Chapter four: Ghosting

"You don't have to force yourself to come in today, Julie," Richard said, standing in front of her as she busied herself with work. "I understand everything that's been happening to you. Liam? I can’t believe he’s targeting your sister."

"What do you mean, Richard?" Julie's tone was exhausted. "Haven't I already said that this topic is off-limits?"

Clearly annoyed, Julie left Richard standing there, frozen in place. She headed toward the next room, juggling a mountain of tasks with no time to think about Liam. Today was also Elizah’s last day in the hospital, which, after everything, was the one bright spot amidst the chaos.

"Julie, do you think Liam actually did this?"

Elizah squinted at her, but Julie ignored her, disconnecting the IV line and its dangling bag.

"Don’t dwell on that," Julie replied, avoiding Elizah’s gaze. "You’re going home today, and you should stay at my apartment. I’ve already told Mom. She’s pretty freaked out, but don’t worry—she’ll be here today."

"I'm not talking about Mom, Julie."

"And I’m not talking about Liam!" Julie snapped before finishing her task and walking out. She glanced at her phone, hoping for a message. Nothing.

She began to suspect that Mark was ghosting her—not that it mattered. To her, Mark was nothing more than a passing encounter. But deep down, she couldn’t deny she was waiting for him to reach out. Frustration boiled over, and she muttered, "That jerk’s probably just using me." Stuffing her phone back in her pocket, she moved on.

"You okay?" Richard suddenly appeared behind her, startling her with a pat on the shoulder. "Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you."

"No, it’s fine. Don’t apologize. What’s up?"

"I just wanted to offer you and Elizah a ride, that’s all."

"Oh, okay. Thanks."

With Richard's help, they eventually made it to the apartment. Elizah still needed therapy for her emotional wounds and couldn’t bring herself to believe Liam was responsible. Over and over, she voiced her disbelief, and Julie, exasperated, snapped back at her every time.

When their mom finally arrived, her heart broke—not only at the realization that Liam had done this but also at the thought that there would be no wedding for her daughter. It was devastating. Julie, meanwhile, seemed different, trying hard not to show her unease. Yet Mark remained on her mind. Days passed with no calls or visits from him, leaving a sliver of hope that he might still care.

"Alright, Mr. Robertson. If you’re not going to call me, I’ll call you," Julie muttered, grabbing her phone and leaning against the hospital wall. She dialed the number Mark had given her.

"Ah, so now you’re ignoring my calls? And all this time, you didn’t bother to reach out. If you’re just playing around with women, Mr. Robertson, find someone else—and don’t ever contact me again."

She chose to leave a voicemail, as the police officer who’d spent the night with her didn’t bother to pick up. Frustrated, Julie decided to head home after an exhausting day at the hospital. Her face looked worn as she trudged toward her apartment, exuding irritation with every step.

She reached for the doorknob, opened the door slowly, and stepped inside, too tired to think about anything else.

"Oh, finally, she’s home," her mom said, walking toward the door. "Julie, sweetheart, you have a guest. Come here."

"Not now, Mom. I’m—"

"Julie." A deep voice cut through the air, stopping Julie in her tracks. She turned, shocked by the unexpected presence. "Sorry I couldn’t call you sooner. Do you have time to talk?"