I called him once.
He rejected it.
I called again.
Rejected.
A third time.
Rejected.
Still, I refused to give up. I kept calling, over and over, until my hands trembled so badly I could barely hold the phone.
By the forty-eighth call, his phone had been switched off.
My hand slowly fell to my lap.
Somehow, Instagram opened when my thumb slipped across the screen.
The first thing that appeared was Agatha's story.
Apollo stood behind her inside his private helicopter with one arm wrapped around her waist while she laughed into the camera. The skyline stretched endlessly behind them.
The caption read:
“My boyfriend surprised me with a helicopter tour today. ️ Some people keep blowing up his phone because they're desperate for attention. Seriously... so annoying.”
A few seconds later, Apollo replied with two emojis.
I stared at the screen as my vision grew dimmer.
So... He wasn't busy. He just didn't want to answer me.
A weak laugh escaped my lips.
My fingers trembled as I dialed emergency services instead.
After whispering my address... Everything went black.
...
When I opened my eyes again, all I saw was a white ceiling and fluorescent lights.
The sharp smell of disinfectant filled the room.
Hospital.
A nurse noticed I was awake and hurried over with a relieved smile.
“You're finally awake. You were brought in just in time,” she said gently. “You suffered a severe hypoglycemic episode. Your blood sugar dropped to a dangerous level, and you lost consciousness before the ambulance arrived. Another delay, and things could've been much worse.”
I thanked her quietly before closing my eyes again.
Apparently, I'd spent the entire night under observation before being transferred to a regular room the following afternoon.
Not long afterward, the door opened and Apollo walked in first. Agatha followed closely behind him.
Apollo stopped beside my bed and stared at me for several long seconds. I knew what he saw.
I looked terrible, pale, weak.
Like someone who'd been hollowed out from the inside.
“Elara,” he said quietly as he pulled a chair beside my bed. “I came as soon as I heard. I know what happened yesterday, and I wasn't ignoring you. I just wanted you to reflect on everything that's happened lately because you've been acting out for too long.”
I didn't answer.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead.
“I thought giving you some fucking space would calm you down. I never expected things to end like this.”
I continued staring at the ceiling without saying a word.
The silence stretched between us until Agatha suddenly covered her face and burst into tears.
“Sister, this is all my fault,” she sobbed as tears streamed down her cheeks. “I kept Apollo with me all day because I wanted to cheer him up. If you want someone to blame, blame me instead. Please don't be angry with him because of me.”
Before anyone could react, she slapped herself across the face.
The sound echoed through the room.
Then she raised her hand again.
Apollo caught her wrist before the second slap landed.
“Agatha, stop it,” he said as he gently pulled her into his arms. “Don't ever hurt yourself over something like this again. None of this is your fault, and I won't let anyone make you feel responsible for it.”
His eyes shifted toward me.
“If anyone deserves an apology here, it's me,” he said evenly. “But I won't stand by while someone takes their anger out on you. Not even Elara.”
I almost laughed.
I'd barely spoken since they'd entered the room.
How exactly had I bullied Agatha?
Closing my eyes, I whispered, “Please leave. I don't have the strength to argue anymore, and I just want to rest.”
Neither of them moved.
After a long silence, Apollo finally guided Agatha toward the door.
The room became quiet again and I fell asleep.
I didn't know how much time had passed before a loud bang jolted me awake.
The hospital door flew open.
Apollo strode inside with a terrifying expression, a thick folder clutched tightly in his hand.
Without a word, he threw it onto my bed.
“They're your medical records,” he said coldly. “Read them, then explain exactly what kind of game you're trying to play!"
I frowned and slowly looked down at the papers.
“What are you talking about?”
Apollo's eyes burned with anger.
“Agatha asked one of the doctors about your condition, and now she's convinced you exaggerated everything. You just fake your illness! You just fake everything! According to what she was told, you weren't dying, you weren't in critical condition, and you certainly weren't on the verge of death the way you made it sound. So tell me, Elara... were you trying to scare me into coming back?”
Before I could answer, Agatha stepped forward with a helpless sigh.
“Sister, if you wanted Apollo's attention, you could've just told him,” she said softly. “I only asked the doctor because I was worried about you. I never imagined you'd make something like this sound so much worse than it really was.”
Apollo let out a humorless laugh.
“You know how much I hate lies,” he said as disappointment filled his eyes. “No matter how many excuses you come up with, I won't tolerate being manipulated.”
His gaze settled on me.
“You really are your father's daughter.”
“The same tricks. The same lies.”
The words struck harder than anything else.
Again...
He used my father against me.
Something inside me finally snapped.
Without thinking, I grabbed the glass from my bedside table and hurled it across the room.
“Get out!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “Get out of my room! Both of you!”
The glass shattered against the floor.
Fragments scattered in every direction and one sharp piece sliced across Agatha's calf. A thin line of blood appeared almost instantly.
Agatha lowered her eyes to the tiny cut on her calf and covered her mouth as though she were about to cry. “Sister... is this your punishment for me? It's okay. I'll accept anything you do to me, but please don't stay angry with Apollo because of my mistake. You can hate me or even hurt me if it makes you feel better.”
Apollo's expression darkened instantly. The moment he saw the thin streak of blood on her leg, his voice softened with concern. “What nonsense are you talking about? You're bleeding. Come on, I'll take you to have it treated right now. Even a small wound can get infected if we leave it alone.”
Without another thought, he bent down and swept her into his arms. Agatha wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes drifting toward me. “But what about my sister? She's still in the room. We can't just leave her here like this.”
Apollo didn't even spare me a glance. “If she's well enough to throw things at people, she's well enough to go home on her own. She doesn't need to waste a hospital bed.”
He carried Agatha away without looking back.
...
The cut didn't even require stitches.
The doctor cleaned it, placed a tiny bandage over it, and that was all.
Even so, Apollo stayed by Agatha's side the entire time, asking the doctor twice whether there would be a scar and reminding him to be careful.
About half an hour later, Agatha returned alone.
The sweet, innocent smile she'd worn outside vanished the second the door closed behind her. Leaning casually against it, she let out a satisfied laugh.
“So... did you enjoy the little surprise I prepared for you? You really thought Apollo would answer your calls, didn't you? I was sitting beside him the whole time, watching your name flash across his screen. Every time you called, I laughed... and every single time, he rejected you without even blinking.”
She slowly walked closer until only a step separated us.
“You interrupted my date with him, so you deserved every second of what happened. Honestly, watching you desperately call while he ignored you was far more entertaining than the helicopter ride.”
I looked at her quietly.
“You really hate me that much?”
Agatha laughed as though I'd said something ridiculous.
“Hate? Sister, hate isn't nearly enough anymore. I want to destroy you completely. I want you to lose everything, just like my mother lost everything because of your family.”
She leaned close enough for her breath to brush against my ear.
“Oh... I almost forgot. I've already prepared another surprise for you. The tenth game is about to begin, and this time... you won't see it coming until it's far too late.”
She laughed as she walked out of the room.
The air suddenly felt colder.
The tenth disappearance.
No location.
No clue.
Nothing.
I tightened my grip on the hospital blanket and slowly closed my eyes.
It's okay...
Only a few more days.
Once I left for the European Forensic Science Institute, none of them would ever find me again.
I only had to survive a little longer.
...
After I was discharged, I returned to the Riccio estate to finish packing.
My suitcase was already waiting beside the front door.
I reached for the handle.
Just one more step...
The front door suddenly burst open.
