Chapter 4

The recording ended.

The whole ballroom went dead silent.

The same people who'd been screaming for me to apologize stood frozen, phones still raised.

Jason's hand hovered over the audio cable.

He couldn't decide whether to pull it or leave it.

The MC recovered first.

"There may be some misunderstanding. Everyone, please stay calm—"

I didn't look at him.

I only looked at Jason.

"Is it a misunderstanding?"

He turned around.

His face had gone pale, but his voice stayed low.

"Nora, you can't take that out of context. We were joking."

"A joke?"

I played the next recording. "Then let's hear the whole thing."

The RV door slammed through the speakers.

"Jason, isn't this too cruel? Nora already mortgaged her apartment for you."

Jason laughed.

"She'll never leave. Her biggest fear is me dying out there."

Someone in the crowd gasped.

The recording kept going.

Then Mabel's voice came through, way steadier than it had been onstage.

"What if she finds out you actually have signal?"

"She won't. She never checks the satellite phone bill. She just pays it."

Mabel went quiet for a second.

"Don't you trust her a little too much?"

"It's not trust. She can't live without me."

My hand was still steady.

I thought I'd be shaking.

Instead, I felt weirdly calm.

Because Jason had never forgotten me.

He knew exactly what scared me.

He knew I'd always try to save him.

And he knew exactly how far I'd go for him.

Jason lunged forward. "That's enough."

I met his eyes. "What are you scared of? Them finding out you were never stranded? Or finding out you had signal the day I got rushed to the ER?"

His voice softened. "Let's go home and talk. There are too many people here, and you're still recovering."

"Home?" I gave a quiet laugh. "Which one? The apartment Mabel stayed in, or the one you used to keep me tied to you?"

His eyes turned red.

He reached for me.

I stepped back.

Mabel went pale.

"Nora, I only asked casually. I didn't know about you two—"

I cut her off.

"Didn't know what? That he had a fiancée? Or that I paid for that apartment myself?"

Her mouth opened.

Nothing came out.

I pulled up the satellite phone bill on the screen.

"The night I went to the ER, Jason and Mabel talked for forty-six minutes. From 9:17 to 10:03. During that same time, I sent Jason ninety-nine messages."

The screen filled with every unanswered text.

The last one was a seven-second voice message.

Jason stared at it.

The color drained from his face.

"What happened to you that night?"

I looked at him. "A little late to ask."

"Nora." His voice came out rough. "I really didn't know you were in the ER. If I'd known—"

"You never would've."

I held his gaze.

"Because you told everyone not to answer my calls on the satellite phone."

His own recording had just proved it.

Jason had nothing left to say.

I slipped off my engagement ring and set it on top of the apology statement.

Right over the word [controlling.]

"I'm not marrying you."

Jason reached for the ring.

Then stopped.

Like it finally hit him.

I wasn't throwing a tantrum.

And I wasn't waiting for him to make it better.

Mabel suddenly stepped forward, her voice shaking.

"Jason, explain. You said you'd handle this."

The room went even quieter.

Jason turned to her.

For the first time, he looked at her like a stranger.

"What exactly do you want me to explain now?"

I didn't stick around for the rest.

I grabbed my bag and walked offstage.

As I passed the MC, I handed him the mic.

Someone called out softly.

"Ms. Neil... what about your mom?"

I paused.

"I'm going to the hospital."

I didn't look back.

I walked out, called a ride, and went straight to the hospital.

Behind me, Jason shouted my name.

For the first time, he sounded panicked.

"Nora! Where are you going? I'll drive you!"

I didn't look back.

The phones in the ballroom were still recording.

And for once, Jason was the one trapped under everyone's eyes.