Chapter 3

Heidi unlocked the door to Nelson's apartment with her fingerprint. The living room was a mess with takeout boxes piled on the coffee table and clothes strewn across the couch. It was obvious Nelson's boyfriend had returned. Heidi deliberately made noise, clanking around as loudly as possible. Nelson came out of the bedroom, his hair a mess, and was startled to see her. "Holy crap. Didn't you go back to Maverick last night? I thought you two made up and spent the night like newlyweds." Heidi didn't answer. She threw her bag onto the hallway cabinet, kicked off her boots, and plopped down on the couch. Nelson came over and sat next to her, studying her face closely. "What's going on? Did he act like an asshole again?" "He didn't. I just don't think it's working out." Seeing her so defeated, Nelson became upset. "Maverick is really a sicko! He pulls you in, then pushes you away? Does he think you're some kind of pet dog he can just call over whenever he feels like it?" Heidi let out a humorless chuckle. Well, that was exactly what it felt like. A pet dog. The kind that ran happily back to its owner with just a wave of the hand. "No way. I'm calling him. I swear I'll yell at him! Who does he think he is, messing with you like this?" Heidi stopped him. "Don't. It won't help." Frustrated, Nelson stared at her. He got up and gave her leg a light kick. "Heidi, will you please stand up for yourself? What did he even say to you? What's with this look like you've been dead for three days and just came back to life?" Heidi stayed silent for a moment. "He agreed to have a baby." Nelson blinked, stunned. "And then?" "Then, I asked who that woman was. He said…" Heidi straightened up, imitating Maverick's tone with a flat expression. "He said 'There's nothing to explain.'" Nelson laughed in disbelief. He decided to tell Heidi to break up instead of reconciling. He sat back down next to her and patted her on the back. "Sweetie, let me tell you something. When a guy says that, it means the matter is too complicated, he can't be bothered to make up an excuse, and you shouldn't be nosy." Heidi leaned back, staring at the odd, funky light fixture on the ceiling. It suddenly reminded her of her home with Maverick. After they got the keys to the house, she dragged him to a furniture mall. She immediately fell in love with a lamp that looked like a cloud. It was soft and dreamy. Maverick thought it was too extravagant and hard to maintain. Heidi didn't care. She hung onto his arm playfully, saying she wanted that one, and promised to clean it every day. Maverick couldn't say no to her, so in the end, he agreed. When he paid for it, Heidi stood beside him, warmth filling her heart. She thought that even though he usually didn't talk much, he always put her first. On the day they moved in, Maverick took the day off to install the lamp himself. He stood on a ladder while she supported him from below with her neck craned up, not wanting to look away even though her neck hurt. In the evening, he flipped the switch, and the room was instantly filled with dazzling light. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and asked, "Do you like it?" "I love it!" "From now on, this is our home." Heidi closed her eyes. "You should sleep for a bit. You look like a ghost," Nelson sighed and went to grab a blanket to cover her. "By the way…" He picked up his phone from the coffee table. "Remember that number you sent me earlier? I looked it up again." "There was no name matching that number, but I got someone to pull some data from a few social media profiles." Nelson had a decent following and knew plenty of people from all walks of life. "Here's the woman. Her name's Arabella Cannol. Does that name ring a bell?" Heidi hadn't planned on checking the number as she didn't really care who that woman was. No matter who it was, the outcome was still the same. But then, there was that name. Arabella Cannol. … It was the fall of her third year in college when the roads outside her university were blocked completely, not by cars, but by people. A new traffic cop had just transferred over to this area. The young women in the dorm hung out by the window, holding binoculars and gossiping with each other. "That cop is here again. He's so handsome." "He looks so hot in that uniform." "Who's brave enough to ask for his number?" Heidi had just broken up with her ex and was feeling bored with life, so she went along with them, looking out the window too. In the snow, the man stood in a dark uniform, his posture straight like a tree. His hat was pulled down low, but one could still see his sharp jawline. He stood at the intersection, barely speaking and only using hand signals to direct traffic. What a cold and aloof man. Heidi, on impulse, curled her lips. "What's the point of just asking for his number?" Her roommates egged her on, "Why don't you go and make a move?" Heidi raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. The next day, in freezing temperatures, she wore a short skirt and high boots. Carrying a pile of textbooks, she purposely crossed the street where the cop was stationed. She crossed the road back and forth three times. The other male students passing by were so focused on her that they ended up bumping into poles, but the cop didn't even look up. Her roommates, watching from the dorm, were doubled over with laughter. But Heidi didn't get discouraged. She knew that when she set her mind to something, it never slipped through her fingers. Thus, she began studying his schedule, making sure to show up at the cafe near his station at the same time every day. She would sit there all afternoon, watching him over a cup of coffee. The cafe owner even thought she had a thing for him and secretly gave her a discount. Finally, her chance came. Maverick was handling a minor fender bender. The car owner was a petty middle-aged man who wouldn't let the matter go. Heidi walked over with a freshly bought hot coffee, then "accidentally" bumped into the man. The man shrieked in pain and was about to yell at her. However, Maverick furrowed his brow, grabbed Heidi, and pulled her behind him. He then coldly addressed the man. "If you have an issue, be civil about it. Don't take your anger out on a student." That was the first time he spoke. His voice was even more pleasant than she had imagined. After that, it became known across campus that the prettiest student in business management, Heidi Jonassen, was pursuing that handsome traffic cop just outside the campus. Maverick's coworkers teased him about it. "Hey, Mav, that woman's here again." "She's a looker. You're lucky." But Maverick never responded. But one day, Heidi miscalculated the dates, and he was having the day off. She waited for him at the intersection for hours, but he wasn't there. When it started to get dark, and she was about to return to campus defeated, a black SUV pulled up beside her. He had taken off his uniform and was wearing a simple black jacket. His hair looked so much softer without the hat. "Get in." Heidi froze. "It's late. It's not safe for a woman to be out here alone." That night, he drove her back to the dorm. Before she got out, she gathered all her courage and asked, "Do you really find me annoying?" Maverick's fingers on the steering wheel twitched. He was silent for a long time before finally answering, "No." Heidi felt like she had won. She leaned against the window, smiling. "Next time you have a day off, let me know? I'll treat you to a meal, just to thank you for driving me back." Maverick looked at her bright eyes and, for some reason, nodded. They followed each other on social media. Not long after they started dating, Heidi once went to his station to see him and overheard that name. Maverick's aunt, Debra Cadwell, was there. She grabbed Heidi's hand and said affectionately, "Maverick has always been so quiet, but you're so lively and cheerful." She sighed and added, "He's had it rough, with a mom like his. And now, she's got him looking after a younger sister." Heidi was curious. "A younger sister?" "Yeah, his mom's daughter from her second marriage. What's her name again? Arabella. I heard she's always sick and in and out of the hospital." Debra had said it dismissively. "Maverick's mom wants him to take care of her. Can you believe that?" At that time, Heidi was so focused on Maverick that she didn't give it much thought. It was just a stepsister who was always ill. She couldn't possibly pose any danger to Heidi. Later, she met Arabella a few times. They were as different as night and day. Heidi was the fiery one, while Arabella was soft and sweet. There came a time when Maverick went radio silent without answering her calls or messages. When Heidi pressed him, his answers were always the same. They were either "I went home", "I didn't check my phone", or straight up, "Arabella's not feeling well". Heidi felt unwell too. Still, she told herself it was his duty to care for his so-called sister. On their wedding day, Arabella fainted right in the middle of the reception, where everyone was present. Maverick picked her up and rushed off with her, leaving Heidi to spend their wedding night alone. She didn't see him until the next day. Arabella came to her crying and apologizing for what had happened. Heidi bit back her anger but couldn't help huffing in frustration, which earned her a glare from her new husband. At that, she swallowed all the words she had wanted to say. Later, Heidi heard that Arabella had gone abroad, leaving Ashford. Heidi thought that maybe this would all finally be over. But now, looking back, all the details she had ignored started to make sense once Arabella's name came to light. No wonder Maverick would rather fight her for two months than tell her that name. After all, his precious little gem had returned.