Chapter 91
Late at night, in a private suite at the Earl Hotel, Alex was extremely drunk. He couldn’t explain why he had acted so impulsively and rushed to the airport. Watching the plane take off right in front of him, it felt like a part of his heart had been hollowed out, leaving him with a deep ache and an overwhelming sense of anxiety. Ellie was gone—and he was powerless to stop it.
“Haley’s calling me to reach you now,” Layton said, noticing the empty bottles scattered in front of Alex. He quickly gathered up the last two bottles and put them away, trying to keep the room from becoming a complete mess.
Alex lay on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling, too exhausted to even speak. His mind raced, but his body felt as though it was physically drained, incapable of moving or reacting to anything.
Layton sat down on the coffee table, glancing at Alex with concern. “I heard you chased Ellie to the airport?”
Alex didn’t respond. He simply stared ahead, lost in thought, almost as if he were in a daze.
Layton frowned. “Ellie’s doing just fine at the hospital. Her part-time jobs are going well too. Why did she suddenly want to go abroad?”
Alex closed his eyes, the weight of Layton’s words only adding to the burden on his shoulders. He was beginning to realize that he had pushed Ellie too far.
“If you don’t want to talk, then just rest,” Layton said, standing up. “I’ll return Haley’s call for you.”
With that, Layton left, taking all the alcohol out of the room. The door closed softly, and the room fell back into a suffocating silence. Alex remained on the couch, his eyes shut, his mind replaying the same painful thoughts.
Why did she suddenly want to leave? he wondered. Because I pushed her too far.
He thought back to the comics she had drawn—the dates and words written above the pictures. She had been secretly in love with him for seven years, and yet, he had never realized it. He had taken her for granted, asking her for favors, forcing her into awkward situations, and letting her watch the happiness he shared with Haley.
I forced her to help me pursue Aaron’s girlfriend. I pushed her to face me at home, made her accept gifts for Haley when she didn’t want them. I let her watch me fall for someone else while she suffered silently. She had enough, and she chose to escape—from me, from the city, from this life.
The next afternoon, Alex received a call from Whitney, asking him to go to the station and deliver the medical booklet to Aaron.
When Alex arrived at the station, Aaron looked surprised to see him. “Why are you the one bringing this?” Aaron asked, a bit confused.
Alex tossed the medical booklet to Aaron, his frustration barely contained. “Why did you let her travel alone?”
Aaron glanced down at the booklet and then back at Alex. Without saying anything more, he turned and started to walk toward the station entrance. Alex followed, the tension between them palpable.
After a few steps, Alex couldn’t keep his anger in check any longer. “If you can’t take care of her, give her back to me!” he shouted, grabbing Aaron’s shoulder from behind.
Aaron stopped, his expression calm despite the anger in Alex’s voice. He turned slowly, looking at Alex with a steady gaze. “This is her own choice. Neither of us has the right to interfere.”
Alex let out a heavy, sarcastic snort, shaking his head. “Aaron, that’s just your excuse for being incompetent.” He stepped closer, his voice growing more intense. “You’re incapable, yet you’re dating someone from a wealthy family like Haley. You’re helpless, yet you brought Ellie back to serve you guys. Aaron, you’re just a selfish man.”
Aaron’s gaze remained unwavering. He was done with the argument, but before he left, he asked in a low voice, “Even if I could give her back to you, in what role would you take care of her?”
Alex froze. The question struck him harder than he had anticipated. His expression went stiff, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. Aaron brushed past him, not saying anything more, but the weight of his words lingered in the air.
Ellie had made her choice. She had chosen to leave, and there was nothing Alex could do to change it now. But the question Aaron had asked continued to echo in his mind: In what role would you take care of her?
As Alex stood there, feeling more lost than ever, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had already lost her forever.
Meanwhile, Haley had been in the car, listening to the confrontation between Alex and Aaron. She had overheard the entire exchange. As she sat quietly, she thought about Alex’s strange behavior over the past few days—his impulsiveness, his anxiety, his obsession with Ellie. Something was clearly wrong.
Haley watched Alex from the corner of her eye, a mix of confusion and concern in her gaze. The distance between them had never felt more apparent.
The chapter ends with Alex standing at the station, his world unraveling around him, as he contemplates his next move and wonders if he’ll ever get the chance to make things right with Ellie.
