Seven Years As His Game, No More

Chapter 3: Just Die

Aurora’s POV

I stood there for a long moment, my phone still pressed to my ear even though the call had already ended.

The dial tone buzzed faintly, but I barely heard it.

Slowly, I lowered the phone.

My legs felt strangely weak, but I forced them to move.

The pool area wasn’t hard to find. Loud music and cheerful laughter drifted down the hallway, guiding my steps as I walked towards that direction.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

My chest felt tight.

A strange fear was creeping into my heart, but I didn’t know why.

Soon, the bright blue water of the hotel pool came into view.

The place was strangely quiet. Not the usual bubbly atmosphere you would have expected for such an exquisite hotel.

But then I remembered that Justin had booked the entire building to celebrate the return of Jessica.

Something tight pressed against my chest.

My eyes scanned the area anxiously.

Then I saw him.

My son.

He was standing near the edge of the pool, wearing a small life vest and laughing at what I couldn't see. In his hand was a bright toy water gun.

For a moment, relief washed over me.

He was safe.

I quickly walked toward him.

“Ryan,” I called softly.

He turned when he heard my voice.

The smile on his face instantly disappeared. His brows knitted together.

“Mum?” he said with obvious annoyance. “Why are you here?”

The way he said it felt like a small knife twisting in my chest, and at that moment, I was forced back to our earlier conversation on the phone.

As soon as the call had connected, his irritated voice was what greeted me.

“Mum, what do you want?” His tone was impatient and cold.

My heart sank slightly.

“Sweetheart,” I said softly, “stay at home, okay? I’m coming to pick you up right now. Just wait for me—"

"I'm not at home.”

I paused. Behind his voice I could hear some background noise, music that sounded just like the one playing in this hotel.

My stomach shifted.

"Where are you?”

There was a short pause, then he scoffed.

“Mom, can you not bother me?”

The words hit me like ice water.

“I came out with Dad and his rich friends today. I’m at the pool right now and won't want you interrupting our fun.”

My grip on the phone tightened.

“You’re… at the pool?”

“Yeah…why?” As if realizing something, he quickly added, “Don't think of coming to get me, I'd rather die than go with a poor woman like you!”

The call ended immediately, not giving me a chance to speak.

My heart stopped.

The pool.

Which meant… He was here.

In this same hotel.

Justin had brought him here while I was out running deliveries, sweating under the hot sun just to earn enough money for dinner.

My heart clenched painfully.

Now seeing him standing at the edge of the pool smiling, I thought maybe everything I heard on the phone was a mistake.

I stopped in front of him.

“Ryan.”

He looked up and the laughter died instantly on his lips.

"I told you not to come.”

“I came to pick you up,” I said gently. “Let’s go home.”

Ryan frowned immediately.

“No.”

I blinked.

“No?”

“I don’t want to go with you.”

The words were said so casually that it took me a moment to process them.

My chest tightened.

“Ryan,” I said patiently, reaching out to hold his hand, “it’s getting late. We need to go home.”

But the moment my fingers touched him, he jerked his hand away like I had burned him.

“Don’t touch me!”

His voice was loud enough that I subconsciously took my hand back.

Ryan took a step back, his small nose wrinkling. “You smell like sweat and…and dirt.”

The words hit me like a slap.

I froze.

“Ryan, I…just came from work,” I said softly.

Ryan looked me up and down with obvious disgust. “Of course you did,” he muttered. “You’re always working those stupid jobs. Just go home. You don't belong here.”

My throat tightened.

“Ryan…”

“I don’t want to go home with you!” he interrupted.

His chin lifted stubbornly. “I want to stay here with Dad.”

I felt my heart sink.

“Your father is busy right now,” I said gently. “We’ll see him later.”

But Ryan shook his head violently and stubbornly. “No! I want to stay here with him!”

He spread his arms wide, gesturing around the luxurious pool area.

“Look at this place!” His voice was filled with excitement. “It’s so cool! Dad and his friends are rich!”

My breath caught.

Ryan’s eyes suddenly turned sharp as he looked at me.

“And it’s all your fault we had to pretend to be poor!”

My body stiffened.

“What…?”

“You heard me!” he snapped. “Dad said we had to act poor because of you!”

My heart pounded painfully in my chest.

Ryan pointed around the pool.

“We could have lived like this all along! I could get all the rich toys I wanted. Eat all the delicious food I want, not those poor, disgusting soups you make!”

His voice rose with anger. “But because of you we had to live in that stupid tiny apartment!”

Every word he said felt like a blade slicing through my heart.

I stared at him in disbelief, wondering if all these were coming from my five years old son.

“Ryan… I worked so hard for us…”

But he didn’t care.

“I don’t want to go with you! I don't want to go with you! I don't want to go with you!” he shouted repeatedly.

I reached out again, desperate, my chest heavy.

“Ryan, please. Just listen to your mother. Let’s just go home—”

But he yanked his arm away from me forcefully.

The sudden movement made him lose his balance. His foot slipped on the wet tiles.

“Ah!”

He tipped backward toward the pool.

My heart stopped. My eyes widened.

Without thinking, I lunged forward and pushed him away from the edge.

Ryan stumbled safely onto the ground, but the momentum threw me off balance.

Before I could steady myself, my foot slipped.

And the next second—

Splash!

Cold water swallowed me whole.

I plunged into the deep pool.

Panic exploded inside my chest.

I couldn’t swim.

My arms flailed wildly as I struggled to stay afloat.

I kicked. I fought. The delivery bag dragged at me like a hand pulling me down and my clothes were heavy and my shoes were heavy and I was not a swimmer, had never been a swimmer.

Water rushed into my mouth and nose.

“Ryan!” I gasped, choking as I struggled to keep my head above water. “Go… go get help!”

My vision blurred as I looked toward the poolside.

Ryan was standing there.

Looking down at me.

His small face was completely calm.

Too calm for someone whose mother was literally drowning.

“Ryan… please…” I begged weakly.

He stared at me for a long moment, then his lips curled slightly.

“Why should I?” he said coldly.

My heart stopped.

Ryan shrugged carelessly. “Maybe it’s better if you just die.”

The words echoed painfully in my ears.

My mind went blank.

“If you die,” he continued, “then Dad, Aunty Jessica, and I can finally live together in a big mansion.”

My breath ceased.

Ryan turned around casually.

Then he walked away.

Just like that. Without even looking back.

I stared at his small figure disappearing away from the pool.

Something inside my chest shattered completely.

Five years.

Five years of loving him.

Five years of sacrificing everything for him. For Justin

And this…

This was what my son truly thought of me.

The strength left my body.

My arms slowly stopped struggling.

Water closed over my head as I began to sink deeper into the pool.

Maybe…

Just maybe Ryan was right.

Maybe it would be easier if I just disappeared.

The world above the water grew distant and blurry.

My lungs burned painfully.

Darkness began creeping into the edges of my vision.

Then suddenly, strong arms wrapped around me.

A firm grip caught my waist. Someone was pulling me upward.

The water rushed past my ears as my body was dragged toward the surface.

My head broke above the water.

I coughed weakly.

Through my blurred vision, I could feel a powerful chest behind me holding me securely.

I tried to turn my head. Tried to see who it was.

But my body had already reached its limit.

Everything went dark.

And I lost consciousness.