Chapter 8

Andrew had been watching Susan's car closely in the rearview mirror the whole time. He had this nagging feeling that she was up to something again. A growing unease gnawed at him. But just as he was driving past the coastline, his phone rang, it was Rebecca.

"Andrew, where are you? Mom and Dad have been waiting forever and are getting upset! I'm getting a little scared."

Andrew quickly said, "I'll be right there!"

He didn't even look back before flooring the gas and speeding off. Half an hour later, Andrew parked in front of Feynman Castle. Only then did he suddenly remember, Susan had been driving behind him. He stood at the gate for a moment, waiting for her car to appear.

But it never did.

Frowning, he tried calling her, only to be met with the voicemail. That irritation he'd felt all day began to swell and harden in his heart.

He was just about to get back into his car to go look for her when the front door swung open. Rebecca stepped out, holding little Sam by the hand. "Daddy, what are you doing out here? Aren't you going to come inside and eat with us?"

Rebecca gave a deliberately surprised glance at the empty driveway. "Is Susan not coming? She still doesn't want to see me, does she?"

Andrew's expression darkened. He took Rebecca's hand and said coldly, "Forget her. Let's go in."

He had already extended enough patience. If she wouldn't take them, then she had no one to blame but herself.

This New Year's was the happiest the Feynman family had seen in years.

In the past, Andrew never brought Susan home because his parents didn't like her, and they made no effort to hide it. Usually, it was just the three of them celebrating in their own house. Ironically, this only made his parents even more dissatisfied with her.

But this year, the whole Feynman family was gathered together. Yet Andrew couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

There was something missing.

No one was dragging Sam outside to build snowmen and set off fireworks like a child.

No one was bustling in the kitchen, making cake together.

No one was.

Andrew jolted upright in bed.

"What's wrong, Andrew?" A soft voice beside him pulled him back.

But it wasn't her voice.

Irritated, Andrew muttered, "I'm just going to the bathroom. You go ahead and sleep."

Ignoring the cold, he threw off the covers and got out of bed. Of course, he wasn't heading to the bathroom. He was trying to call Susan. But this time, instead of "No answer," he got, "Phone is turned off."

The weight in his heart felt like a boulder now. He started leaving off messages:

Susan, I told you to stop with the games.

You think disappearing will make me care?

I want you at the wedding tomorrow.

No reply.

Since their divorce, Susan rarely messaged him anymore. Andrew stood by the window for a while, only realizing a few minutes later that he was scrolling through their old chat history.

Suddenly, his phone felt like it was burning his hand, he threw it down.

Under his breath, he muttered: "Susan, I'm not falling for your tricks."

He'd waited so many years for Rebecca. His true love was right beside him.

Susan was just a stand-in. Nothing more.

Yes, she was only ever a stand-in.

He repeated that to himself like a mantra, picked his phone back up, and crawled into bed again. But that night, he had a strange dream. In the dream, Susan wore a flowing red dress and stood in front of him, bathed in light. He was just about to scold her for ignoring his calls when she looked at him and said,

"I came to say goodbye."

Andrew's heart jolted violently. Panic clawed up from his gut. "Stop talking nonsense! Get over here!"

But Susan didn't speak again. She turned away and walked toward a blinding light. Andrew ran after her, trying to reach out and grab her.

But his hands met nothing but air.

"Susan!" Andrew shot awake, gasping.

"Andrew, what's wrong?" Rebecca was sitting beside him in her wedding dress, worry etched across her face.

"Andrew, you were calling Susan's name in your sleep."

He stared at her for a moment, stunned, but felt no desire to explain.

He sat up slowly, about to say something, when his phone suddenly rang.

Andrew rubbed his temples and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello, are you a friend of Miss Susan? Someone reported seeing her drive into the ocean last night."