"Zion, don''t challenge my limits." I wasn''t sure why I said that all of a sudden. Maybe it was the courage I gained from the roller coaster, or perhaps it was the pent-up frustration from these past few days finally spilling over.


    Regardless, after I said it, I could tell that Zion''s expression toward me shifted.


    I didn''t reveal to him that the real reason Selena was upset was because I had rejected her proposal to remarry.


    Just the thought of her wanting to get back together with me made me anxious. What troubled me even more was that she imed she didn''t love Zion anymore. It wasn''t good news for me that she didn''t love him and still couldn''t let go of me.


    I said angrily, "If you''re capable, then fight for her yourself. Take Selena back from me."


    "And Selena''s the one who can''t let me go, not the other way around. You don''t need to take out your anger on me." I added, hoping this would lessen Zion''s hostility toward me.


    Zion scoffed. "Hudson, you really are quite full of yourself."


    I could hear the mockery and disdain in his voice, but I didn''t care. I didn''t expect any love from Selena. That way, when the time came to divorce her for good, I wouldn''t be as heartbroken.


    I returned to my room to find Selena already asleep and turned away from me, so I couldn''t see her expression.


    Looking at her back, I felt a surge of emotions and had a lot I wanted to say to her. But as soon as I tried to open my mouth, I couldn''t find the right words.


    What should I say? Should I tell her I have a girlfriend? Should I say I don''t want to remarry because I don''t trust that she would only love me? Or should I admit that I felt like I didn''t love her as much as I once did?


    Every one of those statements would hurt her.


    Forget it. It would be better not to say anything and avoidplicating things further.


    The next morning, when I woke up, Selena was already up. She was sitting on her bed, watching a movie with the remote in her hand. Given what happened yesterday, I felt a bit awkward and didn''t know how to start a conversation without making things ufortable between us.


    However, I was even more afraid that she was still upset and would ignore me if I tried to talk to her. I hesitated for a moment until I saw her turn her head to look at me when she heard a noise.


    "Hud, you''re awake! Come over and watch this movie with me; it''s really good," she said, patting the space beside her.


    She was offering me an opportunity to join her, and it would be pretty clueless of me not to take it. So, I walked over and sat down next to her.


    My mind was racing with thoughts, and I was lost in them. I had no idea whether the movie was good or not; all I knew was that it seemed she wasn''t angry with me.


    With that thought in my head, my heart finally felt at ease. As I nced at the time disyed on the TV, a wave of mncholy washed over me.


    I had been here for almost half a month, and I still hadn''t found a way to escape.


    Since I arrived, I had only met her doctor once, and I still had no clear idea of how her recovery was progressing. So, I didn''t know when I could leave.


    Sometimes, rather than sitting around and waiting for something to happen, it was better to take the initiative.