Chapter 3

"Mom," I said.

She set down her paintbrush. "Honey, you're up. Hungry? I can heat up the lunch the housekeeper made."

Not that she mentioned it, I was indeed kind of hungry. But she was so warm, and it felt so good leaning against her that I didn't want to move. Besides, Dad would be home soon, and we'd have dinner together. I could hold out until then.

Mom ruffled my hair. "Alright, alright. Go call Hugo over for dinner. Look at you, still glued to your mother like this, even though you're already a big girl. Honestly."

Hugo? Again?

Remembering how he'd ignored me this morning, my first instinct was to refuse. But then I thought about how he was always home alone and felt a little bad.

After arguing with myself for a while, I decided to go get him anyway. Maybe I could also take the chance to ask what his problem was.

I quickly straightened myself up and went to knock on Hugo's door.

The door opened a moment later. He didn't look surprised to see me; he just turned around and walked back inside.

I stepped into the entryway and shut the door behind me.

Hugo sat cross-legged on the rug in front of the couch, playing a motion-sensor game. I went over and sat down next to him without saying a word.

I opened our chat. The last thing there was still the sticker I'd sent this morning. I sent the exact same one again.

His phone chimed, but he didn't check it.

I wasn't discouraged and started full-on spamming. His phone went off again and again, and his brows knitted in irritation. He finally grabbed the phone, glanced at the screen, then tossed it back down.

"What?" His voice came out low and rough, probably from not talking much.

It'd probably sound sinfully good if he panted in my ear…

The second I realized where my brain had gone, my whole face went up in flames. I shook my head hard, as if I could fling those dirty thoughts right out of my skull.

I snuck a guilty look at Hugo. He was still focused on his game, completely oblivious to me. I poked his arm. "My mom told me to call you for dinner."

"I'm not going," he said without hesitation.

What? Seriously? I'd invited him to dinner, and he was turning me down? What was his problem?

I shot to my feet and stared at him for a long moment, thinking he was being absolutely unreasonable. He was nothing like the Hugo I remembered from my last life.

Wait. My last life…

I vaguely remembered telling him once that he came over to my house for dinner every day like some stray dog… I honestly hadn't meant it like that.

Back then, I'd been dead set on marrying Zeke, and Hugo had kept trying to talk me out of it. I'd gotten angry and lashed out without thinking.

But that made no sense. How could the Hugo in this life be angry over something I'd said in a different lifetime?

Unless he'd also…

My heart lurched. I grabbed Hugo's arm hard, like I needed something to steady myself. A suffocating wave of panic crashed over me.

My fingertips went white, and my breathing turned ragged. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. Through the noise, I could vaguely hear him calling me.

"Liss? Liss!"

I smiled self-deprecatingly. After everything I'd done to him, why would he still call me by my nickname?

When I came to again, I was in a hospital ward. Mom and Dad were sitting on my left. The moment they saw my eyes open, they both sagged in relief and started fussing over me.

I knew this scene all too well. In my last life, I'd hovered at death's door more times than I could count. I knew my heart condition had flared up again.

I shook my head weakly to tell them I was okay.

Mom turned away to wipe her tears.

Right then, Hugo came back with takeout. He hadn't expected me to be awake, so he'd only bought enough for my parents.

"I'll go buy more," he said, then hurried for the door like I was some kind of man-eating monster.

Dad caught his arm and told him to stay and watch over me while he and Mom went to get things sorted.

I knew they were trying to give us some space. They'd definitely noticed something was off between us.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, I'm sorry. I didn't take good care of her." Hugo set the food down and lowered his head in apology.