Semua Bab Christmas Eve I Found His Second Life: Bab 1 - Bab 10

Chicago O'Hare Airport.I stood at the ticket counter, gripping my suitcase, my face ashen.In all my years in Chicago, I hadn't made a single friend. Had no career of my own.The only private stash my family hadn't frozen, plus a massive trust fund—I drained all of it to pave Nico's way up the ladder.And all I got in return was betrayal."One one-way ticket. Miami." My voice was hoarse."Seraphina?"I turned around. It was Mrs. Hudson, our first landlord in Chicago."It really is you, honey." She looked at my luggage in surprise. "You're leaving Chicago? Where's Nico?"Hearing his name made my breath hitch."I still remember," Mrs. Hudson smiled, her eyes full of nostalgia. "That huge blizzard years ago. He rented that apartment and was as happy as a fool. Just so you could watch the snow, he stayed outside and wiped the windows spotless till his hands turned purple. That Christmas, he emptied his pockets for a hair clip for you. I thought you two would've been married by now."The m

Nico lunged forward and grabbed my wrist.I stumbled and fell against the edge of the bed. A sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen.I ignored the pain, gritted my teeth, and stood up.Looking straight into his furious face, I raised my hand without hesitation.Smack!A sharp, ringing slap across his face.Nico didn't even flinch.His eyes were glued to the lit screen.He gripped my wrist and pried my fingers open one by one.I gasped in pain and my grip loosened.The phone dropped into his palm.Watching him frantically scroll through the screen, I clutched my stomach and burst out laughing."Can't unsend it, Nico. What, feeling sorry for your whore?"Before I even finished, a gust of pure rage hit me.He slapped me across the right side of my face.I crashed into the mattress.I saw stars. My ears were ringing."Seraphina, how vicious can you be?!" Nico's veins popped on his forehead, his eyes bloodshot. "She's unstable! You trying to push her over the edge?!"I turned my head and

"Don't move, you've lost too much blood."The nurse's voice pulled me out of the dark.Blinding white light. There were still dark bloodstains on the ceiling from a gang shootout years ago. Like scabs no one ever cleaned up.I twitched my fingers. The cold IV line in my skin throbbed with pain."Good thing it was early along." The nurse tucked me in, her tone as casual as if she were talking about the weather. "Otherwise you wouldn't have the strength to talk to me."I didn't reply.I just looked out the window. Snow weighed down the branches. The sky in Chicago was always a grayish-white, like an old, dirty photograph.I suddenly really missed the sun in Miami.Missed the world I tried so hard to run away from six years ago.Back then, I thought everything there was too rigid, too cold. Like a transaction with a price tag, full of mob balances and calculations.Now I realize, rigid and cold beats blood and lies any day."Mr. Nico left," the nurse mentioned casually while clearing a tr

The Chicago night was colder than I remembered.I had just signed the final property transfer papers. The lawyer's office went dark. I drove alone to the old apartment.Just to hand over the keys and grab my last few things.Half the motion-sensor lights in the underground garage were busted. A dim yellow light flickered twice, then died.I dragged my suitcase toward the elevator. My footsteps echoed in the empty garage.Clatter.The sound of something knocking over up ahead.My chest tightened. I squinted into the dim light.A skinny shadow was crouched behind a car, frantically picking up scattered soda cans.Unshaven. Clothes hanging off him like a skeleton.He looked up, saw me, and completely froze."Seraphina..."His voice was horrifyingly raspy.It was Nico.I instinctively took a step back and turned to leave."Wait!"He rushed up from behind and grabbed me, pinning me against the cold concrete wall.My forehead scraped the wall. A sharp sting."Does it hurt? I'm sorry, I didn'

The rainy season came hard and fast. Poured for half a month straight.The restaurant sign out front was washed shiny, but not a single customer was in sight.I gave the staff the day off, watched the empty front alone, and dozed off on the register counter.The rain slammed against the glass. Dense, like someone counting coins outside.A blast of cold wind hit me, pulling me out of my half-sleep.I looked up.Someone was standing in the doorway. Half his body was completely soaked. Water dripped down his pant legs, forming a small puddle on the floor.Nico.He couldn't fill out that white shirt anymore. The fabric hung off his bones.His exposed wrists were skinny and yellowed. Like dry twigs.He smelled like damp rot. Like rotting apples.I stood up. My voice flat, like greeting a total stranger."What do you need?"He didn't speak. Walked over, sat on a barstool, and held the hot cocoa I casually slid him. Steam blurred his eyes."The family kicked me out. I handed over all my route