Chapter 10
I faced him and, with firm resolve, said,
“Lucian, I truly don‘ t love you anymore. Whoever I choose to love from here on out, know this–it won’t be you. Do you understand?”
Lucian staggered, his knees buckling as he sank to the floor. His attempt at a smile came out twisted and broken, like a sob. “It’s okay, Savannah. I can love you. enough for both of us. Just don’t leave me. I’d do anything, even… anything you asked, even something like… killing.
My voice was unwavering. “I don’t need that kind of love. Keep pushing, Lucian, and I’ll go to the police.”
His face crumbled, and the tears he‘ d held back for so long began to spill, his voice breaking as he said, “Please, Savannah… don‘ t do this to me. I know I was a fool, trampling on what we had. I’ll prove I’ve changed if you just give me one
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more chance…”
Cutting him off before he could spiral further, I simply replied, “”Lucian, it’s far too late.”
With a vacant, haunted look lingering in his eyes, I slipped into Rigel’s car, and we drove off.
In the car, I turned to Rigel and said,
“Sorry for dragging you into all this and for the hit you took.”
Rigel only gave me an easy smile. “If you ever need to do it again, just call me first.”
Later, as he dropped me in front of my apartment, he added, “Savannah, if Lucian gives you any more trouble, feel free to call.”
I nodded, smiling. We even made plans to catch dinner together the following
weekend.
A month passed in quiet. Then, one night, my phone buzzed with a call from an
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unfamiliar number.
I answered, and on the other end, Lucian’s voice, frail and broken, came through. He sounded as though he’d been hollowed out, coughing between his words, “Savannah… please, don‘ t hang up. I just need to know… did you ever love me?”
I answered without a pause, “No,” then hung up and returned to my show as if nothing had happened.
Two days later, through a classmate group chat, I found out Lucian had nearly perished in an arson attack at his company.
Ophelia, unhinged after being fired, had set the fire, intending to lock them both inside and let the flames take them. He was in the hospital, barely holding on.
As I read the police report, the realization dawned–Lucian had called me on the
brink of his last breaths.
“Talk about bad luck,” I muttered softly, more to myself than anyone else. Still,
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Rigel overheard as he rejoined me with our tickets.
“Sorry, Savannah, what was that?” He asked, handing me one of the tickets.
Closing the group chat, I shook my head lightly. “I was just thinking aloud,” I replied, eyeing his phone as I asked, “Do we have the tickets? What‘ s our timing?”
“Right on time,” he replied, glancing at his screen. “Half an hour till the show starts, which gives us just enough time to grab you a milk tea. Let’s go.”
With a playful smile, Rigel guided me through the mall, stopping at every corner to add another treat or trinket to our
growing pile. By the time we were finished, our arms were full, like we’d just gone on a holiday shopping spree.
Back in the parking lot, he handed me the car keys, glancing away for a moment as if gathering courage. “Savannah, can you check the trunk? There’s something
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inside.”
I opened it, only to be met with flowers and colorful balloons, clearly set up with care. I looked back at him, surprised.
His voice was soft, a little shaky. “Will your be my girlfriend?”
I laughed, reaching out to take his hand.
“Absolutely.”
Life is a journey, and each step forward brings someone new into our story.
