Meeting The One For Me

Chapter 2

143

“Audrey!” Hugo called.

He caught up with her at the entrance of the bar. He wanted to grab her arm but hesitated just before touching her down jacket. His long leg stepped forward to block her descent down the steps.

“Did you move out of the apartment?”

“Yes,” Audrey replied. Her eyes were downcast as half her face was hidden in the fluffy scarf.

Now that she had decided to let Nathan go, she naturally wouldn’t stay in an apartment filled with

their memories.

“Where have you been staying these past few days?” he asked her.

Hugo didn’t give Audrey a chance to lie.

He continued, “I went to Sheysea University yesterday to look for you. Your roommate said your family came to the dorm and made it impossible for you to stay there. You haven’t been around us. either. Have you been staying with the Lambert family?

Audrey felt a sting in her heart at the mention of the Lambert family’s. She looked up. Her clear eyes met Hugo’s steadily.

“Thank you for your concern and for speaking up for me earlier. But… I know my place. We never belonged together. We only became friends because of Nathan. Now that I’ve decided not to cling to Nathan, I shouldn’t bother his friends either.”

Hugo, usually so genteel, felt a sting from Audrey’s sudden coldness. He grabbed her arm to stop her from moving away. His wool coat fell from his hands in the process.

Ignoring the fallen coat, he gripped Audrey’s arm tightly. “Do you have to speak like that?”

“If I hadn’t woken up, it wouldn’t have come to this,” Audrey said, looking at Hugo’s astonished.

expression.

Her voice was calm yet hollow. She continued, “I’m sorry. It’s my fault for waking up from the coma and disrupting your lives. I’ll leave Sheysea as soon as I can. That’s what you all want, right?”

Nathan’s family took her in when she was ten. She had grown up with Hugo and the others. Once, Audrey had truly believed they were also her friends and childhood companions.

but he struggled to speak.

was hoarse as he sputtered,

“Hugo! Audrey…”

No! We

voice, Audrey pulled her arm free from Hugo. She picked

Chanter 2

him as he turned

wore a mask. Her long, thick, curly hair fell to her

273

out of a car. Her thin, beige coat draped over her arm. Even with her face

time Amelia had seen

said, “I know that, with your character, you couldn’t have been behind the drugging. Have you considered reporting it

couldn’t help but find it amusing. Nathan and her former friends didn’t believe her, but Amelia did. Regardless of the sincerity of Amella’s words, she was the first to say she

added with pursed

looked startled. She instinctively tightened her grip on the

Nathan remembered everything?”

then added, “I’m the one giving

filled with excitement and hurried footsteps, came from above as

away from Audrey, his heart pounding. He feared Audrey might have said

incident, Amelia cried and demanded Nathan

wanting to lose his beloved, swore nothing had happened between him and Audrey. But the truth was, he couldn’t remember if anything

these days, fearing Audrey

softly. He slipped the thin

We should

in Valerianth City tomorrow, so I’m heading to the airport now.

pulled away from Nathan, looking up at him with a smile. She added, “I came to give you your birthday present and to wish you a

held onto her wrist, his brow furrowed.

who he meant

Chapter 2

3/

her scarf over her face and headed down the steps. She buried her hands in the pockets

her down coat.

for today. Everyone told me! I’m sorry, Nathan, but I can’t accept it yet.