Chapter 10 At that moment , a sharp , stabbing pain shot through Maxwell's chest . His fingers gripped the edge of the table as he sank back against the sofa , gasping for air . This time , it hurt even more than before . His mind , without warning , was filled with images of Zoey's smiling face . His instincts told him to call her . His hand hovered over the screen , trembled there - hesitating , pausing - before falling back down . He did nothing . He had no right to call her . No right at all . After all , he was the one who'd pushed her away . His fingertips tapped against the table again and again , trying to shake the growing storm of restlessness tightening in his chest . Just then , Nancy walked in from outside . Her smile was perfectly sweet , her white dress carefully chosen and tailored to look innocent and delicate . For a split second , something in Maxwell's heart stirred . It felt ... familiar . Felt like Zoey . Like the way she once stood before him , grinning as she confessed her feelings . Nancy caught the flicker in his eyes - the momentary blur of confusion - and smiled triumphantly . She slid the plane tickets into his hand as though she'd won something . " Maxwell , " she said softly , " I've made up my mind . For our honeymoon ... let's go to the Maldives , okay ? " Maxwell didn't say yes . Didn't say no . Just stared quietly at the tickets . Seeing his silence , Nancy lowered her head , her voice small , her tone just right - vulnerable and pitiful . " I've always wanted to go ... But before ... my dad always said he'd take me when I was older ... and now ... " She let her voice trail off , just the right amount of sadness in her eyes . The way she looked - head bowed , disappointed - pulled at something inside him . But what moved him wasn't her . It was the memory . The memory of Zoey . Whenever Zoey got upset , she'd make that exact same face - pretending to be angry , secretly peeking up at him to gauge his reaction . If he caved and agreed , she'd light up instantly , throw her arms around his neck , and yell , " Maxwell , you are the best man in the whole world ! " The thought made his chest seize , a sharp spasm of pain catching him off guard . Before he could stop himself , the words slipped out . " Okay . " They were , after all , married in name . Even if it was all for show ... might as well play the part . Nancy beamed . She paced the room , practically buzzing with excitement , immediately pulling out her phone to start bragging to her friends She spent the entire afternoon packing - clothes , shoes , cosmetics - filling three massive suitcases . Meanwhile , Maxwell sat there , half - present , half - absent , glancing down at his phone every few seconds ... as though waiting for something . Some call Some message . 1/3 Chapter 13 +25 BONUS Nancy noticed . Her fingers clenched into fists . A sharp , bitter jealousy flashed across her eyes , so quick but so clear . She'd fallen from being the pampered daughter of a wealthy family to the disgraced daughter of a gambling addict . She'd seen all kinds of men in her life . But none ... none had ever made her this obsessed the way Maxwell did . She didn't believe for a second she couldn't tame him . When the luggage was finally ready , Maxwell chartered a private plane to fly them to the Maldives . Throughout the flight , he barely responded to her constant affection . He didn't smile . Didn't touch her . Barely even looked at her . Instead , he sat there - brows drawn tight , jaw tense - eyes shut , like he was trying to block out the entire world . Only when silence completely engulfed the space around him did the knot in his chest finally begin to loosen . Eventually ... he drifted off to sleep . And for once , he looked peaceful . That's when the phone rang . It was Dr. Willow . Nancy glanced at Maxwell , startled . His eyes were closed , his breathing steady . He looked ... comfortable . As if he were finally having a good dream . For a split second , she hesitated . Wake him ... or don't ? But then , she felt fear . What if it was Zoey on the other end ? What if , with just a few sweet words , Zoey pulled him right back again ... undoing everything Nancy had spent so long trying to build ? Her hands trembled slightly as she quietly stepped aside and answered the call . Dr. Willow's voice came through , rushed , panicked , not realizing it wasn't Maxwell on the line . " Mr. Porter ? Are you there ? " he asked . " Listen carefully . Zoey ... Zoey's dead . She's gone . She died on her own . The police are there now , going over the body . Preliminary cause ... her illness worsening ... paired with her emotional state those days ... and ... continuous blood transfusions . Her body couldn't take it anymore . That's what killed her . " Nancy's eyes flew wide open . Her hand went slack . The phone slipped straight out of her fingers and clattered to the floor . She turned sharply - Maxwell stirred slightly in his sleep , his brow twitching . Panic surged through her veins . Because even though she'd only been by his side for a year , she knew - everyone knew - there was one thing in this world Maxwell cared about more than anything . And it was Zoey . Her whole body trembled . She clenched her fists , nails digging into her palms as her mind raced . Dr. Willow was still speaking , still frantically explaining on the other end , but she wasn't listening anymore . Her thoughts were drowning in one truth , ' If he finds out ... if he finds out Zoey is dead ... God knows what kind of disaster will happen . What will happen to me ? ' She didn't dare imagine it . Couldn't . She grabbed the phone again , pressed it to her ear , forcing her voice steady , 2/3 Chapter 10 +25 BONUS " Dr. Willow ... Maxwell knows , " she said , biting down the tremor . " We're on our honeymoon now . He told me ... after we get back ... I'll handle Zoey's funeral arrangements . So ... stop calling . Maxwell doesn't want to hear anything more about that woman . Ever again . " Without waiting for a reply , she hung up . Her back was drenched in cold sweat . She quickly deleted the call record , then carefully placed the phone back where it had been . Right on cue , Maxwell stirred awake . His lashes fluttered slightly . His gaze was unfocused , still dazed from sleep . He blinked ... looked at her silhouette standing by the window . And then , instinctively , he called out , " Zoey ... "