Chapter 2

The snow abroad was heavy.

On the first day, I could only spend the night at the airport, staring at the gates, hoping Kelly would come back to take me home.

On the second day, security kicked me out. She couldn't understand what I was saying, I couldn't understand her—I didn't even have any identification on me.

On the third day, I grabbed a passerby's leg, having completely lost my dignity.

I begged them for money.

They kicked me, but finding me too pitiful, threw down some cash before walking away.

I clutched that money like it was my last hope.

I ran to a payphone to call that number burned into my heart.

The call was quickly answered. I thought I even heard Hudson's voice.

But all my attention was on getting home.

"Kelly, bring me home."

Kelly's voice sounded strange, her breathing rapid, her words broken and choppy.

"Kelly, Kelly."

But Kelly only responded absently:

"Mm, mm."

Thinking she'd heard me, I walked back to the airport.

My feet blistered and bled, the flesh nearly fused to my shoe soles, my body long since numb from the cold.

Waiting for Kelly to pick me up, my leg hurt more and more frequently.

I remembered the doctor's warning, so I used my last bit of bread money to call Kelly.

The moment she answered, I heard her accusation.

"Yan, can't you endure any hardship at all?"

I rushed to speak.

"Kelly, if I delay any longer, they'll have to amputate my leg."

But the call disconnected.

I didn't know if she'd heard me.

I just felt pain, pain everywhere, pain so intense I couldn't breathe, pain that made me cry out Kelly's name over and over.

If this had been before, she would have descended like an angel, rushed to my side, saved me from hell.

This time, I fell into an endless abyss, struck down by darkness with no hope of rising again.

After that call, I passed out. A kind stranger sent me to the hospital.

The nurse brought a diagnosis showing my leg needed amputation and required a family member's signature.

Looking at that leg, tears fell.

The nurse tried to comfort me.

"If your family is willing to pay, the hospital does have a second treatment option."

"There's no one. My wife is dead."

In that moment, I was surrounded by pitying, sympathetic gazes.

The moment Kelly betrayed me was the moment she died in my heart.

She died on the road when she went to buy me that cake.

She died the night she personally sent me overseas.

The only person I'd wronged was myself.

Kelly was right—I was so used to living like a spoiled heir that I had no ability to protect myself.

From that day on, I never called Kelly again.

Occasionally, I'd receive calls from people around me saying Kelly was trying to reach me, but I refused them all.

At this moment, Kelly spoke up again to accuse me.

"Yan, can you please show some respect? I'm talking to you—can't you hear me?"

I pushed away Kelly's slender wrist.

"Three years ago, did you properly listen when I spoke to you?"

If she had, I wouldn't have been amputated.

My nose stung. I stepped back twice and held up the diamond ring on my finger.

"Kelly, I'm remarried."