C09
Brian’s voice rang out behind us, unhinged and desperate.
“Angela, you can’t leave me! Do you know what I went through while you were gone? I spent months holding onto that corpse, completely numb to the world. If it hadn’t started to rot, if the face hadn’t fallen off, I’d still believe you were dead!”
Tears streamed down his face, but his lips twisted into a manic smile of relief.
“Thank God… I’m so glad you’re alive. When I heard your friend had bought tickets to Dubai, I knew you’d be here. I realized you must be hiding because you’re mad at me. And I was right! But why are you pretending not to know
me?”
His voice cracked, his eyes brimming with confusion and hurt, tears pouring down like a broken dam.
It was the first time I’d ever seen him cry. Once, that might have broken my heart. But now? I felt nothing. No pity. No anger. Just a cold detachment.
i found myself wondering if this was another one ofhis performances—a desperate last–ditch effort to appear
10:35 AM &
Love Like an Abyss
I found myself wondering if this was another one of his performances–a desperate, last–ditch effort to appear
devoted.
I stood there silently, unflinching, staring at him as if I were looking at a stranger.
Alastair leaned in close, his warm breath brushing my ear.
“It’s hot out here. Go inside. I’ll handle this.”
Before I could respond, he stepped forward, blocking Brian’s path.
“You’ve got the wrong person,” Alastair said firmly. “Her name is Irene, not Angela.”
Brian ignored him, his voice rising in desperation.
“I’m sorry, Angela. I know I was wrong, but I’ve changed! I’ve cut ties with Laurel–she’s gone. Not in the picture anymore. Please, just give me another chance. I swear I’ll make it right.”
Alastair stood his ground, his tone unyielding. “I told you, her name is Irene. You’ve mistaken her for someone
else.”
“No, no! She’s Angela–my Angela!” Brian cried, clinging to his delusion.
Covering my ears, I turned and ran into the house without looking back.
My best friend shot to her feet as soon as she saw me, “I hear the noise. What happened?”
“Brian’s here,” I said flatly.
“What?” Her eyes widened in shock. Panic flickered across her face. “How did he get here? Oh no, this is bad. That guy is insane. He was ready to marry your corpse, for God’s sake. If he knows you’re alive, he won’t stop until he gets you back.”
I thought for a moment, then grabbed her hand.
“We’ll switch clothes. I’ll slip off and hide until it’s safe. We’ll switch back tomorrow. If he asks, tell him you don’t
know anything.”
She nodded without hesitation. I quickly changed into her clothes and slipped out through the back door.
Since Brian had come all the way to Dubai, it was clear I couldn’t stay any longer. It was time to go back to US.
At the airport, my suitcase jammed just as I was about to pass through the gate. Frustrated, I struggled to push it forward, but the impatient murmurs of travelers behind me only made it worse. Suddenly, a large, slender hand reached out and effortlessly lifted my suitcase.
Startled, I looked up and gasped.
“Alastair? What are you doing here?”
He smiled faintly.
“I got invited to a medical exchange conference in Harbor City. They asked me to speak. It just happened to coincide with your trip, so I figured we’d travel together.”
His tone was casual and I didn’t overthink it. It felt like another one of those coincidences.
When the plane landed in the US, I still hadn’t decide what to do. With no plans in mind, I decided to follow
Alastair’s lead.
To my surprise, his conference itinerary included a visit to a psychiatric hospital.
As we followed a group of distinguished scholars inside, the hospital director approached Alastair and said, “Excuse me, miss, can I borrow Dr. Britton? I need to discuss something with him.”
“Of course,” I nodded politely and smiled.
Before leaving, Alastair turned to me with a gentle smile, “I’ll be back soon.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, covering my mouth. “Alright, I’ll be here waiting for you!”
He walked away reluctantly, glancing back every few steps, until the director firmly ushered him away.
Feeling stifled in the conference room, I decided to take a stroll around for some fresh air in the garden.
10:35 AM
Love Like an Abyss
ג
That’s when I ran into Laurel.
She stood there, holding a small stick in her hand, her vacant gaze locked onto me. “Angie?” Then she broke into a strange, vacant smile. “You’re not dead?”
Her words sent a chill down my spine. I forced a faint smile and instinctively took a step back.
“Guess not.”
