Chapter 2

As I dragged my suitcase out of the gated community, Gary, the security guard, poked his head out.

"Heading out so late, Mrs. Vance?"

I paused, forcing a smile.

"You don't have to call me that anymore, Gary."

He blinked, utterly confused.

I didn't explain. I just hailed a taxi.

The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror.

"You look really pale, miss. Do you need me to take you to the hospital first?"

"No, thank you."

I pressed my hand against my chest.

The doctor said my heart was failing.

Actually, it had just loved Carter for seven years, and now, it was finally tired of beating.

The cab pulled up to an old apartment building downtown.

This was the place my parents had left me.

A small two-bedroom apartment with peeling yellow wallpaper. The living room light flickered three times before finally staying on.

I pushed my suitcase against the wall and sat on the couch, waiting a long time to catch my breath.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Carter.

[Daisy, you signed the agreement yourself. You chose to leave penniless.]

[Don't come crawling back to me crying later.]

Staring at the screen, I suddenly laughed.

Seven years ago, he used to text me like this, too. One message after another.

When he was pursuing me back in college, on his first day of a business trip, he sent me ninety-nine Snapchats.

[Daisy, did you eat yet?]

[Daisy, it's raining outside. Remember to bring an umbrella.]

[Daisy, I miss you so much.]

Later on, he rarely called me Daisy.

It became "Daisy Vance," "Mrs. Vance," or simply, "Can you stop annoying me?"

Until Zev appeared.

That account used a profile picture of a puppy soaking in the rain.

The first time he added me, he messaged:

[Hi. I saw you at the convenience store today. You looked really sad.]

I shouldn't have accepted the request.

But that day, I had just returned from the hospital.

The doctor had slid the report in front of me, his voice incredibly soft.

"Miss Vance, your end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy has reached its final phase."

"If you don't get a transplant, the risk of sudden death is extremely high."

"Where is your husband? In this situation, it's best if your family hears this together."

I held the report, freezing for a long time.

Then I said, "I don't have one."

The doctor glanced at the wedding ring on my ring finger but didn't ask further.

That night, Zev sent his second message.

[It's cold. Remember to bundle up.]

It was a very ordinary sentence, but I stared at it for a long time.

Because seven years ago, Carter used to nag me the exact same way.

He would wrap his scarf around my neck, layer after layer, scowling as he scolded me:

"Daisy, do you think you're made of iron? If you freeze and get sick, I'm the one who's going to suffer."

I replied to Zev.

[Who are you?]

He replied quickly:

[Just a passerby. And someone who really wants to make you smile.]

Actually, I knew something was off back then.

But I kept talking to him anyway.

Because the real Carter hadn't spoken to me like that in years.

My phone lit up again. This time, it was Zev.

[Daisy, did you make it home?]

My fingertips hovered over the screen.

After a long pause, I typed one word.

[Yeah.]

A few seconds of silence on the other end.

[Did he treat you badly again?]

Staring at those words, my eyes suddenly welled with tears.

Carter was using his alt account to ask if he himself was treating me badly.

How ridiculous.

I slowly typed back:

[No. I'm free now.]

Zev replied almost instantly:

[That's good. I'll be here for you from now on.]

I flipped the phone face down on the table.

There was no need. I didn't have a "from now on" anymore.