If I Disappear Will You Be Happy? Novel by Celeste Nightshade _ Novel





If I Disappear Will You Be Happy? Chapter 01

When I was seventeen, a burning beam fell on my head as I tried to rescue Callum Gardner from a fire.
I survived, but the injury left me with permanent cognitive impairment.
To pay for my rehab, he dropped out of school and worked every grueling job he could find.
Ten years later, Callum was the youngest, most successful entrepreneur in Los Angeles, while I was still the fool who needed him to tie my laces and feed me.
He started coming home later and later. And whenever he looked at me, all I saw in his eyes was disgust.
Then one day, I accidentally broke the music box that his assistant, Christina Stevens, had given him.
For the first time ever, he snapped at me and dragged me up to the rooftop.
He told me to jump from the 50th floor.
I didn’t understand why he said that. I only knew that I was only rewarded if I behaved.
I had been afraid of heights since I was a kid, but right then, I was even more afraid that he would abandon me.
So I smiled and stepped backward.
“Don’t be mad, Cal. I’ll do whatever you say.”
***
The moment my body tipped back, a strong hand yanked me forward.
I stumbled into his arms, and before I could regain my balance, his hand struck my cheek.
“Are you insane? You fall from here, and you die! Do you not even know what death is?” Callum yelled, his voice breaking.
My cheek stung, and only then did I start to shake in fear. I couldn’t tell if it was from almost falling or from being yelled at.
Even so, I raised my hand, wanting to wipe the tears gathering at the corner of his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Cal.”
But he shoved me away. “Idiot, is ‘sorry’ the only word you know?”
At that moment, the rooftop door swung open.
Christina rushed in, eyes wide with panic. She took one look at us and went pale.
“Callum, are you out of your mind? Why would you bring her somewhere like this?” she bellowed, her voice hoarse.
“If something happened to her, they’d treat it as abetment of suicide. You’d go to prison!”
Then she grabbed Callum’s arm and pulled him into her arms.
“If you get locked up, what am I supposed to do?”
Callum finally broke. He collapsed against her shoulder and started sobbing.
“I don’t know… I’m just so tired…”
Watching his trembling back, I suddenly realized—for the past ten years, I had become the source of all his pain.
When he calmed down, he finally noticed the big scrape on my knee. A hint of guilt flashed in his eyes.
“Winnie, does it hurt? I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
He helped me up, and the three of us headed downstairs together.
Back home, Callum grabbed the first-aid kit. Just like he had done countless times before, he carefully cleaned and bandaged my wound.
But this time, even though his hands moved with the same practiced ease, his eyes held nothing but exhaustion.
When he finished, he handed me a piece of candy and gently said, “Stay home and behave.”
Then he left with Christina.
Curious, I tiptoed to the door, cracked it open, and caught bits of their conversation.
“Christy, I’m exhausted. As long as she’s alive, I won’t have a single day of peace.
“You know what? A moment ago, when she was standing on the edge, I actually thought that after she jumped, maybe I should jump too…”

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