Chapter 7
Chase couldn't comprehend that something had happened to me. He slammed the car door, frustration boiling over as he redialed my number. The automated message coldly reiterated that my phone was off.
He opened his messaging app. At the top of his chat list was my sister, Nicole, her name tagged with a heart emoji. I used to hold that top spot, but she'd replaced me two years prior. The man who once called her annoying now addressed her simply as "Nicole." Guilt flickered in his eyes when I'd questioned him about it, but he'd dismissed my concerns with a facile excuse, accusing me of being overly sensitive and confrontational.
Since Nicole's return to the Kennedy family three years earlier, she'd made my life unbearable. Her manipulative charm had convinced our parents and even my brother that I was the villainous sister. They all seemed to despise me.
I thought Chase was different. We'd grown up together. He knew me better than anyone—or so I'd thought. But he'd silently changed, too. He started looking at me the way everyone else did. The signs had been there all along; Chase had drifted away long before, but I'd stubbornly clung to the past.
He scrolled frantically through his messaging app, overwhelmed by messages from friends and family reacting to news of his runaway bride. Finally, he located my chat. My last message read: "Chase, we need to talk."
He stared at the message, lost in thought. Then, he hit the voice message button:
"Amanda, where are you? I've told you not to play these games. We're married! Why are you making things difficult with Nicole? Do you have any idea how upset she was yesterday? If you come back now, I'll let what happened last night slide."
He tossed his phone aside. His assistant, noticing his weary, worried expression in the rearview mirror, cautiously suggested, "Mr. Reyes, your wife is usually quite sensible. She didn't lose her cool even when you left her at the wedding venue yesterday. I doubt she'd play such a serious prank that could involve the police. Maybe we should look for her?"
"Do you know her well?"
"No, Mr. Reyes. I just think she's been through a lot."
"She's been through a lot?" He scoffed, a hint of mockery in his voice. "She loves playing the victim and always trying to grab attention with her antics. Fine, if you're not busy, send someone to Ruby River. Maybe they can find her."
When someone begins to despise you, don't bother asking why. Every reason you can think of is probably right.
I'd sensed Chase's change of heart long ago. He used to hate Nicole, but eventually, every conversation seemed to revolve around her. It was clear he had changed. He remembered Nicole's likes and dislikes and brought her gifts from business trips, just as he did for me.
Six months prior, Chase went abroad for a project. An earthquake triggered a landslide. I immediately booked a flight to him, but Nicole had hidden my passport and visa. While I was grounded, she flew out that very day. I risked everything, attempting to cross the Pacific illegally, and encountered a tsunami. I might not have survived if not for some kind strangers.
When I miraculously returned home, Nicole twisted the story, making it seem like I'd gone on a frivolous sea voyage. I tried to explain about my passport, but she produced it from a drawer in front of everyone, leaving me defenseless.
Chase wouldn't listen and lashed out. Facing a stranger in the man I once loved, I decided to end things.
"Chase, let's call off our engagement."
"Are you joking?" he frowned, clearly upset.
I calmly replied, "I've done all I can for this relationship. I don't want us to end up hating each other. Let's call it quits while we're still civil."
When he realized I was serious, panic finally flickered in his eyes. From that day on, he promised to set boundaries with Nicole. He showered me with gifts, planned an elaborate proposal, and began arranging our wedding. I thought happiness was finally within reach.
Three months ago, after a night of drinking, things became intimate, and I discovered I was pregnant. I wanted to share this wonderful news with him, but Nicole had other plans. She staged a fall down the stairs. I tried to explain, but he shoved me aside. That's when I realized I blacked out. The doctors said the pregnancy was at risk, and I spent the next few days in the hospital.
Through his assistant, I learned Chase was busy with a big project and didn't visit, even though he knew I was hospitalized. But I didn't care about him anymore. The only thing that mattered was my child. I was determined to bring this baby into the world safely. But instead of Chase, it was Nicole who showed up at my hospital bed, vividly describing how Chase had held her, kissed her, and touched her...
Nausea rose within me, and suddenly I felt something wet. Fluid was leaking. Too weak to call for help, I panicked and climbed out of bed. Even if I had to part ways with Chase, I had to save my child. As I got up, I saw the glaring bloodstains on the bed. Pain and cold sweat overwhelmed me as I staggered towards the door. Blood trailed down my legs, forming a path on the floor. Desperate, with only thoughts of my child in my mind, everything went black, and I collapsed.