Seven Years of Obsession: Now I Don’t Even Remember Your Name - Chapter 3: Chapter 3
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Hearing Harper speak with such certainty, a flicker of surprise crossed Ruby's eyes, her voice softening with shyness.
"You know about Dylan and me? Does he... actually talk about me a lot?"
Remembering what Jemma had mentioned about Dylan's feelings for Ruby, Harper gave a small nod. "Yeah, all the time."
Ruby's cheeks flushed pink, her eyes brightening with obvious pleasure.
"Dylan was a year ahead of me at NYU. Total BMOC—brilliant, gorgeous, girls practically throwing themselves at him." She smiled at the memory. "But out of nowhere, he fell for me on sight. Chased me for months before I finally caved." Her expression turned nostalgic. "Once we were together, he was such a romantic—walking me to class, camping out with me at the library during finals, filling the entire quad with roses on our anniversaries. He'd get so pissy whenever some guy asked for my number..."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression distant. "We were together for four years. Everyone said I was it for him. He promised me a thousand times he'd put a ring on it after graduation, but I wasn't ready to settle down. I had my own career to build, so I turned him down and broke things off to study in London. But deep down, I always knew he never got over me. That's why I finally decided to come back."
Ruby lowered her voice conspiratorially. "When I landed at JFK, I was honestly freaking out. But seeing him sprint through the terminal in that downpour to grab my bags... I knew nothing had really changed. I've been knocked out with this wicked flu since I got back, and he's been hovering non-stop. I can tell he wants us to try again, but for some reason, he hasn't brought it up. I was worried maybe he had feelings for that stalker girl, which is why I wanted the inside scoop from you."
Harper listened to these stories without any emotional reaction whatsoever. Instead, she offered a reassuring smile. "Someone who's carried a torch for you that long isn't going to rush things now. He's probably planning something epic."
Hearing this, Ruby visibly relaxed. As she waved goodbye, her phone slipped from her hand and splashed into the pond.
Instinctively, she leaned down to grab it, lost her balance, and tumbled headfirst into the water.
Seeing Ruby fall in, Harper froze for a split second before turning her wheelchair to go get help.
Before she could move three feet, Dylan came tearing across the garden and dove straight into the pond without hesitation, pulling Ruby out in one smooth motion.
After sputtering and coughing up several mouthfuls of water, Ruby began to catch her breath. Only then did the raw panic on Dylan's face begin to subside.
Harper witnessed his entire reaction. She was about to call for medical help when Dylan's voice, sharp as a blade, stopped her cold.
"You pushed her in, and now you're trying to sneak away like nothing happened?"
Harper was blindsided by the accusation. "What the hell? She fell trying to grab her phone! I didn't push her—I was going for help!"
Dylan fixed her with a glacial stare, cutting her off.
"Her phone? I step away for five minutes and Ruby somehow ends up by the pond and falls in? Who else would be behind this if not you?"
Without warning, he shoved Harper's wheelchair toward the edge, sending both her and the chair crashing into the water. His voice dripped with contempt.
"I've put up with your obsessive bullshit for Jemma's sake, but Ruby is where I draw the line. Since you clearly can't take a hint, maybe this will finally get through to you!"
He barked orders at nearby security guards, instructing them to keep everyone away.
The icy water flooded Harper's nose and mouth, making her gag and choke violently.
She thrashed desperately in the water, the wound on her leg tearing open, blood clouding the water around her.
As her strength rapidly drained away, pain shot through her entire body. She slowly sank deeper.
In her fading consciousness, the last image she registered was Dylan carrying Ruby away without a backward glance.
Some time later, when Harper finally opened her eyes, she found Jemma hovering over her, face tight with worry.
"I leave for a couple hours and you decide to go swimming? The doctor said if they'd found you a minute later, you might not have made it. Jesus, Harper, you scared the crap out of me."
As memories of what happened flooded back, Harper fell silent.
She wanted to tell Jemma everything, but remembering Dylan was her brother, she bit her tongue.
She shook her head weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
"You know about Dylan and me? Does he... actually talk about me a lot?"
Remembering what Jemma had mentioned about Dylan's feelings for Ruby, Harper gave a small nod. "Yeah, all the time."
Ruby's cheeks flushed pink, her eyes brightening with obvious pleasure.
"Dylan was a year ahead of me at NYU. Total BMOC—brilliant, gorgeous, girls practically throwing themselves at him." She smiled at the memory. "But out of nowhere, he fell for me on sight. Chased me for months before I finally caved." Her expression turned nostalgic. "Once we were together, he was such a romantic—walking me to class, camping out with me at the library during finals, filling the entire quad with roses on our anniversaries. He'd get so pissy whenever some guy asked for my number..."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression distant. "We were together for four years. Everyone said I was it for him. He promised me a thousand times he'd put a ring on it after graduation, but I wasn't ready to settle down. I had my own career to build, so I turned him down and broke things off to study in London. But deep down, I always knew he never got over me. That's why I finally decided to come back."
Ruby lowered her voice conspiratorially. "When I landed at JFK, I was honestly freaking out. But seeing him sprint through the terminal in that downpour to grab my bags... I knew nothing had really changed. I've been knocked out with this wicked flu since I got back, and he's been hovering non-stop. I can tell he wants us to try again, but for some reason, he hasn't brought it up. I was worried maybe he had feelings for that stalker girl, which is why I wanted the inside scoop from you."
Harper listened to these stories without any emotional reaction whatsoever. Instead, she offered a reassuring smile. "Someone who's carried a torch for you that long isn't going to rush things now. He's probably planning something epic."
Hearing this, Ruby visibly relaxed. As she waved goodbye, her phone slipped from her hand and splashed into the pond.
Instinctively, she leaned down to grab it, lost her balance, and tumbled headfirst into the water.
Seeing Ruby fall in, Harper froze for a split second before turning her wheelchair to go get help.
Before she could move three feet, Dylan came tearing across the garden and dove straight into the pond without hesitation, pulling Ruby out in one smooth motion.
After sputtering and coughing up several mouthfuls of water, Ruby began to catch her breath. Only then did the raw panic on Dylan's face begin to subside.
Harper witnessed his entire reaction. She was about to call for medical help when Dylan's voice, sharp as a blade, stopped her cold.
"You pushed her in, and now you're trying to sneak away like nothing happened?"
Harper was blindsided by the accusation. "What the hell? She fell trying to grab her phone! I didn't push her—I was going for help!"
Dylan fixed her with a glacial stare, cutting her off.
"Her phone? I step away for five minutes and Ruby somehow ends up by the pond and falls in? Who else would be behind this if not you?"
Without warning, he shoved Harper's wheelchair toward the edge, sending both her and the chair crashing into the water. His voice dripped with contempt.
"I've put up with your obsessive bullshit for Jemma's sake, but Ruby is where I draw the line. Since you clearly can't take a hint, maybe this will finally get through to you!"
He barked orders at nearby security guards, instructing them to keep everyone away.
The icy water flooded Harper's nose and mouth, making her gag and choke violently.
She thrashed desperately in the water, the wound on her leg tearing open, blood clouding the water around her.
As her strength rapidly drained away, pain shot through her entire body. She slowly sank deeper.
In her fading consciousness, the last image she registered was Dylan carrying Ruby away without a backward glance.
Some time later, when Harper finally opened her eyes, she found Jemma hovering over her, face tight with worry.
"I leave for a couple hours and you decide to go swimming? The doctor said if they'd found you a minute later, you might not have made it. Jesus, Harper, you scared the crap out of me."
As memories of what happened flooded back, Harper fell silent.
She wanted to tell Jemma everything, but remembering Dylan was her brother, she bit her tongue.
She shook her head weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
End of Seven Years of Obsession: Now I Don’t Even Remember Your Name Chapter 3. Continue reading Chapter 4 or return to Seven Years of Obsession: Now I Don’t Even Remember Your Name book page.