After I Stopped Loving Him, He Lost His Mind - Chapter 3

The bed felt emptier than ever. I curled into myself, clutching my head as waves of pain wracked my body.

Even with the air conditioning set to the lowest temperature, I was drenched in a cold sweat.

The painkillers barely worked, only dulling the edge of my suffering.

I must’ve been hallucinating from the pain.

Half–asleep, half–awake, I saw us as we used to be.

Before Chloe ever appeared, I had always been the only one by Jack’s side–even if he treated me with nothing but indifference.

I’ll never forget that day.

It was a bitterly cold winter, snow falling thick and fast. The freezing air outside couldn’t compare to the chill in my heart.

That was the winter when I lost both my parents. My father lost his battle with cancer, and on the same day, my mother jumped from the 18th floor.

Looking back, maybe the signs had always been there.

But back then, I was too young to understand.

Grief consumed me. I shut myself away, refusing to see anyone, refusing to eat, hiding in the last place they had been.

The day was glaringly bright when Jack found me. He stood there, out of breath, trying to act casual.

“I just came to check if you were dead. Don’t read too much into it.”

“I’m not dead. You can leave now.”

“Come on,” he said, his tone brisk but oddly determined. “You’re practically growing mold in here. Consider yourself lucky–I’m feeling generous enough to drag you outside for some fresh air. No arguments.”

And just like that, with his forceful attitude, he pulled me out of the darkness.

His hands were trembling, yet he held on tightly.

Before I could protest, he started rambling.

“Taylor, when was the last time you ate? You feel like I’m dragging a ghost, not a person.”

His words made me snap back at him instinctively.

“None of your business. I can walk on my own.”

Normally, that kind of retort would’ve earned a sharp comeback from him.

But that day, he just muttered under his breath, still holding my hand, never letting go.

That day felt like the first ray of light in my world after endless darkness.

Even now, I’ve forgotten so much over the years, but I still remember that scene vividly.

A boy, grumbling endlessly, leading a girl by the hand. A cup of hot chocolate in his other hand, the two of them walking down a snow–covered street.

The pale winter sunlight shone on their faces, melting away the shadows that clung to them.

They didn’t know it then, but moments like that are fleeting–gone before you realize how beautiful they are.