What?!

My heart sinks. How does he know about Ryder?

I play the fool. "Ryder?! I don't know who that is. What is it? Why are you asking?" I stand up and walk to the window, pretending to look through my purse.

Max scoffs. "You just said that name. When you were seated."

I hadn't realized I said his name out loud. Shit!

"Oh!" I turn back around smiling. I shake my head and close my eyes for a second. I laugh. "Just ignore me! Since I've been home, my parents tell me I talk to myself from time to time. I guess it's my way of coping with the trauma, you know?"

I look away from him and clear my throat.

"I understand, Sam."

I'm relieved that he believes me.

"Can you sit next to me, please?"

I turn and walk to him, fidgeting with my hands. Max puts his hand out for me to grab.

"So what did they do to you? Did they say they wanted money?" I say trying not to look at him. When I do, he looks sad.

"Yeah, they wanted the reward money! Thirty million dollars. I kept telling them I didn't have it. So every night they came into the room and beat me."

Oh, no!

"What about the money your parents gave them?"

Max scoffs at my question. "Seven hundred dollars? That second night I was beaten so badly. I guess they thought my parents were playing around so they cut off my pinky." Max holds his right hand up. My heart sinks when I see the missing appendage. The area where his finger should've been is covered with tons of gauze.

I start to feel sick to my stomach. Not because Max is missing a finger, but because all of this is indeed, my fault.

He could have died and I am only thinking about myself and my feelings for Ryder. I feel a lump growing in my throat.

"They didn't understand that seven hundred dollars were all my parents had." Max looks away and scoffs. "That money was actually going to be our wedding gift from my parents."

I smile weakly at him.

He continues. "I have a concussion, a broken rib, my missing finger, tons of bumps and stitches, and my stabbing, but you know what, Sammy? I'd do this all over for you. You know that, right?"

I begin to sob and cover it with a laugh. I wipe my eyes and look down. I feel horrible for Max but all I can do is think of Ryder.

I am such a horrible person!

"Thank you, Max," I say placing my hand on his leg. A sympathetic smile is all I can muster up at this time. He places his hand on top of mine.

"So enough about me! Are you okay? I heard they didn't hurt you too badly. Are you relieved to be back home with us?"

"Of course," I say as he lets go of my hand.

If he only knew the time I had spent with my kidnapper, I fell in love.

And I desperately want to be with him now.

"Where else would I rather be?" I ask shrugging my shoulders.

He smiles. "What did they want with you?"

I look toward the door. "Same as you. Money."

Max exhales in annoyance. "Such greed, you know?! This world is going to hell in a handbasket! I am happy you are safe and unhurt. Do the police have any leads about your kidnapping?"

"No, and I don't think they ever will."

Max looks at me confused. "Oh? Why is that?

I want to say I was taken to New Jersey, never once was I harmed, fell in love, but I'll never say that.

"Because I was found in a motel. The perps were smart. They didn't leave any evidence behind."

Max nods and tries to sit up again. He groans a little. Once he gets comfortable, he sighs. "I've been dreaming of the day that I can have you in my arms and kiss you again."

I smile at him as panic rises within me.

Please don't ask me for a kiss!

"May I have a kiss?"

I freeze.

I am still technically engaged to this man. What he wants isn't so far-fetched. However, I don't have to give him one, right?

It's then that I look down and realize I still have my engagement ring on.

I had it on the entire time!

Not once did I look at it when I was in New Jersey. I remembered thinking of Max from time to time. Debating when I returned if I would end it after I realized I loved Ryder. I never looked at the ring though.

Max waves his hand in front of my face. "Earth to Samantha Hallowell? Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course!" I stand and quickly kiss him on the cheek.

"No, beautiful. I want a real kiss," he says looking serious.

I don't want to kiss him at all! It feels like a betrayal to Ryder, but I don't want anyone suspecting anything. Especially Max.

I bend over and place my lips on his. I am gentle and try not to move. He has a cut on his bottom lip.

Once I sit back down, he sighs and smiles.

"I love you so much! I can't wait until we are married. You will make me the happiest man on earth!"

My heart sinks. I don't want to marry him.

Ryder, where are you?

I decide to go straight to my house from the hospital.

When I left Max, he was being questioned by detective Ramos.

Man, he's a prick! Then again, he's only doing his job.

Pulling up to my driveway, I notice the sun is already going down. It's been such a long day.

I hadn't been to my home since I got back.

I just need to see if Rhonda and Rachel are right about the changing of my will. If it's true, then I'm definitely right about Max. He will make an amazing husband!

It's just that I won't be his wife.

I'm so happy to live in a gated community. No media asking me a million and one questions. No flashing lights from photographers.

I just pray as I walk to my front door, that my neighbors aren't waiting around for me to talk. If they are, they will see a whole new Samantha.

An unpleasant one.

I walk into the house and it's just like I left it. Very much clean but unfurnished. No doubt Mom had her staff in here cleaning every week. I instantly get depressed as I look around.

The house is new. Very new! It looks like they've finished construction.

It looks almost too new in some strange way.

It's as if it has been rolled off a production line, but they had forgotten to apply the mandatory layer of color to it. The windows are huge and I still haven't hung any curtains or blinds on the first floor.

Up until recently, I didn't feel the need to live in privacy. I'll definitely have to get someone in here to install shutter blinds.

Only the sofa sits in the living room. Thanks to Max, the fifty-inch flatscreen television is hanging above the fireplace. Nothing else. Not even a figurine or a picture.

I do have a dining room table and the white, marble kitchen has all the accessories it needs.

It's just that after being with Ryder, this place feels alien to me. Like it isn't even mine.

I make my way upstairs to my office and look for the manila envelope containing my will. I sit on my swivel chair and find the envelope on my desk. It's sitting on top of my keyboard.

Sighing, I remove my hair tie from my hair and scratch my scalp. I then grab the envelope, hitting the keyboard. The monitor comes on.

The wallpaper on the monitor is a picture of Max and me. We are both grinning from ear to ear wearing match white and red snow gear.

I had taken him snowboarding in Colorado because he had never been. He had fallen trying to snowboard. I threw myself on top of him and took that picture.

My heart breaks as I continue to stare at it. He really doesn't deserve the heartbreak I am going to give him.

Opening and scanning the document, I see the twins are right! The will states that everything I own will go to my parents, in the event of my death. Max will only keep the flower shop.

Such a noble thing for Max to do, I think as I put the will down on the desk. But it's not enough! I will break it off with him once he leaves the hospital. He needs to concentrate on his health, of course.

But what if Ryder never comes back? What if he's dead? Or worse, he wants nothing to do with me?

It still doesn't change things. I'm with another man.

But it only proves that I was never in love with Max in the first place. I don't deserve him. Especially when my heart belongs to someone else.

The wedding is off.

We will remain, friends, if that's what Max wants.

Nothing more, nothing less.