Chapter 2

The room went quiet, and Duncan spoke first to smooth it over.

"Susan's cuts are shallow. The doctor said they'll fade in a couple of days."

Mia clapped a hand over her mouth at once, all fragile alarm.

"I'm sorry, Susan. I was just a little scared."

She lifted a hand and wiped at the corner of her eye, her voice small and wronged.

"You two are getting married soon. After that, Duncan won't be there to look out for me anymore, will he?"

Duncan didn't hesitate. He reached out and gently smoothed her hair.

"What are you imagining? I'll never stop looking after you."

I looked down at the scar on my right hand, a dull ache spreading through my chest.

Years ago there had been an accident, and Duncan was trapped alone deep in the mountains.

Everyone else stood there waiting, frantic, and I was the only one who rushed in and pulled him out before the mudslide could bury him.

This deep mark on my hand came from that day.

The moment he woke, Duncan made me a solemn promise.

"Susan, I swear I'll protect you for the rest of your life."

Only now did I understand.

Those touching promises were ones he had already made to Mia, more times than I could count.

Seeing me silent, Duncan kept explaining.

"Don't read too much into it. Mia's mother is an elder who watched me grow up. There's no way I could just ignore them."

I didn't argue. I only kept my eyes on the scar on my hand.

Duncan looked perfectly at ease, probably still assuming I would do what I always had.

Swallow every grievance in silence.

But this time, I had decided to let go.

This spacious double room had been arranged for me to recover in.

Mia simply didn't want to be alone in her own room, and so, without a scratch on her, she moved into mine.

She said, "A room with no color to it is so dreary."

And my beloved gardenias were swapped out for roses.

She said, "A patient needs to keep some color in her face."

And my wardrobe was crammed full of her makeup.

She smiled and told Duncan, "Just seeing you, Duncan, puts me in a good mood every single day."

So Duncan came to visit day after day.

Now and then the two of them would slip into dialect together, easy and intimate.

Every moment of it shut me out.

Duncan and I had been together four years.

Whenever I used to bring up something from my childhood, he would cut me off after a sentence or two.

Now I finally saw it clearly.

Duncan wasn't tired of childhood trivia. He was only tired of hearing me tell it.

I didn't want to stay trapped in that stifling air any longer, so I spoke up first.

"I'm checking out this afternoon. I need to go to the office and take care of some work."

Duncan's face changed.

"You haven't even recovered. Why are you in such a rush to get to the office?"

"The wedding's almost here. I'd like to wrap up what's on my plate ahead of time."

I answered flatly.

Beside him, Mia spoke up in a soft voice.

"It's fine, Susan. You go take care of what matters. I'll just stay here and keep him company."

Duncan frowned.

"Mia, you're too kind for your own good."

I had no patience left to watch the two of them perform, and I walked quickly toward the door.

Behind me came Duncan's cold, cutting words.

"Once she's alone and calms down, she'll realize no one's going to indulge her forever."

Not a ripple stirred in me.

I got to the office on time and finished handing off all my work quickly.

My manager looked at me and couldn't help but sigh.

"The overseas headquarters set aside a key position for you three years ago. They've been waiting for you all this time."

I thanked him quietly.

Afraid of how hard a long-distance relationship with Duncan would be, I had turned down the invitation from the head office abroad, again and again.

In the end, the only person cast aside without a second thought was me.

The company's confidentiality was airtight. No one knew about my transfer.

I went home, only to find the place in complete disarray.

Duncan was holding the spare key to my apartment, explaining without a trace of guilt.

"After you got out of the hospital, Mia was scared to stay in the room alone, so I brought her here to stay."

"The address and the spare key, you're the one who gave them to me before."

I saw Mia lying in my bed, and I spoke calmly.

"There's an empty guest room."

"Mia's delicate. The guest room's too dark at night. She wouldn't be comfortable there."

I said nothing.

So it turned out that as long as the person was Mia.

Duncan could give his favor without holding anything back.

Seeing me quietly gather my things, Duncan's face turned impatient.

"If you're throwing a fit, just say so. Don't try to scare me with this cold act."

I lifted my head and looked straight at him.

"I'm not throwing a fit."

"Then why have you been off about everything these past two days?"

I stopped what I was doing and asked him plainly.

"But from start to finish, you've been taking care of Mia and never once cared about me. Isn't that right?"

Duncan had nothing to say.

Something in me settled.

"From now on, I should learn to be on my own too."

The moment I said it, Mia came drifting over to the door.

She had a stack of papers in her hands, her voice bright.

"Duncan, these are the invitations and the banquet arrangements we talked about."

"You saved the best seats especially for my mom and dad. That's so thoughtful of you."

My whole body went stiff.

So all along, Duncan had been planning something else.

Mia looped her arm through Duncan's, affectionate, smiling. "I knew it. You've always had me in your heart."

She paused on purpose, then went on: "And my family too."

"You promised me long ago that you'd let all of us show up at your wedding, out in the open, where we belong."