I tried to pull my hand away and the movement woke him up. His voice, still heavy with sleep, carried a trace of weariness. "Zoey, you ran off again, didn't you? What now? Is this because I didn't take you with me last night? You know those business gatherings are dull. You wouldn't even understand the conversations. Why not just go shopping with your friends instead?"
He had claimed the night before that he was going out for work, but it was obvious he'd been drinking with his friends. He didn't want me to know what they discussed. His lies were paper-thin, so easy to tear apart, but what was the point of confronting him?
I obediently nodded, keeping my gaze fixed on the window. "It won't happen again."
Keith, I won't chase after you anymore.
The gentle sunlight lit up his handsome face, devoid of any real emotion. It seemed as if, as long as I was obedient, he could continue to "love" me like this forever.
It's time to wake up from this shattered yet beautiful dream.
"Zoey, you're still weak. I'll go buy you garlic bread and cream soup from Candor Street, okay?"
Every time I got sick, Keith would buy me garlic bread and cream soup from that place. It wasn't because the food was particularly delicious, but because Candor Street was far away and the shop always had a long queue. I loved watching Keith busy himself for me—it felt like I could piece together evidence of his love for me through his actions.
I smiled and nodded, hiding any trace of emotion that might betray me.
Just as Keith reached for the door handle, his assistant hurried in. I caught a name in their hushed conversation—Sadie. Keith turned back to me, his face showing a hint of hesitation. "Zoey, there's an urgent matter at work. I have to go, but I promise I'll come back tonight and spend time with you. I swear!"
"It's okay, go ahead and take care of it," I replied. There was no "I promise," only self-deception.
Keith hired a caregiver to look after me, but I didn't have much of an appetite. My head was heavy and throbbing and the smell of disinfectant constantly dragged me back to the scene of my parents' death.
They had been hit by a truck while saving Keith, who had snuck out. There was so much blood and the white gauze couldn't stop it.
My mom held my hand. I cried loudly as if the sheer force of my sobs could snatch them back from Death's grip. Sadly, the heavens showed me no mercy.