22
She downs
downed the wine in her hand in one swift gulp and stepped outside to get some fresh air
Pat hurried after her, determined not to lose sight of her. He had noticed her reaction–she recognized the song. If she wasn’t Stacy, why would she flee in such a panic? She was hiding from him.
He needed answers. Why had she been so cruel as to abandon him? Why had she tormented him for three long
years?
Seeing the man by Stacy’s side, tenderly looking after her, Pat’s hands trembled uncontrollably.
“Stacy!”
“Stacy!”
Hearing Pat’s voice made her scalp prickle. Why was he clinging to her like a relentless shadow?
Desperation laced his words as he pleaded, “Stacy, you’re alive! You came back for me, didn’t you?”
The senior brother beside her frowned, visibly displeased, “Macey, do you know this man?”
“No,” Stacy replied coldly. “He’s just someone who used to harass my sister.”
As the two began to leave, Pat lunged forward and grabbed Stacy’s wrist. When the word “harassment” registered, her senior brother’s face darkened, and he instinctively threw a punch.
Pat, who had trained before, was far stronger than the older brother, who spent most of his days in a lab. The difference in their strength was stark
“Senior brother!”
When Stacy saw him knocked to the ground, she rushed forward and shoved Pat with all her strength, sending him sprawling to the floor. Pat sat there in stunned disbelief. Stacy–his Stacy–had pushed him away.
“Stacy, you’ve changed! You’d never have treated me like this before!”
“Shut up!” she snapped, her voice icy. “You’re not even worthy of saying my sister’s name. Stop pretending to be sentimental. My sister treated you well because she was foolish, and her kindness was wasted on you. If you dare
utter her name again, I won’t hesitate to make you regret it!”
“No, it’s not like that!” Pat’s voice cracked with emotion. “We were in love…”
“Love?” Stacy interrupted, her gaze sharp and unyielding. “Abandoning love when it’s convenient, only to beg for it when it’s gone? Don’t make me laugh. If you truly loved her, why are you so lost now? The Stacy you knew is gone -her love died with her. Everything you’re doing now is meaningless. If you have any shred of conscience left, stop hurting others!”
Her unrelenting words left Pat speechless. The repeated blows to his fragile belief shattered his resolve. The
specter of loss haunted him, threatening to consume his sanity. Even so, he clung to the delusion that Stacy wasn’t gone–that the woman before him was simply pretending
Ignoring his turmoil, Stacy helped her senior brother to his feet. Pat, still reeling, called out to her again.
“Pa=!”
The sharp crack of Stacy’s slap reverberated through the corridor, freezing Pat in place. He stared at her, stunned and unable to respond.
When he tried to speak again, she shoved him backward. He stumbled, hitting the vase behind him with a dull
thud.
At that moment, Nate arrived on the scene, looking around for Stacy. His heart ached when he saw her slap Pat, her face twisted in anger. She was usually so composed–what kind of monstrous act had pushed her to this?
Walking over, Nate gently took her hand in his. “Did that hurt?” he asked softly, half–teasing
Stacy c
chuckled despite herself. Only then did she realize her palm stung, but it didn’t matter. If given the chance,
10:12 AM c d
she would gladly slap Pat again–and this time, leave matching marks on both cheeks.
The tender interaction between Stacy and Nate was unmistakable. Their laughter and closeness painted a stark contrast to Pat’s disheveled, seething figure.
Pat staggered to his feet, his eyes wild with rage and bloodshot with frustration. His voice, low and trembling
with fury, tore through the hallway.
“Stacy! Who is he?”
The harsh echo of his shout reverberated, but no one spared him a glance.
Desperate, Pat yelled again, his voice cracking with despair. Yet Stacy didn’t falter. Without a backward glance, she walked away, her hand firmly clasped in Nate’s
Pat stood alone, begging silently for her to turn around, for a shred of acknowledgment. But as she disappeared from sight, it became painfully clear–Stacy wasn’t coming back
