Hannah had been fed up with Bella's whining about the trip for the second week in a row. No matter how many times she explained that she simply didn't feel like staying in the mountains, her roommate wouldn't give up. Hannah wanted to use the vacation to spend some quiet time with her mother.
"Please," Bella had begged, her voice filled with urgency. "It's a month-long vacation! You'll still have three whole weeks to enjoy your family. This is a chance for a spark between you and Joseph. Don't you want to regret later that you destroyed such an opportunity? Trips are the best way to get closer to the person you care about."
The nineteen-year-old shot her a sharp look, her patience thinning.
"Tell me… why do you want so badly for me to go too?"
"What a stupid question!" Bella jumped up, feigning indignation. She hooked her arm through Hannah's and batted her eyelashes in a deliberately charming manner. "I'd rather not be the only girl in their company. You're the one they have their eyes on. I'm just starting something with Tom. Besides, going away without a friend is like… not taking your favorite underwear with you."
What a ridiculous comparison, Hannah thought, suppressing a laugh that threatened to escape her lips.
"Friends?" she repeated quietly, her heart secretly lifting at the word.
"Well, yes… don't tell me you'd rather not be friends with me. I don't think my character is that terrible?"
Hannah shook her head hastily.
"I'm just glad you think of me that way."
The corner of her mouth lifted. It was the first time someone her age had ever called her a friend. She had thought she had female friends before, but they had always turned out to be false, whispering behind her back and betraying her trust. Since childhood, the only true friend she had known was the boy next door, who had moved abroad just before high school.
But now, she had Bella. She had someone she could confide in, someone who offered advice, someone who made her feel less alone.
"I'll think about this trip," she promised softly, "and by Christmas, I'll give you my answer. Agreed?"
"Let it be," Bella replied with satisfaction.
The girls left the store and headed toward the parking lot. Hannah opened the trunk, carefully placing the wrapped gifts inside.
"Damn! I forgot something!" Bella exclaimed dramatically, folding her hands as if in prayer. "Please, give me two minutes. I'll be right back."
"All right. I'm in no hurry."
The blonde dashed back to the store, and Hannah only sighed, shaking her head. Bella was forever with her head in the clouds, forgetting something at every turn.
The nineteen-year-old closed the trunk and glanced around. Only then did she notice that the parking lot had grown eerily deserted. The air was sharp with December's icy breath, and the bitter wind cut through her coat. She pulled her scarf higher over her face and moved toward the car, eager for the small shelter of its warmth.
"How is it possible you're still alive, stupid bitch?"
The male voice came from behind, harsh and venomous. Hannah froze. Slowly, she turned her head, her brows knitting in confusion, and caught sight of a tall figure in a dark hood, his face obscured by the shadows.
"Who are you?" she asked cautiously, her voice trembling. "Do we know each other?"
"Are you really going to play dumb, Hannah?" He closed the distance between them in a single stride and grabbed her forearm with brutal force. She struggled to wrench herself free, but his grip was iron. With terrifying ease, he jerked her around like a rag doll. "I thought I was imagining things the last time I saw you. And yet—you're really alive. How did you make it?"
"Let me go," she demanded, her voice sharper than she felt, though her heart pounded painfully against her ribs. "How do you even know my name?"
"Before, you were an emotionless bitch. But I see with age you've gained a sense of humor."
Her thoughts raced. Could he be talking about her twin? That was the only explanation that made sense. Danielle had used her name once.
"I'm not Danielle. You must be confusing me with my sister."
"What Danielle? What the hell are you talking about?" he shouted, shoving her to the ground. Pain shot through her knee as it scraped against the concrete. He yanked her back up by her jacket, too roughly, making her wince. "What game are you playing, Hannah? Did you really think that after I got out of prison, I'd just let you walk free? She's dead! She died because of you! And here you are, strolling around like nothing happened!"
He seized her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes, before shoving her back down. Hannah fell hard, pain searing her spine. For a moment, she couldn't even move.
"I really don't know who you are," she whispered desperately, tears welling.
"Still pretending?"
He crouched, gripping her collar tightly, his face close to hers, eyes filled with hate. That was when she recognized him. She had seen him before—the boy on the street who had glared at her with such inexplicable loathing.
"I'm sure you've mistaken me for my dead sister," she stammered, her voice breaking. "I swear I don't know you."
He studied her closely, as if searching her soul for deception. The longer he looked, the more uncertain he seemed.
"Let's say you are her twin. Then explain why your name is Hannah."
Her mind spiraled back to Jin's warning words. What if Danielle had really pretended to be her? Not out of longing, but to escape responsibility? To leave Hannah with her sins?
"I think… I think she tried to set me up. But I swear—I'm not the person you think I am."
He loosened his grip at last, and Hannah frantically wiped the tears from her cheeks, shaking in terror.
"Leave her, you bastard, or I'll kill you!"
Bella's panicked voice cut through the night. A second later, the blonde swung a newly purchased frying pan with surprising force, cracking it against the stranger's head. He staggered, clearly dazed.
"What did that scoundrel do to you? Who is he?" Bella cried, crouching at her side. Her eyes widened at the sight of Hannah's torn knee. "That wanker hurt you!"
Hannah watched in shock as Bella launched herself at the boy, clutching his hair like a wildcat. He flailed to defend himself and—whether by accident or intention—his elbow rammed into her stomach. Bella gasped in agony, doubling over.
The hooded boy bolted into the night.
"Bella!" Hannah crawled toward her, pressing her tear-streaked cheek to her friend's shoulder. "Are you all right? I'm so sorry. This is all because of me. You shouldn't have stood up for me."
"Come on," Bella groaned, still clutching her stomach. "That bastard is lucky I didn't kill him with a frying pan."
Through her tears, Hannah gave a trembling laugh.
"Was it because of the frying pan that you went back to the store?"
"At the last minute, I remembered the housekeeper. I think the devil himself tempted me to leave you alone at such a late hour."
*
The girls had decided to leave the gifts they had bought in the trunk of the car. It was already late, and they did not wish to attract unnecessary attention with their appearance. Hannah was limping on one leg, the pain in her knee worsening with every step, while Bella clutched her stomach, convinced that her insides had been torn apart.
"Promise me you won't tell Tom about what happened in front of the store. He won't be able to keep his mouth shut, and I don't want Joseph to hear about it. I know he won't let it go," Hannah insisted as they stepped inside the dormitory. Her voice trembled, carrying both exhaustion and fear. "I just want to forget about it."
"Are you out of your mind?" Bella spun toward her, her eyes wide with indignation as they climbed the stairs. "If I hadn't been with you, there's no telling what else that man might have done! He attacked you, Hannah. Look at the state he left us in!"
"I know, Bella. I'm sorry you got hurt because of me. But I can't stand the thought of police or statements. The very idea makes my skin crawl." Hannah's voice dropped, heavy with dread. "I know the store must have cameras, but what if they didn't catch anything? It was at the far end of the parking lot, and it was already dark…"
Bella stared at her as though she had lost her senses.
"You want to forgive that man? You're just going to let him go free after he attacked you for no reason?"
"He knew who I was," Hannah whispered, lowering her eyes. "He mistook me for my dead sister. Apparently, he still has unresolved issues with her."
Bella froze mid-step, confusion flashing across her face.
"You had a twin sister?"
"It's a long story," Hannah murmured. "Maybe I'll tell you tonight if I can't sleep. All I'll say is that my sister was the devil incarnate, and I feel like she left enemies everywhere. And now I'm paying the price."
Her roommate sighed, slipping an arm protectively around her shoulders.
"Why should you suffer for her mistakes? You've got too good a heart, Hannah."
"Someone once told me that I was weak," she admitted softly. "And maybe he was right."
Later that night, Bella emerged from the bathroom with a pale face and trembling hands. The frightened look in her eyes told Hannah everything before she even spoke. She lingered by the front door as though preparing to barricade it, her phone buzzing relentlessly in her grip.
"Sorry. I couldn't keep quiet in front of Tom… and of course, he couldn't keep his tongue either." Her voice cracked with panic. "He just texted me—Joseph's furious, and he's on his way here. He says he's going to kill you."
"What?" Hannah's hair practically bristled in fear. She sat up sharply in bed, her eyes wide with horror. "Bella, lock the door quickly before—"
But it was already too late.
The door burst open with the force of a storm, slamming against the wall. Joseph barreled inside, his presence like a violent gust of wind. Bella stumbled backward, shoved aside by accident, and fell hard onto the floor. Hannah's heart leapt into her throat as he strode toward her bed, his face twisted in a possessive fury. If this were a fairy tale, she thought with terror, smoke would be curling from his ears.
"How many times have I told you not to go shopping so late?" His voice was terrifyingly calm, the kind of calm that preceded an explosion. "How many times have I warned you that something like this would happen if you kept being so stubborn?"
Hannah snatched up a hair slide from her nightstand and pointed it at him like a weapon.
"Don't come any closer! I swear I'll gouge your eyes out. If you don't leave right now, I'll scream, and when they find you here at this hour in the girls' dorm, you'll be thrown out." Her voice shook, but she tried to sound fierce.
Joseph ignored her threats. Like a predator toying with its prey, he seized her by the ankle and yanked her out from under the quilt. Her pajama leg slid up, revealing the injured knee.
"There it is. That damn pink cat again," he muttered darkly, eyeing the "Hello Kitty" print on her pajamas. "Are all your pajamas plastered with this stupid thing?"
She said nothing, staring at him with wide, helpless eyes as he pulled a small ointment from his pocket.
"You took care of me last time. Now it's my turn."
Hannah held her breath as he crouched before her, tending to the wound with startling gentleness. The sting of the ointment burned, but in a strange, disorienting way, the pain was sweet—because Joseph was the one tending to her.
From the floor, Bella frowned, watching her roommate's lovestruck expression. Hannah gazed at Joseph as though he were a masterpiece hanging in a gallery, her entire soul pulled toward him. Bella shook her head. There was no doubt now—Hannah would definitely agree to the mountain trip.
The spell broke when Joseph tapped Hannah lightly on the forehead.
"Sometimes you should knock yourself in that little head of yours," he said sharply. "Because I'm starting to think you're getting dumber as you get older. You can't be trusted to take care of yourself at all."
Hannah pouted like a child as he tossed the ointment onto her bed.
"Apply this three times a day. Maybe then you'll heal properly."
"It's not my fault," she muttered defensively. "He mistook me for my sister. I can't help it that I look exactly like my dead twin. Nothing really happened—he just got the wrong person."
Joseph's jaw tightened. He raised his hands as though fighting the urge to shake her, then bit down his anger with visible effort.
"I'd better leave before I lose it completely," he growled, striding to the door. But as he passed Bella, he paused. "And you…"
Bella lifted her face warily.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not about to take care of your stomach too. You're just as reckless as she is. The two of you deserve each other."
He stormed out, slamming the door so hard it rattled the walls.
The room fell into silence. The girls exchanged a long look, both catching their breath.
"He's a monster," Bella finally said, breaking into a silly laugh. "But God, he's attractive. No wonder you lost your head over him."
"I don't know…" Hannah grimaced, curling her knees up like a sulking child. "I think my heart made a huge mistake. Would you really want a husband like that? I'd be terrified to go home knowing such a tyrant was waiting for me."
"You exaggerate," Bella shrugged. "He's narcissistic, sure, but only because he cares. That's his way of showing it. He's in love with you, Hannah."
"Well-loved," Hannah muttered bitterly. "Perfect. Almost like a prince on a white horse."
*
Hannah stepped into her room, ready to pack before leaving the dorm, but froze on the threshold when her roommate startled her. A blonde woman, absurdly disguised in a reindeer mask, screamed right in her face. Hannah almost had a heart attack. She clutched her chest with a trembling hand, her eyelids squeezed shut as she tried to steady her racing heartbeat.
"Bella! I've told you a thousand times—you're going to drive me to the grave with this nonsense."
"Merry Christmas, my beautiful roommate!" Bella cried and threw her arms around her, squeezing her tightly until Hannah's lips finally curved into a reluctant smile. "We don't know each other well enough yet to guess every detail about one another, but I hope my gift isn't a disaster."
She handed Hannah a cardboard box wrapped in festive paper and finished with a delicate pink bow.
"Thank you. I hope mine won't disappoint you either." Hannah reached under her bed and pulled out a neatly wrapped parcel for Bella. "And to make you happy, I've decided to go to the mountains after all—just for your sake. I couldn't leave you alone with those awful creatures."
The girls burst into laughter, the tension of the semester momentarily forgotten.
"You know…" Bella said, lowering her voice with sudden worry, "I'm not sure Tom will like what I bought. What if I disappoint him?"
"He'd be happy even if you gave him a straw. I got him something funny," Hannah said with a shrug. "He has a great character. You've got nothing to worry about."
"And what did you get for the devil?" Bella asked with raised brows.
Hannah crossed her arms over her chest, a mysterious smile curving her lips.
"Something that matches his hellish personality. I only hope he doesn't kill me when he sees it."
Bella shuddered. Whatever her roommate had planned, she didn't want to know. Hannah's ideas were always unpredictable—too much so for Bella's nerves.
Their conversation was interrupted when Joseph entered the room, carrying a package. His sudden presence made both girls glance over their shoulders.
"Speak of the wolf," Hannah murmured.
"Girl, I've got something for you." Joseph's mischievous smile gave him away—he was plotting something, no doubt about it.
"Perfect," Hannah replied, her eyes lighting up. "Because I've got something for you too."
Bella wasted no time. She grabbed Tom's gift and dashed out of the room, unwilling to play audience to their little games.
Hannah pulled out from beneath her bed a ridiculously large package, nearly equal to her own height. Joseph laughed outright, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It's a hard life when you're one-sixty-three. How is your gift the same size as you?" He pressed his own package into her hands, still grinning.
Hannah tore away the white paper, only to narrow her eyes when she caught his amused gaze fixed on her.
"You'll be thrilled," Joseph teased.
Her mouth dropped open when she uncovered a pink Hello Kitty package filled with children's cosmetics. "Age-wise, it's just right for you," he added with a shrug, his grin widening as she glared at him.
"You have a hopeless sense of humor. But my gift suits you perfectly." Her eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Open it, devil."
Joseph ripped away the paper, then clapped a hand over his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing.
"Well?" Hannah demanded, her face glowing with uncontainable pride. "How do you like it? I nearly broke my back dragging it to the dorm."
"This… is the best gift I've ever received." He held up a rod from which dangled a grotesque black, hairy devil. "It'll fit perfectly in my dark room."
Hannah's heart swelled with pride.
"I know you too well." She turned her back to set the gift aside on the bed.
But Joseph caught her hand, tugging her back toward him. She stared up at him, confused, searching his expression as his other hand slid into his pocket.
When he pulled out a small box embossed with the golden lettering of a luxury brand, her breath hitched. Hannah blinked rapidly, unable to comprehend what he was about to do.
Joseph opened the box and revealed a gleaming bracelet. Without hesitation, he slipped it onto her slender wrist.
"Never take it off," he said quietly, his voice firm. "My initials are on it. That means you're mine now."
Hannah stared at the letters JS engraved into the delicate metal. For a long moment, she couldn't find her voice. Her gaze finally lifted to his, and warmth flooded through her like a tidal wave, her pulse hammering in her ears.
She didn't understand him. He was mercurial—tender one moment, unbearable the next. What exactly did he expect from her?
If he continued like this, she thought, he would surely kill her the next time he came too close. Her fragile heart would never withstand it.