Semua Bab Three Stolen Springs: Bab 1 - Bab 9

Hugo's POVI lowered my eyes and slowly picked up the fruit knife from the table, calmly pressing the tip against my chest."Esther is such a neat freak. Why would someone like her suddenly start taking out the trash herself every day? Do you really think Adam tagged along just to keep an eye on her for you?"Stop being naive, Hugo. Go check the blind spot behind the house. Those 10 minutes she spends taking out the trash are the only time they get to be alone together, away from you!"The front door swung open, and Esther Mabry walked in.The moment she saw me holding the knife to my chest, the color drained from her face."Hugo, what are you doing?"She did not even stop to take off her coat before rushing toward me like a madwoman.The voice on the phone continued."Look at her face. Someone with OCD that severe, and look at the state she's in."Esther was a serious germaphobe with severe OCD. Her makeup was always flawless and elegant, and even her lip liner was applied w

I stood on the wintry street, my vision darkening in waves.Esther had married me with a ring and a ceremony. She had cared for me in every possible way. Yet the one thing she had faithfully reserved for Adam was the spouse line on her marriage licence. Even while she played house with me, she had saved that place for him.I laughed until tears streamed down my face. Still clinging to one final shred of hope, I called the version of myself from 10 years in the future."I want to know. Even for a single moment, did she ever love me?"A long silence followed."Go to the VIP ward at Seacliff Central Hospital right now. Then you'll see how stupid that question is."I drifted to the hospital like a ghost.Inside the room, Adam seemed to be suffering from a flare-up of gastroenteritis and was bent over retching. Meanwhile, Esther, the severe germaphobe who could not tolerate even the faintest unpleasant smell, wiped the corner of his mouth with her bare hand.Watching through the gla

The handle clicked twice, but the door did not budge. It was locked from the inside.Esther frowned and pounded on the door twice. "Hugo, open the door."There was still no answer.A growing panic took hold of her before she even realized it. Adam glanced at the closed door and spoke quietly."Hugo's probably upset. I told you he'd be mad if we both left at the same time. Maybe we shouldn't go?"Just then, a heavy thud came from inside the room.The tension in Esther's eyes vanished at once. She assumed Hugo was throwing things again to vent his frustration, just as he had done for the past three years.Her voice turned cold."Hugo, there's a limit to how far you can take a tantrum. We don't have time to keep humoring you. Stay home, take your medicine like you're supposed to, and wait for us to come back."With that, she turned without a moment's hesitation and strode away with Adam.They drove to an island off the coast.Away from that suffocating house, and away from Hugo

Esther practically stumbled into the hospital.Her eyes were bloodshot. Grabbing a police officer in the corridor, she demanded in a hoarse voice, "I'm Hugo Abernathy's family. I need to see him. Take me to him!"The officer sighed, a complicated look crossing his face."Ms. Mabry, I'm afraid you can't see him. Mr. Abernathy left a will stating that once his body was found, no family or friends were to be notified. He requested immediate cremation by the funeral home. The cremation was completed 30 minutes ago. This is the only personal item he left at the scene."With that, the officer handed her a phone.There was no body.There was no final goodbye.Even in death, Hugo had refused to let her see him one last time."No... that's impossible!"Esther staggered backward and collapsed to the floor.Just then, the phone rang.The moment she answered, Hugo's pale, gaunt face appeared on the screen.A surge of joy flooded Esther's face."Hugo, it's you, isn't it? I knew you wer

Hugo's POVI sat at an outdoor café in a small town along the Velmara Coast.In my hands was a collection of essays I had just bought. The coastal sunlight poured down without restraint, while the scent of flowers I could not name drifted from both sides of the street.Before I realized it, 3 months had already passed.My phone chimed.I hesitated for a moment before smiling and answering the call.A man glowing with health appeared on the screen. He stood at the foot of Elsbergen's mountains, as radiant as the warmest winter sun.The future version of me looked at the present version of me and smiled with satisfaction."Hugo, I knew you wouldn't really give up on life. Thank you, and congratulations. You rewrote both our futures."Seeing myself 10 years from now, whole and healthy, made my eyes sting.I smiled back."Thank you too. If it weren't for those calls, I really might've died in that cold bathtub."Future Hugo chuckled."We both have ourselves to thank."Because