The Day He Let Me Go, I Let Him Go Forever

My mind went hazy when the car hit me. Pain flooded every part of me, but worse was the despair of being utterly abandoned.

Fragments of memory flashed through my mind.

Daniel sat behind his desk the first time we met, his gold-rimmed glasses catching a cold gleam. I tried to provoke him, and he didn't so much as flinch.

The first time he pinned me beneath him, he called me "princess" in that rough, husky voice.

I mistook it for love. Night after night, in his arms with his heartbeat in my ear, I believed I'd finally found home.

Then everything froze at that very moment from just seconds earlier.

Daniel lunged toward Serena, sweeping her into his arms without a second's hesitation. And me? I was just a stray soul, discarded in the path of danger.

…

I was lying in a hospital bed when I opened my eyes again. The room was so quiet I could hear Daniel talking on the phone.

"Rena, does it still hurt?"

His voice was so gentle it felt unfamiliar.

Serena answered in a weak voice, "Much better. Thank you, Danny. If you hadn't caught me in time, I might have…"

Daniel tried to calm her. "Don't dwell on it. The doctor said you were just shaken up. No external injuries."

"Danny, if we had to do it over, you'd still save me first, right?"

Daniel didn't hesitate. "Of course."

"But Freya was hit…"

Daniel's tone stayed even. "She has no reason to be upset. I'd naturally help the more vulnerable person first in an emergency. She knows that."

I shut my eyes, as if a knife had been driven straight through my heart. So in his eyes, I didn't even have the right to be angry.

I heard footsteps, and the privacy curtain was drawn back.

Daniel stood at my bedside. Seeing I was awake, he showed not a flicker of guilt. "Awake?"

I answered with a hum, my voice hoarse.

"The doctor says it's just a mild concussion. There are also some scrapes on your leg, nothing serious. I've arranged for the best team, and I'll stay for the next few days to look after you."

Staring at the ceiling, I said, "Thanks. I'll pay you back for the medical bills in ten days."

Daniel frowned. "What are you talking about? In ten days?"

I turned my head toward him. "I said I'd pay you back for the medical bills. And the cost of staying at your house, I'll settle those, too."

His face went a little stiff. "Freya, you don't need to settle anything with me."

My voice stayed calm. "Why not? We don't have any relationship to begin with, do we?"

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Daniel seemed about to say something, but all he gave me was, "Get some rest."

He really did stay at the hospital to look after me over the next few days. He'd come by on schedule to check on me, make sure the nurses gave me my medication on time, and even feed me himself.

But I kept my distance—no tears, no fuss, no pouting, no tantrums. I treated him like a kindly stranger, polite yet detached.

Daniel seemed unsettled by it.

…

That third afternoon, Daniel sat at my bedside, watching me flip through a magazine.

"Freya," he said.

I didn't look up. "Yeah?"

"About that night…" Daniel hesitated. "I saved Rena first, not because I didn't want to save you. She isn't in good health. She couldn't have withstood the impact. It was the best choice—"

I set the magazine down and cut him off. "I know."

Daniel studied me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "You're really not angry?" he asked.

"Is that what you want?"

Just then, a commotion broke out in the hallway.

"Hurry! Get her into the ER!"

"What happened?"

"Ms. Jarman fell down the stairs. She's badly hurt!"

Daniel's expression shifted at once. He shot to his feet and said in a rush, "I have to take care of something."

He glanced back from the doorway. "I'll come see you later."

I listened to his hurried footsteps fade down the hall and closed my eyes, exhausted.

Once again, Serena had managed to pull Daniel away from me. And I didn't even have the strength to fight for him anymore.

Anyway, he'd be free to be with Serena openly in a week.