Whispers Carved Into the Wind 4

Chapter 4 

Word got around the hospital fast-Reid flew in shrinks from all over the world just to make sure Riley was okay after the drowning. 

After one of her sessions, Riley got all cute and said she wanted to share an apple with him. 

Callum’s voice went soft. “Nah, bad luck to split fruit.” 

‘Riley, don’t wanna jinx us.” 

The second he said it, this random memory hit him- 

sunny afternoon. Wind chimes by the window. Flowers smelling sweet outside. 

Some girl took a bite of the apple he was holding, then just shoved the rest in his mouth without asking. 

‘ast him suddenly looked horrified. “You can’t do that! Splitting food means splitting up! Are you trying to leave me?!” 

`he girl stared at him like he was crazy. But her face was all blurry, like he was looking through frosted glass. 

Wow, you’re really that scared of losing me?” 

Yeah. And I’m never letting you go.” 

Callum pressed his hand to his chest. His heart was pounding. 

n that memory, he’d been obsessed with her. Like if he let go, his whole life would fall apart. 

Who was that? 

ivian? 

hat annoying, anxious feeling crashed over him again. Worse than ever. 

ike something really important was slipping away. 

uddenly, he thought back to the engagement party. The kidnapping. 

When he saw Vivian and Riley get thrown in the ocean, it felt like someone was crushing his heart. He didn’t think. His body 1st moved. And then he jumped in. 

le saw Vivian pull Riley to the surface. Saw her push Riley onto the driftwood. Then she sank like a rock. 

lis brain told him to save Riley first. She was his fiancée. Saving the person you love makes sense. 

Vivian had security around. Someone would get her. She’d be fine. 

But his body pulled him the other way. Toward that dark, endless blue where Vivian disappeared. 

That’s wrong. 

Even if they grew up together. Even if his parents and Vivian herself said he always treated her like a sister-she shouldn’t matter this much. 

But what if that memory was real? What if it really was Vivian? 

Then what was she to him? 

Callum stood up fast. His chair scraped loud against the floor. 

iley looked confused. He cleared his throat. “I’m gonna go check on Vivian.” 

He barely took two steps before Riley grabbed his sleeve. 

Her eyes were red. “If you go see her… are you leaving me?” 

le didn’t get why she was upset, but he softened his voice. “Don’t worry. I just need to ask her something.” 

s he remembering? Riley’s chest felt tight. If he finds Vivian, will he still care about me? 

he couldn’t risk it. Her voice shook. “My head hurts so bad…” 

Callum saw right through it. But he still let her lean against him, rubbing her back while he called the doctor. 

‘his wasn’t the first time. Every time he mentioned Vivian, Riley would suddenly “feel sick” and distract him. 

After a while, Callum started noticing the pattern. 

iley was scared of Vivian. 

But if Vivian really was just his childhood friend, why would Riley be this paranoid? 

crazy thought popped into his head. He shut it down fast. 

f he’d loved Vivian before, wouldn’t she have stopped him from being with Riley? 

He brushed Riley’s hair back and watched her eyelashes tremble. She wasn’t asleep. He knew it. 

iley’s the one I fell for. Even if I figure out the truth about Vivian, what’s gonna change? 

t’ll just hurt Riley. Not worth it. 

Callum decided to drop it. He kept taking care of Riley like always. 

But the more he tried not to think about it, the more his mind wandered.