Back at the scene, Liam stared like a zombie at
the river below.
A crowd was gathering, rubberneckers snapping pics with their phones, whispering about what
had happened.
“Looks like a runaway groom,” one woman said,
her voice drinning with fake sumnathy “Reckon
<
8:22
664
her voice dripping with fake sympathy. “Reckon
that’s a wedding car down there?”
“A wedding day car crash? At a drop like that,
no way anyone made it…”
“That guy looks kinda familiar…”
“Marriage and a car crash? Dude’s cursed,
man.”
“Wait, isn’t he that hottie from that viral video?
You know, the one carrying his girl after that
other wreck?”
“Oh yeah! I remember now!”
Liam turned, his face raw with grief. Some
gawker recognized him, that viral moment of
him playing Prince Charming at the first crash
coming back to haunt him.
く
His boutonniere fell to the ground. Red–eyed,
Liam grabbed some random dude by the collar,
his voice cracking.
“The people in the car! Did anyone get out?!”
“Help them! Why is everyone just standing around taking pictures? Save them!”
The guy shrugged him off, calling him a nutjob.
“Get real. That car and driver went straight into the river. Everyone’s dead. No one’s getting out!”
Liam staggered back, covering his face, bending double in pain.
“No. Sophie’s not dead. She can’t be.”
Fat tears dripped onto the pavement. He was putting on a show for the vultures, his face all pale and tragic.
<
The flight landed. I saw a familiar face waiting
for me.
Professor Evans took my bags, clapping me on
the shoulder. His eyes lingered on my hands.
“Don’t worry about work yet. Let’s get you out
of those crutches first. I’ve booked you in with
the best orthopedic surgeon in Boston. Few
days‘ rest, then we’ll get you fixed up.”
My eyes stung. That boulder I’d been carrying
around in my chest finally crumbled.
I’d made the right call. My future had nothing to
do with Liam.
“Okay.”
The professor took me to his place, dragging
my suitcase inside. He stopped short.
“Not much stuff hub? When you said.
く
“Not much stuff, huh? When you said you
wanted to stay in the States, get married, I
thought that was the end of our work together.”
Thinking about the wedding I’d dodged, I gave a
tight smile.
“Nah. That life wasn’t for me.”
“I’d rather do research with you guys. The lab is
where I belong.”
He tossed me the key. I sank onto the soft bed,
exhaustion washing over me. I closed my eyes.
Time to rest.
The search was still underway at the crash site.
The driver was found dead, suffocated by the
flood.
Liam saw the body and started to tremble.
く
“Sophie wasn’t in there. That means she’s
alive!”
He grabbed the rescue worker’s arm,
desperation on his face.
“Sophie isn’t dead, is she?”
The rescue team exchanged glances, then went
back to work.
“Liam, calm down. Maybe she got thrown out of
the car before it went into the river.”
Bethany, wearing a ridiculous mini–skirt,
couldn’t hide her glee. She sidled up to Liam,
whispering in his ear.
Her cheap perfume stung my nostrils. Her lips
moved, telling him a secret.
“Liam, I arranged that wreck. Just to get rid of
that trashy cripple.”
<
8:22
“Are you happy now?”
Happy?
Liam almost passed out.
He stared at Bethany, a weird emptiness
opening up inside him.
674
The rescue workers moved away, the cold wind
off the river cutting through him. Bethany clung
to his arm, all smiles.
“Now you don’t have to be stuck with her. I’m
breaking up with Chad to be with you.”
“I only went out with Chad to win over Sophie.
It’s you that I really love.”
She cupped his face, puckering up.
“You.”
