I waited for Mom's arrival at the Cafe where we had agreed to meet. I intentionally asked Dylan to wait for me in the car because I wanted Mom to feel comfortable discussing anything with me. I waved as I saw Mom entering the cafe. She smiled briefly before walking toward me.
“I've already ordered your drink. Is there anything else you want?”
Mom shook her head.
“I want to meet you for just one reason,” Mom started.
I held my breath, waiting for Mom's next words.
“I want to say thank you to you for everything, Bella. In the past weeks, you have become my one and only friend, making me feel like I'm not alone. Your support is what has kept me going. I'll never make it if it's not because of you.”
Wait, why do I feel like this is goodbye?
“Why are you saying this? Is anything happening to you? Tell me. I can help whatever it is,” I urged.
Mom shook her head.
“I've had enough. I'm sorry, but I won't marry Thomas anymore.”
I was stunned. My eyes widened. My heart almost stopped at Mom's words.
“You... what? Why?”
“I want to pursue my dream. I think this is the best for me and my kids,” Mom answered. I shook my head.
“Wait, this is not right. You and Thomas love each other. So why did you do this? Is there another reason? Please tell me,” I pressed.
“There's no other reason. This is my sole decision. Thomas deserves someone else. I'm not suited for him. A nice guy like him should be with a nice girl, and I'm not a nice person,” Mom said calmly.
“No. That's not true. You deserve happiness. Thomas is the right one for you. I believe he'll think the same as me. You and Thomas are both good people. Please don't do this.”
“I've made up my mind. And Thomas will probably hate me a lot.”
“No. He won't. I...”
“Excuse me, miss?” A server interrupted my words.
“What?”
“There's someone who wants to meet you. She waited right there. I'll show you the way.”
At this time? I sighed.
“Fine.”
“We're not finished yet. Wait for me here. I'll be fast,” I said to Mom as I followed the server. Upon reaching the table, there was no one there except for a black leather-bound book with a yellow sticky note attached.
I furrowed my brow, reading what was written on that note.
Hey Belle, I want to meet you right now, but it'll be dangerous for both of us. So I leave this here. You'll need this.
Without wasting time, I immediately picked it up and returned to Mom's table, but Mom was no longer there. Panicked, I rushed out to look for Mom and saw a taxi already leaving.
I sighed disappointedly. My thoughts were in disarray. What had happened? Was it because of me? No. I can't let Mom and Dad's relationship end like this. What should I do?
“Hanna!” Dylan ran toward me. Beside him was...
“Dad? I mean, Thomas?”
Dad was panting as if he had just run a hundred meters.
“Did you see her? Where is she?”
“She just left,” I said slowly.
Dad sat down. He covered his face with disappointment, his shoulders trembling. Tears streamed down his face.
“She leaves me. She'll never come back again,” Dad said in despair.
“Hanna, open this door.” Dylan knocked on the door of the room repeatedly. I'm sitting beside the window. I hug my knees, hide my face, and cry alone.
The conversation I had with Dad earlier still echoes in my mind.
“What do you mean? What happened?” I ask Dad.
“She took the money and left,” Dad explains with a sorrowful face.
“What money?”
“My dad gave it to her as a condition for leaving me. I don't know what he said to that pitiful girl, but then she took the money and left just like that.”
I look at Dylan. I'm still do not understand.
“Hanna, Thomas' dad, is not just the usual person. His father is Richard Stephen. The most powerful and rich person in this country,” Dylan explains.
What? I look at Dad in disbelief.
“Don't be overboard. He's not my real father. He's a monster. He thinks he can control me whenever he wants. I planned to start a new life with her without his help. I want to prove to him that I can do better even without his money. But now I lose her. How should I continue my life after this?” Dad wipes his tears.
All of my life, I never saw Dad cry like that because of Mom. It's all my fault. If I hadn't interfered, and if I hadn't come into their lives, would everything be different? Now, because of me, I'll lose my siblings forever. They won't exist if Mom and Dad don't get married. What have I done?
My gaze is fixated on the black leather-bound book on the bed. Anger burns within me. If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have lost Mom. I could have surely persuaded Mom until Dad arrived. With anger, I get up and grab the book. Just as I'm about to throw it, I see the word "diary" written on the first page. My brow furrows.
A diary? Bella's diary?
Slowly, I read through each page, and my facial expression changes.
My ears catch the sound of Dylan opening the door to my room with a spare key, and the door opens slowly.
“Hanna, Thank God. Are you okay?” Dylan approaches me. I step back quickly.
“Stay away from me,” I say, holding back various emotions within me. The room seems to spin around me, and the sound of my heartbeat echoes in my ears. Tears fall from my eyes.
“Hanna, what's wrong?”
Without answering his question, I act, grabbing the glass jug on the nearby table and smashing it to the floor.
“Hanna! What are you doing?” Dylan screams in shock.
I pick up a shard of glass and hold it toward him.
“Who... who are you?” I ask, my lips trembling.
I see Dylan tremble, his normally steady hands shaking as if caught in a violent storm. His eyes widened upon hearing my question.
“Hanna, I can explain...”
“Then explain!”
“I... I... I'm sorry... I'm not lying. My feelings for you are real. It's just... I've no choice.” Dylan bows his head.
I laugh.
“No choice? You knew the truth! You knew Bella had been abused, and that James was evil. You knew that! Bella says you're James's spy. Then the first time I met you... It's not a coincidence, isn't it? James probably asked you to spy on me, isn't it? Why? Why did he do that?”
Dylan looks at me with teary, red eyes.
“James... James married Bella because of his inheritance. If he doesn't, then he can't get it. That's the condition. But after marrying Bella, James finds out that the inheritance is in Bella's name. From the beginning, that never belonged to him. Out of rage, James plans to make Bella look like a cheater by using me. After that, he plans to kill her,” Dylan explains.
“Wow, such a monster.”
“But my feelings for you are real, Hanna.”
“Shut up. What about me, then? Did he believe me? The fact that I'm from the future?”
“He never believed in you, Hanna. But he did ask me to investigate the truth about you.”
I fall silent. It all makes sense now.
“He's not a normal person, Hanna. He's a psychopath. He never allows me to touch you because, to him, you're...”
“His toy...” I continue.
“Hanna, please. I never thought of killing you. I already have plans to run away with you. Let's run together, Hanna. I'll make you happy. I promise.”
“Let me go.”
“What?”
“I said, let me go now.”
“No, I can't. If I do that, I'll lose you forever. I don't want to lose you, Hanna. Please, I'm begging you. Don't leave me. I can do anything to prove to you that I'm on your side. Please...” Dylan says it with a shaky voice, his lips trembling. His breaths come in shallow gasps, each one a struggle against the overwhelming tide of emotions crashing over him.
A tear falls from his eyes, a sign that he is genuinely afraid of losing me.
I know. I know his feeling is real, and I know he didn't have intentions to kill me. But looking at his vulnerable state right now, I can imagine what would happen to him if I returned to the future later. Probably this is the best.
I grip my hands. Strengthened my heart.
“If you don't allow me to leave right now, I'll kill myself.” I place the glass shard on my wrist.
“Hanna, don't! Please, I'm begging you. Please...” Dylan kneels, pleading.
“I said let me go.” I remain firm.
After a few moments of crying in front of me, Dylan nods with a broken heart.
“Fine. You can go. But... Can I hug you for the last time? Please...” Dylan requests, his voice tremble. 
I nod.
Dylan quickly steps toward me and pulls me into his embrace. His hug is so tight, as if he doesn't want to let go of me.
“I'm sorry,” he whispers repeatedly. Not wanting to get carried away by emotions, I break the embrace and walk away, leaving Dylan sitting there, sobbing. As soon as I leave the house, I sit down and cry uncontrollably, releasing all the pent-up emotions. My heart shatters at seeing Dylan's sad face. I don't want to leave him, but I gradually realize that staying with Dylan longer will only make me greedy. Greedy for wanting more time with him.
“Bella...”
I lift my head. Daniel.
“Let's go.”