After Died for Justice, He Lost Himself

Chapter 4

Michael's face turned rigid, sheer disbelief flashing in his eyes.

I closed my eyes, my heart feeling like it was being subjected to a thousand cuts.

After a suffocating silence, Michael glanced coldly and sharply at Zack. "I know you. You put a girl in the ICU last week. She suffered severe injuries to her lower body, and she remains in a coma to this day."

I froze, my fingernails digging deeply into the palm of my hand.

That girl—Jennifer—was my partner.

Last week, her undercover identity was unfortunately exposed. Zack broke her legs, coated her in bait, and threw her to a pack of stray dogs.

I had stood right there and watched the whole thing happen, listening to her screams, unable to let a single flicker of emotion show on my face.

Zack stroked my cheek, wearing a casual, dangerous smirk. "Now, Doctor, you can't go framing people like that. She was the one who misbehaved and wandered into stray dog territory. That has nothing to do with me. If anything, they ought to give me a thank-you banner for cleaning up the streets."

An even colder look of disgust crossed Michael's face, while Zack's grin only widened.

He pulled me to my feet, circling me in his arms and inhaling deeply at the crook of my neck with a satisfied smile.

"Luna is different; she's obedient, she loves me, and she even took a knife for me. We're getting married in a couple of days."

I didn't know if I was imagining it, but I caught the slight, rigid hitch in Michael's shoulders.

"You're getting married?"

Zack looked down at me, and I forced a smile and nodded. "That's right. Are you coming to the wedding? I can save you an invitation."

Michael's voice turned completely flat. "No."

He turned on his heel and strode away.

Once he was completely out of sight, Zack turned my face toward him, his gaze turning dark and calculating as it met mine. "You've never told me you had an ex-boyfriend."

He had long, slender fingers—the most beautiful pair of hands I had ever seen. But I knew full well that they were stained with blood. I could almost smell Jennifer's blood on them now.

I forced down the wild thudding of my heart and let out a dismissive, scornful laugh.

"Just a stupid mistake from when I was young and naive. We didn't even date that long. If I hadn't run into him today, I would have forgotten he existed entirely."

Zack said nothing, just stared at me intently.

Just when my heart was about to leap out of my throat, he finally gave what looked like an affectionate, doting smile.

His next words, however, hung over me like a sharpened blade. "Luna, you know I hate betrayal more than anything. If you ever dare to betray me, you'll end up just like Jennifer."

The horrific sight from that day flooded back into my mind.

I suppressed the revulsion and hatred boiling in my chest and nodded obediently.

Zack was very pleased with my response. He patted my head. "It's late. Go home and get some rest first. I'll take you to meet my father tomorrow. Remember to dress formally."

"Okay." I was finally on the inside.

Zack turned and left ahead of me.

I didn't dare drop my mask until I was completely clear of the club.

I leaned heavily against the flower bed by the entrance, repeating to myself that I would catch this bastard soon. When that day came, the dark clouds would finally disperse, and this nightmare would finally end.

I pulled myself together and was about to leave.

Unexpectedly, Michael and his colleagues walked out of the entrance at that exact moment.

When he saw me, the faint smile on Michael's face faded into coldness, and he instantly looked away.

Hannah recognized me immediately. "You—you're the..."

Michael cut her off. "Let's go."

But the young nurse trailed behind and finished Hannah's sentence. "Aren't you that patient? Why did you come out to drink right after being discharged? Your wounds are going to get infected like that."

The biting night air had numbed my skin so much that I couldn't feel the pain anymore.

I tugged down my sleeve. "Thank you for your concern; I'm fine."

Hannah glanced between Michael and me, a complicated look in her eyes.

Just as Michael was about to walk away, Hannah suddenly spoke up. "It's hard to hail a taxi here at night. Michael is just giving me a ride home. Since you were his former patient, we can drop you off on the way!"

I froze for a moment, confused as to why she would offer.

I looked at Michael. He neither objected nor agreed, simply turning and walking toward his car.

The ride started in total silence.

The entire way, I sat quietly in the back seat, greedily stealing every sideways glance I could get of Michael in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, Hannah was chatting and laughing with him about interesting things at work—a life I had never been a part of.

Gradually, I lowered my head in dejection, deeply regretting getting into the car.

Suddenly, Hannah spoke, "Michael, do you have tissues in the car? I think I'm coming down with a cold."

Michael offered a quiet murmur of assent. "They're in the glove compartment up front."

Hannah reached over to look. Instead of pulling out tissues, she fished out a small, worn red pendant. "What's this?"

My gaze snapped toward her, my heart stopping.

It was the matching couple's amulet I had personally prayed for at a temple when Michael and I had just started dating, meant to bless us to stay together for all eternity, lifetime after lifetime.

I had the matching one in my pocket at that exact moment.