Gone in the Snow

Lisa Jones had never expected how badly her long-distance relationship would go, when James Sachs loved her more than anyone else. As the chief of a hospital, he was a very busy man, but he had flown abroad countless times and clocking over 10,000 hours in travel for her. They could only meet briefly each time. She still remembered in that early winter, he had held her in the snow, saying that he found it all worth it. She received numerous gifts from him, ranging from thousand-word love letters to million-dollar necklaces bought from auctions. If it were just to make her smile, he would pluck the stars from the sky. That love that seeped into their very essence hadn't changed for three years. It was why Lisa forced herself to fly home through the night. But when she heard James' friends marveling at their love, only for James to quietly deny it, she had to admit that she felt like her heart was crushed with the agony of a thousand cuts. Chapter 1 James Sachs' voice wasn't loud, but the room was suddenly silent. It was not until a while later that someone finally tried to break the ice. "That was a joke right, James? "I mean, you two were prom king and queen, and we still remember how you cried like a baby after you sent her off. Heck, no storm could stop you from flying to her for three years…" After a couple of awkward laughs, the friend finally asked in an exaggerated tone, "There's no way you fell out of love, right?" "I don't get it myself," James replied flatly, appearing almost at a loss despite his usual composure. "It's just… Those three years have been taxing. I'm happy spending time visiting her, but it's all the more lonelier and wearisome wasting half a day on the return flight. "Even the gifts have to be different each time—I'm always having to worry if she would be happy or like the gifts." His fingers were chiseled from always using a scalpel, but there was a sense of tiredness as he held up his champagne flute, staring at the glint refracted off the glass. Then he finished quietly, "I still love her, but I also think this love has run its course." His friends exchanged glances and quickly changed the subject. Outside, Lisa Jones' mind went blank, and she felt like she had tinnitus. And tonight was supposed to be a surprise… She had no idea when she tiptoed out of the building and actually wondered how much better it would have been if she didn't come home ahead of schedule. Maybe that way, she could pretend everything was just fine—that their love was as perfect as it had always been. However, that was just a fantasy. While she trudged off alone, muddleheaded, her muted phone started vibrating. Lisa looked up and saw James running outside, frowning as he looked around. Her heart skipping a beat, she hid in the tree shade, staring blankly at the screen for a while before answering dryly, "Hey." James asked urgently, "Hey, I just saw your text… You're back? Where are you now? Come join me at the usual place?" His familiar voice, carried through current into Lisa's ears, left her sniffling. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but she only managed one through her tears. "I… I just changed my mind. I'm heading home—when are you coming back?' The anxiety on James' face faded right then, and he calmly replied, "Right away—" Before he could finish, a young woman with a red scarf around her neck ran straight into his arms. Lisa watched as James promptly cupped his hand over his phone speakers and smiled as he affectionately tucked the young woman's hair behind her ear. "Busy with work right now. Just hold on," he then added stiffly. Lisa could see the scarlet blush on the woman's fair cheeks and suddenly felt like the world was spinning around her. Chapter 2 The woman was Tina Childe, an intern working for James. When he first mentioned her to Lisa, he would talk about how unhappy he was with her—that she was slow, cowardly, and gave patients the wrong prescription. Later, when James went abroad to celebrate Lisa's birthday with her, he spent the whole night supervising Tina as she did her rounds. And when he finally hung up, James smiled at Lisa, praising Tina for improving and saying that she was cute. Lisa's eyes were fixed on the candles, however, as she asked quietly, "Can you stop?" James promptly stopped smiling, staying silent for a while until he quietly said, "Fine." When she tried to casually bring up Tina later, he told her they weren't in touch anymore. Clearly, he had lied to her. - It was snowing a little, so Lisa's clothes were wet when she arrived home. She typed in the passcode deftly at the door—it was the date she and James started dating. It opened as expected—James hadn't changed it. The floor heater kept the entire interior warm, and as Lisa looked around, her eyes paused a long while at the glass shelf at the center of the living room. Her heart clenched, and her tears started raining as the yellow light was illuminating the many plane tickets inside the glass shelf. Each was arranged chronologically, and there were 988 of them. James had proudly sent her a photo of it, calling it a proof of his love—that she would return home when he gathered a thousand. Then, he would propose, after which they would live happily ever after and never be apart. Lisa's heart was pounding harder and more painfully with each beat as she remembered the many nights she had spent abroad. She was always at the library, working hard so that she could graduate sooner. Her classmates called her a bore because she simply wouldn't spend time socializing, though she never minded, because she just wanted to return to James sooner. She never told James when she fell sick from fatigue while trying to finish her thesis, popping a ton of pills like they were candy. She would still smile at James like nothing had happened, telling him that she really, really missed him. But now that she had finally returned home like he wished, reality told her that it was too late. In the end, James' heart had changed. - When James got home and found Lisa trembling as she cried on her knees, he frowned and reached for her. "What's wrong?" Lisa pushed him away, however. Closing her eyes, she could feel her nails digging into her palms as she fought to stay calm. "I heard Tina over the call." It took all her strength just to say those words, and she was heaving as she continued, "Why are you still seeing her this late at night?" When she looked into James' eyes, all she found was coldness she had never seen before and a sense of utter weariness. "Do you have to talk about that now?" he growled coolly as he straightened, suddenly keeping his distance. "We're just colleagues, and we bumped into each other. It isn't whatever filth you have in mind." If they were just colleagues, then how would he explain that hug?! Still, before Lisa could say it, James turned and revealed the jewelry box behind him and the beautiful cake in a velvet box. He had to brave the snow to get both. Lisa was dumbstruck, her heart skipping a beat as bitterness and delight both erupted at the same time. That was until he said coolly and harshly, "Tina is a good girl—quit being so malicious toward her. "She's also independent and hardworking, staying entire days at the lab… Unlike you, as you always complain to me how tired you are from your studies. "She's also very rational and keeps everything personal out of her work—unlike you, as you always interrogate with suspicion. "We're perfect partners. She knows me best." Then, pursing his lips, he finished, "I still love you, Lisa, but I'm only human. Keep starting meaningless quarrels, and I'll get sick of it too." And with that, he dropped everything into the bin, the white buttery cake crumpling into a pile of mess that was no different from their unseemly love. Chapter 3 Lisa never liked to act on impulse, always staying calm and rational. But in her dream, she was hysterical as she argued with James. "When you said you're tired of traveling, I said I could make the trip instead. But you refused and got upset about me, telling me that I shouldn't doubt your love. "You complained that I went abroad, but this is where we end up after talking about it! You said I should lead a life that's more than just about love, and I promised to stick with you after graduation and never leave." "I could see that you were tired and I had asked why. You were the one who wouldn't tell me and kept changing the subject, just because you said you didn't want me to worry." Her questions were maddening, but just like in real life, they parted ways unhappily. Waking up the next morning with a splitting headache, she soon found herself staring into James' eyes. There was a brief silence, and James sighed at her deathly pale face. "Let's just get along and stop fighting, okay?" He looked sharp in his black trench coat as he dropped to a crouch, helping her put on a pair of warm socks. His handsome cheek did not change much from his younger self, but Lisa's heart wasn't racing. If anything, it swelled with coldness and bitterness. That was when James said, "Tina and I are just colleagues. Come to the hospital if you don't believe me—I'll show you." "Sure," Lisa agreed, pausing before adding lightly, "There's something we should talk about anyway." Last night, she had made up her mind to further her studies at another university and booked a flight due to depart in a week. It was no petty tantrum—if anything, she had thought about a great many things. It didn't matter if James had said what he said last night in the heat of the moment, as those words were shrapnel that pierced her flesh and kept digging further—a pain that she couldn't ignore. She only ever wanted pure, untainted love. If not, she would rather endure the pain of loss than tolerate it. But out of respect to James, she would tell him about it so that their separation would be amicable. However, even the drive to the hospital was silent. When they arrived, James got a call, and Lisa vaguely heard a woman crying. She couldn't hear the woman, but as James hung up, he promptly turned and said, "It's urgent. Just wait for me at my office." Lisa blurted, "But I don't know the way…" Bang! The car door was slammed shut in her face, and she could only watch as he sped off, leaving her alone in the spacious but eerily empty parking lot. The hospital was huge, and it took Lisa some time to find her bearings. Arriving at the tenth floor by elevator, Lisa headed to the nurses' station, intent on asking where James' office was. Instead, she heard a nurse exclaiming excitedly, "I told you! As soon as Tina got upset when the patient lectured her, it's Mr. Sachs to the rescue with just one call!" Lisa froze. So that was what James thought was important, and he didn't hesitate to leave her hanging. "The way I see it, Mr. Sachs spoils her like an actual girlfriend! "Whether it's consultation, surgery or hands-on teaching, the man does it all! There was a patient who teased them that they should get married soon!" One of them asked just then, "But isn't Mr. Sachs engaged?" Another nurse clicked her tongue. "His fiancee is way too far from home, isn't she? How would she compare to our sweet, sweet Tina? One little smile, and the man's heart has melted!" Lisa smiled as she stood there, feeling the irony of it all devouring her. She turned just then and noticed James and Tina standing at the end of the hallway. She immediately recognized the coat on Tina's shoulders—she had bought it for James as an anniversary. He never wore it, and when she asked, he told him it was too precious to him so he simply sealed it away. To think that it was a lie too. Heaven knew how many other sweet lies he had told her over the last three years. Like the threads of a spider web, she would only realize that she was caught in it after the fact. Meanwhile, Tina was still sobbing miserably, while James gently wiped her tears, the tenderness in his eyes overflowing. "Don't cry. I got one back for you, didn't I? No one gets to bully you as long as I'm around." With the warm assurance of the man with the highest authority, Tina finally smiled, but she was suddenly pouting as she asked, "Then can you tell me who was that woman on the phone with you last night?" James was silent for just seconds, but it felt like a century to Lisa when he finally said quietly, "Just a friend. We're not that close anyway." Chapter 4 'We're not that close anyway'—the sentence couldn't have been simpler, but it was a sword that sliced through Lisa's heart right then. Suddenly, Lisa laughed. That was true—she and James weren't close at all. They were just strangers who had kept each other company for ten years and once promised to stay with each other forever. However, it was an answer that delighted Tina, her eyes glowing with a maidenly shyness and affection. Standing on her toes, her sweet lips pressed toward James. Lisa had a clear view of that moment—James just had to turn slightly without even taking a step to stop her. But he didn't, and her lips met his chiseled jawline flirtatiously. At that moment, she felt like she was thrown into a meat grinder, leaving her in tiny pieces. She forgot when she left the building, only coming to her senses when she got a call from James. "Have you arrived?" he asked, his voice dry for once. "Did you see anything?" "What? What is it that you're worried I'd see?" Lisa asked softly. At the same time, her tears trickled down to her lips. It tasted salty—the exact flavor she hated. She couldn't understand why James would worry about anything at this point. If he did, then why did he cheat on her? "Of course not," James replied, clearly relieved and too nervous to hear how flat Lisa's voice was, instead asking quickly, "You have something to discuss with me, right? Come on up." "No, I won't be coming," Lisa said, breathing out a puff of vapor in self-deprecation. "It doesn't matter to you anyway." Ignoring his prompt, surprised, and very angry retort, she hung up. - It was a ten-year relationship, so cleaning up still took some effort—the jewelry, couple clothing, and photos alone took two huge chests. All the things she had brought home from abroad with high expectations would now be donated to charity. After seeing off the beaming charity worker, she opened the glass shelf. There was not a single speck of dust on it or in it—the sign of how precious it was to the owner. Now, Lisa was slowly taking the plane tickets on display, one after the other. The first was dated March 6, 2023. It was their first meeting after she went abroad and it was that night when she and James had first made love in her foreign apartment. His body was hot, and he was sweating all over, but he restrained his lust as he whispered tender words of assurance. The tenth was dated April 7, 2023. James had flown over to her many times in just a month. However, he insisted on making all the trips just because she had trouble adapting to the new environment and had caught a cold. She still remembered how his eyes looked so bloodshot, and he had stubble all over his chin, but he never complained about how tired he was. The 450th was dated January 1, 2024. It was the first new year they had spent abroad—it was snowing outside, and they lit up a hearth indoors. Then, they held each other in sweet embrace, watching as the dazzling fireworks erupted outside the window… She even remembered the exact details of James' every trip, realizing she had never forgotten a single moment of their time together. Those ten years were ingrained to her very soul, and it was like bits of her flesh being cut and removed. As the slips that symbolized memories were thrown into the fire, everything was burned to ashes before long, and the warmth faded with the flames. Still, Lisa could still make out the destinations from some of the ashes scattered around the floor. Arondight and Maxton. Two different corners of the earth. Feeling like half her heart was cut off, her throat felt dry as if stuffed full of cotton. There were so many different feelings that she wanted to scream out of her lungs, but she couldn't make a sound. But one way or another, it was truly over between her and James Sachs now. Chapter 5 Lisa's best friend, Zoe Larkin, was smacking the table indignantly. "What the hell?!" she exclaimed in outrage before leaning on Lisa's shoulder, concern showing all over her face. "Come on, girl. There's no reason to get upset over a douchebag like him." "I'm not upset," Lisa replied, shaking her head. She was already past it, but Zoe was sniffling as she kept drinking. "Honestly, where did James Sachs find the confidence to think that you'd never leave? Even I know for a fact that you'd rather break than bend. "Just let him feel what it's like to lose you! He doesn't know about the new university that you'll be attending, does he? I promise you, he'll be screaming and going crazy with regret when he can't find you!" As she finished, she collapsed on the bar, leaving Lisa stumped. Still, would James really regret it? After picking up the check and making sure that Zoe's boyfriend came to pick her up, Lisa was about to leave when she bumped into James' friend. His eyes lit up as he grabbed her hand rudely. "Come on, you have to talk to James… He's really drunk!" Lisa tried to resist but was dragged into a private room before she knew it. Everyone was laughing rowdily just then, with one of them exclaiming, "You lost again, Tina! You gotta kiss a member of the opposite sex… But who would have the honor?" Tina's eyelashes were fluttering as she leaned against James, purring adorably, "Can you help me out, Mr. Sachs?" James' collar was loose, his eyes unfocused as he was clearly drunk. "W-What?" He wanted to shake his head and refuse, but Tina's pink cheek was already just inches away, her soft hands pressing against him just above his crotch. Gulping, his eyes darkened as he jammed his lips against hers. He had his back to the door and therefore didn't see the mental breakdown in Lisa's eyes. Instead, it was Tina who smiled smugly and provokingly at Lisa when she finally came up for air and said out loud, "Hag." Lisa's eyes narrowed coolly as she told James' friend, "Let go of me." "Sorry…" While the man tried to defend James, Tina walked up to them quietly, her eyes creased with her broad grin. "Mr. Sachs was all tongue… You won't get jealous, would you?" Lisa laughed coolly. "Jealous that you're already homewrecking despite your youth?" Tina's face dropped in rage, and she snapped back, "The one who's not being loved is the real homewrecker. And do you think an old hag like you can win against me?!" Straightening her spaghetti straps, she eyed Lisa's plain getup pointedly as she scoffed, "No wonder Mr. Sachs got sick of you. Forget being old—there's nothing feminine about you. "Oh, and I heard that you study abroad? More like get naked in front of your professors and sleep around to gain your credits?" Smack! Lisa slapped Tina across the face right then. The slap sent Tina's face sideways, and she turned in disbelief, shrieking as she lost her cool, "How dare you?!" "Why not?" Lisa retorted, her eyes coolly. "Shut your mouth already. It stinks worse than the gutter." As their argument got louder, James finally sobered up and looked at them. Chapter 6 James was initially stunned to see Lisa, but he soon spotted Tina's swollen cheek. Everyone was left watching as he pulled Tina behind himself while snapping at Lisa without asking what happened, "Have you gone crazy?! What did Tina do to you?! How could you be so unreasonable?!" Lisa laughed—how ironic it was that the man who had once tearfully vowed to love her forever now completely trusted and favored another woman. "She's a despicable homewrecker, or is that not enough?" Lisa retorted, straightening in gait as she pressed, "And she really loves you, James. What about you? What do you think of her? Do you love her too?" "What are you talking about?" James replied, averting his eyes as his outburst quickly subsided. "That's enough. Stop spouting nonsense here…" "So you can swap spit with her, but I'm not allowed to point that out?" Lisa snickered, and heaven knew how miserable she felt just then. James was dumbfounded as he didn't expect Lisa to see that! Finally sobering up, he reached out to grab her wrist, intent on telling her that it had happened on the spur of the moment, only to pause when he found Tina staring at him expectantly. Instead, he said, "Let's just go home and properly talk about it, okay?" "There's nothing to talk about," Lisa replied and smacked his hand off so forcefully that it stung her own palm. As she strode out of the door, she could hear him rushing after her, only for Tina to call out through her sobs, "Mr. Sachs…" And with that, she ended up walking alone out of the bar, leaving a long, desolate shadow under the moon. She headed home at top speed. Since her bags were already packed, she was just moving out to live for the time being. However, James managed to get back at the same time. His breathing rushed as he pulled out a dazzling ring and immediately put it on Lisa's finger. "I promised that we will marry once you come home," he said. "I know a lot of things have happened, but that plan has never changed. Let's just get along from now on, okay?" The diamond on the ring flashed with a crystalline glow, and their initials were engraved on the inside of the ring. Lisa spaced out for a moment, and James' solemn look almost brought her back to the moment they vowed to stay together forever. However, she took a step back when she felt the coolness of the ring against her skin. Taking two steps back, she coldly pulled the ring off and flung it on the floor. "You haven't answered my question. Who is Tina Childe to you?" James was stunned as the designer ring sustained scratches on the floor, and he bellowed, "Are you done?!" His fury bursting, his jawline tightened while his expression darkened eerily. "Can you stop fussing over every little thing?! Why do you have to keep obsessing over Tina?! Fine, I'll give it to you straight—she's an intern at my hospital, and I will formally hire her once her internship ends! "Your nonsense won't work on me! You need to understand that you're the one who can't afford to leave me in this relationship!" "Are you sure about that?" Lisa asked coolly. Seeing his brow creasing, her lips curled as she continued, "It's true that you've been the most important person in my life for ten years now. However, I still have my own career and studies, and I'm not a leech growing off your blood! So think again, James… Why can't I leave you?" James' breaths turned rushed. Lisa, leaving him? No, that was impossible! She was just being stubborn! But even as he denied it in his mind, her phone screen lit up on top of the shoe cupboard. It was a flight reminder! James narrowed his eyes as he reached for the phone… Chapter 7 That was when Tina's mewling voice rang, "Are you there, Mr. Sachs?" Lina turned, stunned as she watched Tina enter after keying in the passcode. She did so without hesitation—it clearly wasn't her first time. Lisa almost laughed despite herself. And this house was supposed to be hers and James'? James was surprised too, distracted by Tina. "What are you doing here?" Tina didn't answer, instead bowing her head at Lisa and sniffling loudly, "I'm sorry! Lisa! It was just Truth or Dare, but everyone got drunk. We thought it was an innocent little kiss that was no big deal, but we didn't expect you to get so upset…" Pursing her lips, she then held out a pair of glass figurines to Lisa. "I made these myself—it's a couple set, meant to be a blessing for your marriage with Mr. Sachs!" Her words immediately struck a chord with James, as he really approved of how mature and understanding Tina was. As for Lisa… He frowned even as he turned to her. However, as Tina ran up to Lisa, asking for forgiveness while hounding Lisa to accept her gifts, that two-faced behavior only made Lisa sick. But when Lisa sidestepped Tina, Tina fell backward as if she was pushed forcefully. "Argh!!!" Tina screamed as her hip struck the corner of the glass shelf, as the figurines shattered audibly. "It hurts so much!" she bawled out loud, her tears gushing as if she was grievously wounded. "Lisa, I didn't get upset when you slapped me and even apologized, but you hurt me again…" James' knuckles were clenched as he promptly held Tina in his arms to calm her down, his chest hurting as if her tears burned him too. Taking a deep breath, he turned to glare at Lisa, snapping sternly, "You have gone too far this time! What did Tina do to you?! Why do you have to keep hurting her?! Apologize to her right now!" "That's not going to happen," Lisa retorted, raising her head proudly, her cool gaze reflecting the man and woman clinging to each other. "I'd never stoop to Tina's level of pettiness, but as your fiancee, you never explained to me why you were kissing Tina, among other misdeeds. "And yet, you're demanding that I apologize to her instead? Don't make me laugh. So stop trying to avoid the question—are you in love with Tina Childe or not?" Her voice was clear and strong, and it really burned James' ears. All the flaring emotions in him seemed to be extinguished while his unease grew, as he got the feeling that he would lose Lisa if he kept avoiding the question. And he'd never allow that to happen. However, he still hesitated as he looked down at Tina, who was still clinging to his arms, and began, "No, I—" "Oh, no!!!" That was when Tina pointed behind him, exclaiming in surprise, "Lisa… Why did you burn those plane tickets?!" James turned stiffly when he heard that, his breath leaving his lungs. Chapter 8 James had been too preoccupied with Lisa that he never noticed. Only now did he see that three years of work had been destroyed! Every sense of hesitation and guilt he had just felt was immediately replaced by rage. He was suddenly reminded of the countless nights he had waited for her to come back, and each plane ticket had been a symbol of that wish and granted him the strength to keep waiting. But now, Lisa reduced all of it to ashes like they were trash! "Did you do it?" James asked flatly, but there was no longer an ounce of rationality in his mind as his murderous intent spilled out. "Yes," Lisa replied, always the type to own up. "Why?" James pressed. "Why, you ask?" Lisa snorted, suddenly laughing when she saw James looking like he was heartbroken. "How two-faced can you be? But who do you think you can fool? Even if you can deceive yourself, do you think I'm blind?! If all love is lost, why bother keeping this? Just to provoke me?!" Hot tears welled up in her eyes, and she bit down on every word as she snarled, "You! Disgust! Me!" "Enough!!!" James bellowed as he smashed a chair against the glass shelf, his chest heaving, and he glared at Lisa while the glass shattered audibly. "I've spoiled you too much! You want to know what disgust is?! The basement rats will teach you just that!!!" With just a wave of his hand, his maids charged up and started dragging Lisa down to the basement. "You have no right! Let go of me!" Lisa struggled even as she screamed in disbelief, but James coolly turned his back on her. At the same time, the maids were dragging her forcefully, with the head maid Mary even snapping Lisa and growling under her breath, "Stop it! Ms. Childe is the lady of this house, not you!" One of them then took out a pink pill and shoved it down Lisa's throat without warning. "Bleurgh!" Lisa hacked violently as she tried to spit it out, her ears still ringing from the slap. "What did you just feed me?!" "The good stuff, courtesy of Ms. Childe!" the maid laughed, pulling her hair and kicking her. "Swallow it now!" Soon, they threw Lisa inside the basement and shut the door with a bang. The darkness was suffocating as there wasn't even a glimpse of moonlight, and there were audible rustles as rats and insects scuttled everywhere. However, Lisa didn't even have time to be scared. She was panting as red hives were rapidly appearing over her skin, and she was rolling around from the maddening itch, all while she was losing her ability to breathe. "James…" she gasped as she managed to take out her phone, her back covered with sweat. She only heard static beeping, and when James finally answered, he immediately snapped coolly, "Apologize to Tina, or I'm never letting you out." "Tina poisoned me…" she gasped, her lips trembling as she lay prone. "Stop slandering her," he said flatly in reply, clearly not buying it. Even before he hung up, Lisa could hear Tina purring on the other end, "There, Mr. Sachs—I'm naked. Come put the ointment on me already…" Beep. The phone slipped out of Lisa's fingers. Before she passed out, she remembered the moment when James held her tightly in his arms, tenderly whispering to her. She had accidentally cut her finger with a fruit knife, but he acted like it hurt him more than it did her, his fingers trembling as he tried to apply medicine. "I'm so sorry…" he rasped then. "I won't let you get hurt anymore." Now, she could only close her eyes, and a teardrop quietly trickled down the corner of her eye… Chapter 9 When Lisa woke up again, her nose quickly picked up the scent of antiseptics, while a nurse groaned beside her, "Oh, you're finally awake! Honestly, how could you take the wrong pill and at such high dosage? "You're lucky you survived, especially when they brought you in so late. You almost fell into a coma!" Still exhausted, Lisa could only smile wryly. "Thank you…" Still, she soon pursed her lips as she looked past the nurse and saw James entering the room. He paused in silence for a couple of seconds and started accusingly, "You should have told me directly on the phone." Lisa held his gaze calmly. "Tina did this." To Lisa's shock, James nodded and replied, "I know—it was an accident. You were agitated and she just wanted you to calm down, so call it a mistake made with the best intentions. And I've already punished her." Lisa kept staring into his eyes as she rasped, "How?" James frowned. "Docked half a day's pay." Lisa knew he would play favorites, but to think that his bias had gone that laughably far! Smiling sarcastically, she raised her hand, her skin now covered in hives caused by an allergic reaction. "Is that enough for you?" she demanded. "I was avoiding her when she tried to grab me, but you were already making me apologize. But she told the maids to beat me up and fed me poison before locking me up in the basement… and all she got is half a day's pay docked? Is that really punishment or tolerance?!" "You started it," James replied, his glare impassive. "Tina is always so innocent, but you had to keep hounding her. I trust her—why would someone so kind and gentle want to hurt you? It's only because you deserve it! Like I said, apologize to her." Lisa refused, so she ended up being alone at the hospital over the next few days. The next time she saw James was on Tina's social feed. It was led with a picture of Tina's light pink polished nails clinging to his stiff black suit, captioned: Thank you for taking me out on a trip to cool off after what happened. There were also photos of them strolling through a field of flowers and fireworks, as well as watching a grand flotilla and then making a wish upon a shooting star. It was a luxury trip for a romantic couple. Meanwhile, Lisa had packed her suitcase and was waiting at the terminal, and her flight was paged when she received James' text. [I'll be back tomorrow. Let's talk.] It could be an olive branch offered or just round two—Lisa didn't care either way. She merely sent an email to his work email address, attached with evidence on Tina's true nature after days of digging. When it was sent, she took out her SIM card, snapped it in half, and dumped it in the bin. It was really over between her and James now, and they wouldn't see each other again.