I couldn’t move.
The floor felt freezing against my cheek, and above me, the white light spun, blurring in and out of focus. Pain tore through my stomach, spreading to my back until I couldn’t tell where it began or ended. Then voices broke through.
Shouting.
Footsteps rushing closer.
Someone called my name.
Darius.
My heart stirred, fragile but hopeful. He came… he was coming for me—
But then I saw him.
He ran past me. Straight to Elowen.
She lay a few steps away, crying softly, clutching her arm as if it were broken. Without hesitation, he gathered her into his arms, panic clear in his eyes.
“Call the doctor! Now!” Darius shouted.
One of the maids stammered, “Sir, Miss Kaia is bleeding too—”
“Deal with her later!” His voice cut through everything. “Elowen comes first!”
First?
Something inside me shattered. Their voices faded. The light dimmed.
And then—nothing.
---
When I opened my eyes, all I saw was a white ceiling. The sharp smell of medicine filled my nose. My throat felt dry, almost impossible to swallow. There was a bandage wrapped tightly around my stomach.
I tried to sit up, but pain shot through me, forcing me back down.
The door opened.
Darius walked in. His face was set, his eyes colder than I had ever seen.
“So this is how you repay me?” His voice was steady, but anger lingered beneath every word. “I took you out of that place. Gave you everything. And this is what you do in return?”
I stared at him, confused. “W-what do you mean?”
He stepped closer, arms crossed. “Stop pretending. You tried to hurt my fiancée. Do you even realize she once saved my life? She took a bullet for me. And you… you pushed her down the stairs.”
My stomach twisted. “No, Darius, please—it wasn’t me—”
“Enough.” His voice rose slightly. “You always have an excuse. Always crying, always acting like you’re the victim.”
I shook my head, tears spilling over. “Please, just listen to me—”
A knock interrupted me.
A nurse peeked in, her gaze lowered. “Sir… Miss Elowen just woke up. She’s crying. She’s still in shock and asking for you.”
Darius’s jaw tightened. His eyes flicked toward me for a brief second—cold, empty, like I didn’t matter at all.
“Save it,” he said quietly. “I’ll deal with you later.”
Then he turned and walked out.
The door closed softly behind him. But to me, it sounded final—like something breaking beyond repair.
“Don’t worry, baby… we’ll leave. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”
My hand slowly reached toward the IV needle. I just wanted to go. Anywhere. Away from all of this.
But before I could do anything, the door slammed open.
Leonhart and Evander rushed in like a storm.
Leonhart’s eyes burned with fury. Evander looked at me like I was something disgusting.
Evander moved first. His hand struck my face hard, the sound echoing through the room.
“How dare you, Kaia?” he shouted. “How dare you try to kill our sister?”
My head snapped to the side, my cheek throbbing. “I didn’t,” I whispered.
Leonhart’s voice came louder. “Don’t even think about lying. You already killed our parents. Wasn’t that enough? Now you’re going after Elowen too?”
Tears filled my eyes again. “She’s the one who—”
Leonhart stepped closer, pointing at me. “She’s the one what? You said that before. Every time you say that, someone ends up dead. Mom. Dad. Now Elowen?”
“No,” I cried, shaking my head. “You don’t understand. She lied. She set me up. Please, Leonhart—you have to believe me.”
Evander grabbed the metal tray beside my bed and slammed it to the floor. It crashed loudly—glass shattering, water spilling everywhere. “Shut up!” he roared. “You think anyone would choose your word over hers? You’re nothing. Just a stain on this family. A curse that won’t disappear.”
I covered my mouth, sobbing.
Evander leaned in closer, his voice low, filled with hatred. “Why are you still alive? Just die already and spare us the trouble.”
Leonhart grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look at him. His eyes were cold, almost hollow. “You’ll pay for this, Kaia. Even if Darius lets you off, we won’t.”
Then they turned and walked out, the door slamming shut behind them.
