Chapter 3

My heart stumbled. I must have heard her wrong. I stared at her, shocked.

"What did you say?"

Nancy said it again, and I felt wronged. I tried to keep steady, but my voice shook.

"Why should I apologize to him? Do you know what he called me yesterday?"

She massaged her forehead, looking like she had a headache, as if I were the one causing trouble. "It doesn't matter what he called you. You shouldn't have hit him."

I clutched the apple, my voice strained as I argued back. "He called me 147!"

"Aren't you number 147?"

I froze, my heart stopped too. I looked at her, filled with despair and resistance, tears burning in my eyes.

Seeing my eyes turn red, Nancy ran out of patience, her brows furrowed. "Samuel, cut it out. Isn't it gross? Hank didn't cry when you punched him. What's your excuse?"

Her words turned my hurt into anger, and I was consumed by it. In a fury, I hurled the apple at our picture together.

The glass frame shattered in an instant.

"Samuel!" Nancy jumped up, blocking me. The last trace of kindness in her eyes is gone, leaving only deep revulsion. "Do you know the real difference between people and animals?

"People can keep their cool. Animals can't!"

I stood there, shocked, unable to believe that the lips that once spoke to me with love could say the words that cut me deepest.

My heart could not stop the piercing pain.

The room was as quiet as a tomb when Nancy finally broke the silence with her icy voice.

"If you ever want me to marry you, you'll apologize to Hank."

With those words, she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

She might still have wanted to marry me, but I did not want to marry her anymore. That was what I was thinking.

The door banged shut, and I felt all my energy drain away. I slumped down, my back no longer straight, resting against the head of the bed.

I did not need a mirror to know my eyes were red and puffy from the mess I was in.

I dragged myself to the bathroom, washed up quickly, and saw the bruises, new ones on top of old, on my skin.

Those three long years in jail, Hank probably knew better than anyone how I got through each day.

When the Windsor Group was about to launch, company secrets leaked to a competitor. Hank, the company lawyer and Nancy's right-hand man, was sure I was the leaker.

Even my fiancée stood by him.

However, I had seen Hank sneaking in and out of my office.

The security footage from that time had mysteriously disappeared, and I was left holding the bag.

Frustrated, I tried to find some clue on my computer, but came up empty.

Lost and confused, I wandered the streets until I found myself in front of the old house where Mom and I used to live.

My dad cheated, and it broke Mom's mind.

I lied and told her I was studying abroad so she would not worry about me being in jail, but it hit her hard. I felt too guilty to face her.

I stood outside that door for ages before I finally knocked. No one answered.

It was not until Linda Morris, the neighbor, came out that I found out Mom had died. All she left me was a Buzz Lightyear toy.

I could not stop shaking my head, standing in the snowy field for what felt like forever, trying and failing to make myself believe what had happened.

Angry and confused, I dialed Nancy's number, eager to ask her why she had not told me the truth.

However, she kept hanging up on me, over and over, until she finally texted me.

[I'm busy. Don't call me again until you're ready to say sorry to Hank.]

Then I saw Hank's new post online. He and Nancy were playing a game and kissing behind a card, both looking so happy.

The post said, [Happy New Year! The lucky number is 147.] He even shared the address of the karaoke place they were at.

My heart raced and anger took over me like a wild animal. When I got to the karaoke room, Nancy was there, laughing and talking with her best friend.

"Nancy, how did you know Samuel would actually say sorry to Hank?" Her friend asked.

Nancy just swirled her wine glass, looking so sure of herself. "Because he wants to marry me."

Cindy Scott, trying to be funny, said, "However, what if you marry Hank? What about Samuel?"

"He's the one who wants to marry me, but I never said I'd definitely say yes," Nancy replied.

Cindy laughed and said, "I knew it. How could a guy who's been in jail ever be good enough for you, Nancy?"

I felt the anger boiling inside me and was about to storm in when Hank's voice stopped me.

"147, it's been a while."