Chapter 3

The next afternoon, Felix called.

"Elena. Come to Cloudpeak Villa. Now."

Before I could say a word, the line went dead.

Since I was leaving soon anyway, I changed clothes and decided to go.

When I arrived at the villa, I saw Felix beside Serena, pointing out the view in the distance as he spoke to her in a low, intimate voice.

I stood a few steps away, like an outsider watching someone else’s life.

"You called me here," I said. "Just to watch you two take a walk?"

Felix turned slowly.

His eyes landed on me without a trace of warmth, only a cold, measuring scrutiny.

That was when I noticed Serena stood half a step behind him, looking at me with a quiet, smug satisfaction she didn’t even bother to hide.

My heart sank.

Sure enough, Serena spoke first.

"Elena, I know you’re going to marry Felix." She paused, her tone soft and careful. "I’m not here to break you up."

Then she hesitated, and her voice picked up a thread of grievance.

"But that day in the elevator… why did you try to hurt me?"

In that instant, everything was clear.

So this was what they’d been waiting for.

I lifted my eyes, let them pass over Serena’s tearful performance, and settle on Felix.

His brow was already drawn tight, suspicion clouding his gaze, along with something else: a look that said, so it was.

"I didn’t," I said evenly, without scrambling for excuses. "The elevator malfunction was an accident. It had nothing to do with me."

Felix’s face darkened at once. His voice stayed level, but the chill in it cut to the bone.

"Elena. Whatever happened between Serena and me is over. For the past five years, you’re the one who’s been by my side. I understand that."

His gaze sharpened. "But Serena is seriously ill now, and she’s your sister. There’s no need for you to hurt her over this."

The absurdity clogged my throat.

I remembered his call with Alex and let out a cold, humorless laugh.

"Is it really over? Or are you just… starting again?"

Felix’s face flickered, so quick it was barely visible. "What are you implying?"

"…Nothing." I swallowed it back.

"If you think I hurt her, then what do you want me to do so you’ll let me go?"

"Elena," he said calmly, with a certainty that left no room to argue, "when you do something wrong, you apologize sincerely. That’s what you should do at least. Right?"

Right then, Serena’s voice slipped in perfectly on cue.

"It’s okay, Felix. Don’t." She dabbed at the corner of her eye, fragile and considerate. "Elena is my sister. How could I really blame her?"

The wind tugged at her hair. She shivered delicately. "It’s chilly. Can we go back first?"

She was soft, reasonable, catching the focus easily.

Felix’s expression immediately gentled as he looked down at her, concern plain in his eyes. "Of course. Let’s go back."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, the motion natural, practiced.

I stood there and watched them head for the car.

The sky was dimming. We were in a very remote place.

I had no choice but to follow.

Just as I reached for the rear door handle, Serena suddenly flinched and said to Felix in a small voice,

"Felix… I… I’m scared. I don’t really want to sit with her right now. Can I… can I sit somewhere else? I’m still a little unease…"

Felix’s hand paused on the steering wheel.

He hesitated only a second. Then he turned his head toward me.

"Elena, get out of the car. Figure out your own way back. Serena isn’t doing well. She needs quiet."

I froze. A cold rush shot up from my feet.

"Are you serious?" I stared at the empty mountain road. "There isn’t even a car to call out here."

He didn’t answer. He didn’t look at me again.

He only reached over to gently squeeze Serena’s hand, then started the engine.

"Felix!" I slapped the window, disbelief choking me.

The car rolled forward then accelerated.

He didn’t hesitate once. With the person who needed “quiet” beside him, he vanished down the road in minutes.