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Chapter 6
Emily woke up in the hospital–again. Another emergency surgery. Three brutal hours to pull out the shards of glass buried deep in her skin, lilor cruel
reminders of how far she’d fallen.
After a few days of recovery, she signed herself out.”
rself out. There were still things she needed to take care of
She pulled a chunk of cash from the bank and contacted a small rehab center on the outskirts of Cresthaven.
With a generous donation and a promise to buy them a new ventilator, she made them agree to take in her brother Ethan–no names, no records. Full confidentiality. The director jumped at the deal. They’d finalize the paperwork once she secured new identities for both of them.
She couldn’t take Ethan with her, not yet. But this… this would buy him time. Safety. A life.
She headed to his room to tell him.
But as she turned the comer, she saw a commotion–Ethan’s caregiver wrestling with a middle–aged couple outside the door.
“Ms: Harper, thank God!” the nurse cried out. “They’re trying to steal Mr. Ethan’s ventilator!”
Emily rushed forward and shoved the couple back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? This is a hospitall
“You touch me again and I’ll have my son–in–law ruin you!” the woman shrieked, pushing her hard. “My son needs that ventilator! Move!” Emily stumbled and hit the floor, vision spinning.
And then she heard ft.
That voice
“Look at you,” Sophia said, arms crossed and smirking down at her. “Still so pitiful.
Emily’s chest clenched
lator? It’s our
‘s ours now
Sophia tilted her head. “You can’t stop them. That ventilator?
She turned to the bodyguards nearby. “You heard me. Move.”
The men stormed past, pinning the nurse down as they marched into Ethm’s room.
“No!” Emily screamed, scrambling to her feet and sprinting after them. “Don’t touch him!”
She threw herself in front of Ethan, as wide, blocking their path. “You take one more step, and I swear to God
Sophia’s mother suddenly dropped to the floor in a dramatic heap, wailing like she’d been hit by a truck.
“Emily shoved me!” she cried, hand on her chest, fake tears flowing “She pushed me twice!”
Sophia rushed over, wrapping an arm around her. “Oh my God, are you okay, Mom? Emily, what is wrong with you?”
Alex walked in then, taking in the scene with a look of mild irritation. “What’s going on heret,
Sophia was quick to strike. Forget the ventilator. My brother’s not even that bad off. But Emily? She’s unhinged. She attacked my mother, twice. You saw
Alex’s jaw tightened. His eyes flicked to the guards. “You really can’t handle one woman?
That was all they needed.
One of them yanked Emily aside by the arm as the others tore the ventilator from Ethan’s body
“No! Stop!/
Alex, please!” she begged, voice cracking “He won’t survive without it!
Alex’s stare was ice. “Still running your mouth? Haven’t you learned your place yet?”
Emily fell to the floor again, helpless as the machine was wheeled out, She crawled back to Ethan–his face was already turning purple.
She slammed the emergency button. No response.
Ahorrible truth hit her like a freight train–Alex was blocking the doctors. This was punishment.
“Doctor!” she screamed. “Somebody help! Please, he’s dying!”
She tore out of the room, sprinting down the hallway. It was empty.
Chapter 6
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In a divided village, a young man from the le childhoral
Not a soul in sight.
She jabbed the elevator button over and over–it didn’t move.
She turned and bolted down the stairs, tripping on the third landing and rambling hard. But she didn’t stop.
Down five flights. She finally found a doctor.
༴ ཆ ྃ · མ ཏྱཾ ཇ F
By the time they got back, Ethan was gone.
Oxygen–deprived. Dead.
Emily stood over his body, silent. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out
There were no tears. No screams. Just nothing.
Because when pain reached a certain threshold, you didn’t cry anymore. You shattered.
She stood there, broken. Regret chewing through her insides.
She regretted ever following Alex home that night. She regretted falling in love. And she regretted surviving this long.
