Chapter 4

The search went on until the early hours of the morning, leaving me completely exhausted.

Still, there was no sign of Andy.

Rounding the corner ahead brought me to my parents’ house. I thought that even if I just stood outside the courtyard and caught one last glimpse from afar, it would be enough. Once I went abroad, God knew when I’d ever see them again.

Through the glass, Andy’s figure appeared in my line of sight.

Alongside my parents, Ruth, and Sean.

While the outside was pitch-black, a warm yellow light leaked through the windows. The whole group was gathered around the child, laughing and chatting.

They found Andy.

Yet not a single person had notified me.

Andy noticed me standing outside. He pushed open the door and walked into the yard.

“I came back, but everyone seems to have forgotten about you.

“Though if I were you, I wouldn’t go inside. Wouldn’t wanna remind everyone how you abandoned me and make them mad all over again.”

I turned my back to him, fighting to steady my emotions, though my shoulders trembled out of control.

He pressed on:

“Honestly, I never had difficulty with directions to begin with. Your good buddy Sean drove the long way every single day to drop me off at Ruth’s doorstep.

“And your parents tried every trick in the book to create chances for us to get back together.”

I froze where I stood, at a loss for words.

“Oh, right. The wedding will go on as scheduled. Ruth already reached out to the planners. Just me taking your place for the groom.”

It took me a long moment to gather myself.

“Ruth and I have already broken up. There’s no need to report your affairs to me.”

Having uttered what I thought was a clean break, I turned around to leave.

As if rehearsed, Andy suddenly bent sharply at the waist, blocking my path with his body.

“Ethan, please! If you’re mad, take it all out on me! Just don’t hurt my boy.”

He grabbed my arm, his fingernails digging viciously into my skin.

Jolted by the pain, I instinctively kicked him in the stomach.

The next second, Ruth appeared just in time to prop him up.

“It was my fault for being such a fool and getting lost. He’s right to be upset.

“It’s not his fault. I just won’t go out anymore.”

As he spoke, Andy clutched his stomach, his face contorted in pain.

Ruth immediately checked on him, cooing softly like she was comforting a child:

“Wherever you wanna go in the future, I’ll go with you. I won’t ever leave you alone again.”

She raised her head toward me, hatred burning in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare lay another finger on him or the child!

“Your parents and Sean were right all along. You’ve been nasty ever since you were little. You don’t hold a candle to Andy.

“I’m gonna make sure you learn your lesson today!”

Hearing the commotion, my parents and Sean stepped out from the house.

Before I could react, someone grabbed me from behind.

My hands and feet were bound tightly.

My dad stepped forward and took my phone away.

“We’ll let you have a taste of the despair Andy felt this afternoon, to make sure there won’t be a next time.”

I tried desperately to explain:

“Andy isn’t bad with directions at all! He’s pretending! You’ve all been fooled!

“Mom, Dad, please, hear me out...”

Sean let out a cold sneer:

“Ethan, drop the act. We all know you’re the real liar here.”

Together, they dragged me into the car.

“I was with Andy for four years. Do you really think I wouldn’t know if he was lying?

“Settle down now. Once time’s up, I’ll come get you.”

Ruth dumped me into a giant maze inside an abandoned amusement park.

Night hung heavy.

Dark, looming walls surrounded me on all sides, every single turn identical to the last.

I wandered in circles, utterly unable to find a way out.

My legs gradually gave out.

Just as she wished, I was trapped.

The very last trace of affection I had left for her flickered out then.

My vision blurred, and darkness took over me.

The next day, the repair shop called to inform Ruth that her car was ready.

“We couldn’t get the massive bloodstain off the seat no matter what, so we had to replace it with a new one.”

The night the car crashed into the ditch, Ruth had gone only to retrieve the ring and hadn’t noticed the blood at all.

“Was Ethan injured?” she asked herself only now.

At the thought, she immediately drove over to the maze.

She flew a drone over the area to search, but I was nowhere to be found.

A terrible wave of dread coiled around her heart.