it."