Chapter 4

Ty’s composure finally cracked.

“So, you’ve grown a backbone, Yvonne. Do you think you can threaten to leave and force an apology out of me? Go ahead, then. I dare you to…”

Before he could finish, I raised the bottle to my lips and began to drink.

The liquor burned its way down my throat and into my stomach.

Agonizing pain tore through me.

In the final seconds before I lost consciousness, Ty’s face went pale as he rushed toward me.

When I woke up again, two days had passed.

Dark circles shadowed Ty’s eyes as he sat beside my hospital bed. He was clutching my hand tightly.

“Yv, you’re finally awake. I didn’t think you’d actually drink it.

“I had no idea your condition was really that serious. I’m sorry, I…”

Tears streamed down the face that had once brought me so much happiness and so much pain.

Yet as I looked at him, I felt nothing.

I raised a hand to stop him.

The movement pulled at my muscles and sent a dull ache through me.

He immediately reached out to steady me.

“The doctor said you need plenty of rest.”

I glanced at him.

“You promised. Give me back the lockets.”

He hurriedly handed me a small box. Inside it lay the two smooth stone lockets. I pressed them against my chest.

Then, he went to get the doctor.

My flight time was approaching. I picked up my phone to leave, only to find it flooded with notifications from social media.

[Bullying someone with a disability? You’re shameless and heartless!]

[She posts about donating to charity and volunteering online, then bullies a deaf girl in real life. How can anyone be this fake? I bet those donation receipts were stolen from someone else, too.]

[She shares sign-language tutorials while bullying someone who is deaf. What kind of sick game is she playing? Someone needs to investigate her!]

Maliciously edited security footage from the private room two days earlier had been posted online.

My fingers would not stop trembling.

None of the accusations were true. Still, the hateful comments kept pouring in.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I was met with disapproving stares from everyone around me.

When I saw Ty, I shoved my phone in front of him. My eyes were bloodshot from anger.

“What is this?!”

He frowned, then grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Yv, listen to me. Someone took pictures of Luna and me together, and people started accusing her of being the other woman. I posted those videos to take the heat off her.

“She can’t handle all that online abuse. I just need you to put up with it for a little while.”

His hands felt scorchingly-hot against my skin as he held my shoulders in an iron grip.

“What about me? Ty, did you ever stop to think about what this would do to me?”

“You have me!”

His fingers tightened until I thought my bones might crack.

“The hate will die down soon. Look, why don’t we get married? I’ll protect you for the rest of your life.”

Those words sounded so familiar.

Once, I had believed them.

After a while, I stopped struggling and went limp in his arms. Then, I asked softly, “Would you cut Luna out of your life for good?”

Ty’s hands stiffened.

“I’ll give you anything else you want, but that…”

Before he could finish, the ringtone he had set exclusively for Luna sounded.

Her sobs came through the speaker.

The hesitation in Ty’s eyes vanished. He abruptly rose to his feet.

He opened his mouth several times, but no words came out. He was struggling to hide his panic.

In the end, all he said was, “Whatever you want to say, we can talk about it when I get back.”

Without waiting for an answer, he hurried away without a second thought.

The last trace of hope I had disappeared.

By the time he returned, I would be gone.

After he left, I dragged my aching body out of the hospital.

I rushed straight to the airport. Fortunately, my flight had been delayed. I made it just in time.

Before boarding, I deleted all my accounts and threw my SIM card into the trash.

(3rd POV)

After comforting Luna, Ty felt a strange tightness in his chest.

A faint sense of unease crept over him.

It felt as though he was about to lose something important.

When he hurried back to the ward, he stopped dead in the doorway. The color drained from his face in an instant.