Chapter 3

I opened my eyes, and the light instantly stabbed through my skull like a knife. A groan slipped from my lips as I winced and pulled the covers higher over my head. My thoughts were hazy, scattered. I tried to retrace the steps of last night, piecing together the blur of memories that led me to Aunt Eve's guest room.

I had definitely gone too far with the alcohol—again.

The last clear image in my mind was of a man outside the club, lighting a cigarette. I had followed him.

Then… fragments. Words repeating in my head like a broken record, though I didn't remember hearing them.

"I promise to come back to Los Angeles and find you. I will do everything to make you happy with me this time."

The voice felt familiar. Too familiar.

The door creaked open, and Eve walked in. She sat at the edge of the bed and cast me a glance that instantly made my stomach twist.

"What happened out there, Eve?" I whispered, my throat dry and sore.

She hesitated, eyes scanning my face.

"I don't know if you actually want to know."

A chill ran through me. I stared at her, bracing myself for something awful. What did I do? Did I embarrass myself? Hurt someone?

"Please tell me," I murmured. "Because… I feel like I was hallucinating. I'm scared to say who I think I saw."

She exhaled and looked down at her hands for a moment before finally speaking.

"The fact that you saw Felix… that wasn't your imagination. He was there. At the club. And he took care of you."

My heart skipped a beat.

Felix.

A strange mix of panic and yearning shot through me. After all these years… he saw me again. And I was drunk and falling apart.

"What exactly happened?" I asked, barely louder than a breath.

"I don't know what happened outside. All I saw was him walking back into the club with you in his arms, holding you like…" She paused, her eyes narrowing as she searched for the right words. "Like you were the most fragile thing in the world. At first, I thought I was imagining it—he looks so different now. But then I recognized him. And I… I freaked out."

She looked away from me. Her voice was tighter now.

"I couldn't stop thinking about what he did. About how the guy you used to love so much was institutionalized for murdering his parents. And there you were… unconscious in his arms."

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"You pulled me away from him, didn't you?" I asked quietly.

Her expression twisted with disbelief, and she leapt to her feet.

"Of course I did! You think I should've left you with him?"

"Why are you yelling at me?" I muttered, rubbing my temples. "I just asked."

"You should thank me," she snapped. "You're lucky I was there."

"I am thankful," I said irritably. "You did the right thing. I just… I hate that he saw me like that."

She folded her arms and scowled. "Worried about what he thinks of you? Should I smack you out of this delusion?"

"That's not what I meant. Calm down." I ran my fingers through my tangled hair and exhaled. "I'm not defending him. But we both knew something was wrong with him. He was sick. And yes, what happened was terrible. But he was just a kid, struggling with mental illness and… his parents weren't exactly saints, Eve. For years, I've wondered if I could have helped him instead of walking away when it got hard."

She stared at me in disbelief.

"Are you saying every guy deserves a second chance? Is that what this is? Now that he's shown up again, you want to start over with him?"

"Don't twist my words," I said calmly.

"You don't step into the same river twice," she snapped. "Especially when the first time nearly drowned you."

"I'm not talking about a relationship."

"Still," she huffed, "I yanked you out of his arms. He was as rude as ever. Didn't say hello, didn't thank me—just warned me to 'watch ourselves' when we go out."

"Classic Felix," I muttered with a bitter smile.

"Oh, please! Don't romanticize him again." She threw her hands up and stormed toward the door. "Get dressed. We're going back to Los Angeles. I've had enough of this city. And what the hell is he even doing here? What—he escaped from the hospital and started squatting in New York?"

But I wasn't listening anymore.

My mind was reeling.

Because if Felix was there—real, flesh and blood—then who else had I seen?

Hero.

I remembered it so clearly now. He had called Felix by name. Had told him to leave me. That wasn't a hallucination.

So… how the hell did they know each other?

*

And just like that, the gray reality returned.

Even though I was still technically on vacation, the weight of it all pressed down on me the moment we got back.

I hadn't been in New York long, yet so much had happened already—meeting Hero, that strange, dangerous man… and ending up in Felix's arms.

Until now, I hadn't known a single thing about Felix—where he was, what he'd been through. I'd sometimes wondered if he was still locked away in that psychiatric hospital. And if he wasn't… had he recovered? Had he found peace? Was he happy?

Too bad I'd been so drunk that night. Too drunk to see clearly. To understand how he really was.

But after Eve confirmed that none of it had been a dream—that it was all real—something inside me cracked open.

Long-buried longing came surging back. I wanted to see him again.

I knew I shouldn't. I had made mistakes with him in the past. Maybe I'd even been part of the reason he spiraled. But no matter what had happened—no matter how dark or twisted—it had never stopped feeling like he was my soulmate.

And my last relationship? It had nothing. No spark. No gravity.

The breakup had felt more like relief than heartbreak.

All these years, and I still thought about him. Missed him.

The buzzing of my phone pulled me back to the present. I looked over and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.

Frowning, I picked it up and answered.

"Hello?" I asked warily.

Silence.

My eyebrows knitted. "I don't have time to listen to your breathing," I snapped. "One more call like that and I'm blocking you. Goodbye."

I hung up and tossed my phone onto the table, muttering curses under my breath. Some people were just pathetic—too much time, too little purpose.

A few minutes later, the same number flashed again.

I scoffed and answered it, ready to rip into whoever it was.

"I warn you," a voice said on speaker. "Don't let him into your life again."

I froze.

"If you're going to play games and throw cryptic lines around," I said, forcing sarcasm into my voice, "maybe consider writing screenplays. This isn't a movie, man. I don't have time for your drama."

"In that case, you'll start playing my game… the moment you let him get close to you again. Do you like mafia games?"

A chill shot down my spine.

My throat went dry.

Felix.

He was talking about Felix.

And the voice—smooth, taunting, dangerous—belonged to one person.

Hero.

But how the hell did he get my number?

"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to steady my voice.

"Selena," he drawled, "I'd love to call you charming, but after our two little meetings, I've come to the adult conclusion that you're just… silly."

My breath caught in my throat.

It was him.

The same guy who tried to hurt me at the races.

The same one who looked at me like prey.

"How do you know Felix?" I asked. "Why do you control him like that?"

"Because I'm the one who pulled him out of that mess. I gave him a new life. Felix is my only family, and I'm not letting you take him away from me." His voice dropped an octave, cold and unhinged. "If you mess with me, I can get angry. And I warn you… I don't control my anger well."

He sounded completely insane.

If they were family, did that mean they both had issues? Was I stepping into something darker than I'd ever imagined?

"Don't ever call me again," I hissed. "And stay away from me. Do you understand?"

"The same way you need to understand this," he replied calmly. "Leave Felix alone… and I'll leave you alone."

I hung up with trembling hands, my breath shallow, heart pounding.

What the hell was this?

Why did Felix always come back into my life like a storm—bringing chaos, shadows, and questions that never had answers?

Why couldn't I ever escape him?

*

Later that evening, I found myself sitting on a bench surrounded by my friends and their wonderful little daughter. We ate ice cream, talking and laughing without end, as if the joy would never stop flowing.

I still hadn't told Eve about the call from Hero—perhaps because she hadn't mentioned her meeting with that old friend in New York to Mike yet. I felt guilty keeping it from him, and I could tell Eve felt uneasy about it too, but I was the one who asked her not to say anything for now.

"Selena, did you know there's a race the day after tomorrow? Just say you don't have plans and come with us!" the blonde girl said excitedly.

"What plans could I possibly have for vacation without my best friends?" I replied with a smile.

"So, I take it that means yes?"

I nodded and glanced at Mike, who was wiping his daughter's face. Watching him over the years, I could see what a great father he was. Eve was lucky to have fallen in love with such a man, and together with Lily, they made a wonderful family.

"It's getting chilly already. Lily's had too much ice cream, and I'm afraid she might get sick. We'll be heading back soon, won't we, dear?" Mike asked Eve, who nodded in agreement. "Selena, we'll drive you home."

"Please stop treating me like a child. I'm an adult; I can handle it," I said with a smile. "But thanks for trying to take care of your 'dog.'"

"You always deny me…"

"Why do you assume she wants to go home? Maybe she has some plans she'd rather not share with us? She is an adult," Eve stood up for me.

"Maybe Auntie's going to look for Uncle?" Lily teased, and we all burst into laughter.

"Sweetheart, it's not going to be that easy," I said, stroking her cheek.

They got into the car, and I waved goodbye, heading toward the bus stop. The evening air was perfect, especially walking by the river. I watched teenage couples who seemed genuinely happy. My thoughts instantly drifted back to the past — to the beginning of my relationship with Felix, when love made me see nothing but him. I was a sixteen-year-old girl who couldn't believe she had become someone's crush.

First love is beautiful, as long as it doesn't bring suffering…

I crossed my arms over my chest and walked through the park. The sun was setting, and grayness was settling in. People were walking all around me, so I didn't feel afraid. But at one point, I had the distinct feeling someone was following me.

I glanced over my shoulder but saw no one suspicious. I'd hallucinated like this many times before due to the anxiety I'd carried, so I tried not to convince myself I was being followed again.

Still, panic crept in, and I regretted refusing the ride home just moments ago when I heard the sound of shoes scraping the sidewalk—someone running toward me.

Terrified, I spun around and saw a man dressed in black emerging from between the trees. I bumped into the person standing in front of me with my whole body, and he immediately grabbed my shoulders. Trembling with fear, I apologized and lifted my face, noticing the man I often dreamed about.

Standing right before me, in the flesh, was the deadly handsome Felix—my first and greatest love, the one I still missed.

And this was no hallucination. He was really here.