In my dazed state, I thought I heard Charles’s voice shouting.
"Nicole! Where are you going after leaving me?"
When I regained consciousness, I felt someone gently stroking my cheek. As soon as I moved, the hand quickly pulled back.
"Once you're better, go apologize to him," Nicole said coolly.
I furrowed my brow, still struggling to focus.
“He took a punch from you,” she added. “It still hurts. Just apologize, and then we’ll…”
She hesitated before finishing, "Get married."
Her eyes were red, rimmed from staying up all night by my bedside. She must have been sitting by my bed for a while. But was all of this just an attempt to get me to apologize to her first love?
With that, I said hoarsely, "Nicole, what makes you think I have to be with you?"
She froze.
I let out a bitter laugh. "That punch? I only wish I had hit harder!"
The veins on my hand bulged as I clenched my fist. Even the blood in the IV tube began to backflow.
Nicole's expression tightened. She furrowed her brow, clearly unnerved.
Leaning over, she sneered in response, Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep this up."
With that, she turned and strode out of the room.
By the time the nurse arrived, I had lost a fair amount of blood.
Fearing Sharon would be worried, I checked out of the hospital that evening.
...
At the airport, Nicole and Charles had already begun their journey around the world.
Charles noticed something odd about Nicole. She seemed distant, her mind clearly elsewhere. Ever since their return from the hospital, she had been preoccupied.
Could it be...that man?
No, that’s impossible. Nicole hates him.
But just as they were about to board, Nicole pulled out her phone. Charles glanced over and saw that the top contact wasn’t his name.
Nicole opened the pinned contact and dialed.
The automated voice on the other end responded, "The number you dialed has been powered off."
Nicole frowned slightly.
"Nicole, who were you calling?" Charles asked carefully. "You don’t look happy..."
"It’s no one," she replied, forcing a small, awkward smile. "Just an unimportant person."
'Unimportant? Would you pin someone unimportant?' Charles thought, his brow furrowing.
Then she reached out, took his hand, and smiled again. This time, it was brighter.
"You’re the most important to me," Nicole assured him.
Hand in hand, they walked toward the gate together.