Chapter 11
Her eyes drifted to his wrist. “That scar… was it from a car
accident too?”
Sean paused for a split second, then quickly pulled his hand
back.
He removed the empty IV bag from the stand. After a long
pause, he answered, “Yeah. Car accident.”
He leaned one arm on the edge of the table, still facing away
from her. Backlit by the window, his profile was blurred,
unreadable.
“I’ve got one too. On my leg,” Sadie said softly, lifting the hem of
her skirt just a bit. “Here–looks a lot like yours, doesn’t it?”
Sean glanced over and immediately looked away. Her slender
leg was pale, the scar on her thigh stark against her skin.
But her skirt had risen a little too high–too high for comfort.
He turned his head and said flatly, “Don’t go lifting your skirt in.
front of a man, kid.”
“But you’re a doctor,” she said with innocent confusion.
Chapter 11
His throat tightened. ‘Sure, but I’m still a man.
‘Has no one taught her basic boundaries?’
He changed the subject. “That scar could’ve been treated. Why
didn’t you have it removed?”
Sadie’s expression shifted slightly. Her chest tightened with a
familiar ache.
Because Cordell Douglas once told her the scar was a reminder
of their parents. He said when he had time, he’d help her
remove it himself.
And she had believed him.
But later, he looked at her scar with disgust. Told her it was
ugly. Said he’d never help her remove it.
Told her she was the reason their parents died.
Said that scar was her punishment. Her burden. That she should
carry it forever.
She had been devastated. And for a long time, she believed it.
That guilt made her try even harder to please her brothers, to earn their approval.
The memory hit her like a wave, knocking the air from her
Chapter 11
lungs.
She couldn’t bring herself to explain any of that now, so instead,
she deflected. “What about you? Why didn’t you get yours
treated?”
“I’m a guy–it doesn’t matter. But for a girl, it’s better to have it
removed.”
Sadie forced a smile. “Maybe someday!”
Seeing that she had gone quiet again, Sean didn’t press further.
He simply sat beside her and turned on the TV.
Sadie looked up at the screen–and blinked.
It was a livestream of an esports tournament.
Her sixth brother, Rhett, was currently competing.
So that was why he hadn’t shown up to Lorena’s party–he was
here, in this match.
But just like in her previous life, he lost to the young heir of the Francis family from Arcpus.
She remembered how, after that loss, Rhett was publicly
mocked by the opponent.
Chapter 11
When he got home, humiliated and furious, he pulled the whole
family into forming their own esports team.
Jeremy, Malik, Brent, Rhett… and her.
They failed in the prelims–but there was still the wildcard
round.
Thanks to the wildcard round, their team had staged a
remarkable comeback. They clawed their way through the
ranks until, in the national finals, they once again faced the
young heir of the Francis family from Arcpus.
Back then, Sadie devoted nearly every waking hour to training. She analyzed hours of gameplay footage, memorized the tendencies and tactics of the opposing team–all so she could help
secure victory.
Lorena wasn’t in the lineup.
She lacked natural talent and was only ever a benchwarmer, never actually allowed onstage.
That suited Sadie just fine.
She loved playing with her brothers, just the family–no
outsiders interrupting their bond. In that space, she felt like she truly belonged.
Chapter 11
She cared about the competition so much, she even let her exam
prep fall behind.
But just when they won a critical round–when the
championship was almost in their hands–her brothers made a
baffling decision.
They pulled her out of the game and subbed in Lorena.
They went on to win the tournament and were crowned national champions.
