Chapter 5
Only then did Zara notice Charles coughing up blood.
Panic flashed across her face.
"Joseph's already won so many championships," she said hurriedly. "He's accomplished everything he could in this life. Even if his hand is ruined, it doesn't matter. Your life is what matters most."
After saying that, she looked at me apologetically.
"Charles once saved my life. I can't just leave him."
Charles's little tricks were obvious. If Zara had taken a closer look, she would've seen right through them.
But she chose to believe every lie he told.
I understood that these were just excuses for her favoritism.
So I didn't bother listening anymore.
"Zara," I said quietly, "this is the last time."
She froze when she saw the empty look in my eyes.
For a moment, a strange panic gripped her, as if she were about to lose something important.
She opened her mouth to ask something.
But suddenly, Charles coughed up another mouthful of blood and collapsed to his knees, crying out in pain.
Zara broke into a sweat. Whatever doubts she had a moment ago disappeared instantly.
"Charles is really hurt," she said anxiously. "I'll come back for you after I take him to the hospital. Wait for me."
I watched the helicopter lift off and disappear into the distance.
The place was remote.
I tried calling for a ride several times, but no drivers accepted.
I waited for a long time.
Then a message from Charles popped up on my phone.
[I can make Zara abandon you. Wanna bet?]
Almost the moment the message arrived, Zara called.
"Charles's condition is critical," she said quickly. "I can't leave right now. Just grab a ride back yourself. I'll reimburse the fare. Use the credit card however you need. I'm… I'm really sorry."
In the background, I could hear doctors shouting urgent instructions.
Then, the call ended.
She never contacted me again that day.
I knew I had to rely on myself.
I walked a long way before a passerby finally helped take me to a hospital.
But the delay had been too long.
My hand would recover…just not enough for professional competition.
On the television in the hospital room, the news was showing footage of Charles being treated. Zara had mobilized the best doctors in the entire city to treat him.
Everyone on the broadcast was praising their love story.
Meanwhile, I went to the club headquarters and submitted my resignation.
Professional players usually couldn't just quit.
But back when Zara adored me, she had made an exception. She granted me special permission to leave without paying the penalty fee.
At the time, the board of directors protested fiercely.
In the end, both sides reached a compromise.
If I ever used that clause, I would have to retire permanently.
None of us had imagined things would end like this.
The manager looked at my injured hand with regret. He personally walked me out and told me the retirement announcement would be posted soon.
He asked gently, "Have you thought about what you'll do next?"
I smiled. "I think I'll travel the world."
Anywhere was fine, as long as Zara wasn't there.
After saying goodbye to the manager, I went home.
A housemaid stood waiting with Zara's 99th gift. It was the deed to the house.
I locked it inside the final empty glass cabinet.
Then, I took out the paper again. On the list of numbers, I wrote the last one, 99.
After that, I flipped the paper over and wrote a short message for Zara.
[The debt between us is settled. We owe each other nothing now. Let's break up.]
I picked up my small bag and left the house.
After buying a plane ticket, I tossed my old phone into a trash bin and walked through the boarding gate.
Zara, let's never meet again for the rest of our lives.
-
At the moment the plane lifted off the ground, Zara rushed into the bedroom with a team of top doctors.
"Joseph, I'm back," she called out. "Let me see your hand. How bad is it?"
The room was empty.
She walked to the desk and noticed the sheet of paper filled with numbers from one to ninety-nine.
The unease in her chest grew stronger.
She picked it up, about to read it carefully.
Just then, a housemaid burst into the room in a panic.
"Ms. Moody, something's wrong! Mr. Houle released a retirement statement. He even attached a medical report about his injury."
Zara froze.
The paper slipped from her hand.
As it fell, it flipped over and revealed the lines written on the back.
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