Chapter 3 Your Neck
789 Words
"... I..." Nadia felt her face heat up, stumbling over her words. "I had too much to drink..."
"Is that so..." Harris said, leaning in closer. His warm breath, scented with pine, enveloped her, and his intense gaze made her feel like a ripe shrimp, completely frozen in place.
Just as Harris was about to kiss her, his phone rang, the sound cutting through the charged atmosphere.
Annoyance flickered in his eyes as the moment slipped away. He sighed, answered the call, and turned his back to her.
Quickly, Nadia got up. The soreness in her body almost made her stumble. Gritting her teeth, she hurriedly got dressed. Seeing that Harris was still on the phone eased her panic a little, and she quietly slipped out the door.
*****
After leaving the club, Nadia hailed a cab and headed to the cemetery.
Today was Elbert's funeral, and out of both duty and respect, she felt she should pay her respects.
Following the staff's directions, she soon arrived at the service.
Her arrival drew the attention of those lost in their thoughts, and curious glances turned toward her.
Jonas, noticing the commotion, quickly approached her, gripping her arm tightly.
"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to come?" he whispered urgently.
"I came to say goodbye to Grandpa," Nadia replied, her voice steady despite the sadness tugging at her heart. Now that she had her memories back, she knew she had much to deal with beyond just romantic entanglements.
"We had a secret marriage. You'd better not pull any stunts that could reveal your identity!"
With Elbert just having passed away, the Wright family was in a state of unrest. If word got out about their hidden marriage now, it would create a scandal for both Jonas and the family.
"Don't worry. If I wanted to make a scene, I would have done it the moment you cheated!"
"Nadia..."
Jonas was fuming, but with so many people around, he could only grit his teeth and hold his tongue.
Nadia, undeterred by his anger, tried to move past him but was stopped again.
"Hello, Ms. Chung," a soft voice interjected.
Raising an eyebrow, Nadia recognized the woman before her: Becky, Jonas's cherished one—whose photo adorned his phone's lock screen.
Becky looked even more exquisite in person, her gentle demeanor fitting the image of a perfect girlfriend.
What surprised Nadia the most was how much Becky resembled her.
No wonder Jonas, despite not loving her, always gazed at her tenderly during their more intimate moments.
But unlike the clichés of romance novels, Nadia was no mere stand-in for Becky.
"Elbert preferred tranquility in life, so his funeral should reflect that. Only a few family members should be here to remember him. Outsiders shouldn't attend!" Becky continued.
"What's that? Are you trying to judge who the outsider is, Ms. Campbell?" Nadia shot back, catching the underlying meaning in Becky's words.
Becky's fists clenched in frustration.
She absolutely could not allow Nadia to reveal their marriage at such a sensitive time!
Suppressing her anger, she shot Nadia a glare before stepping aside.
Not wanting to linger, Nadia placed flowers on the headstone and bowed, feeling a weight lift from her heart.
'Goodbye, Elbert...'
*****
After paying her respects, Nadia intended to leave, but just outside the cemetery, she was called back.
"Nadia, stop right there!"
Turning with irritation, she saw Jonas striding toward her, anger etched on his face, with Becky following close behind.
"What do you want?"
"You have the nerve to ask me that? You came here to create a scene, didn't you? Let me be clear: you won't get away with it!" Jonas said confidently.
"If you hadn't called out to me, I would've left already!" Nadia replied. She didn't want to see him anymore; avoiding him meant avoiding pain, and she refused to let the past three years define her.
"I'm warning you: don't mention our marriage to anyone! If you do, I won't let it slide!"
"Okay," Nadia said nonchalantly.
Jonas, filled with rage, found himself momentarily speechless. Her simple response felt like hitting a pillow—no impact, no release!
Nadia looked at him calmly, her clear eyes and confident posture stirring something unexpected in him.
For three years, Nadia had revolved around Jonas, always obedient and understanding.
Even when he treated her coldly, she never showed dissatisfaction, always taking care of his needs.
But today, while her tone remained calm, she seemed different.
Becky observed the way Jonas's gaze lingered on Nadia with jealousy. But when she noticed the marks on Nadia's neck, she stepped forward, her expression a mix of shock and concern.
"Wow! Ms. Chung, what happened to your neck...?"
- Writer
