When I opened my eyes again, I heard a heated argument coming from outside the door.
"Sera is my own sister, the one I watched grow up. How could she possibly push someone into the water? You deliberately retaliated and almost had her drown. Shouldn't you be the one apologizing?"
"You want an apology? Fine! Then you make your sister apologize to Sylvia first! If she hadn't acted out of jealousy and hurt Sylvia first, would I have lashed out out of the blue? You care about your sister, but I care about my mate! If anything happens to Sylvia, even if Sera died a hundred times, it wouldn't be enough to make up for it!"
Hearing Liam's furious shouts, a chill washed over me, as if I had been plunged into an ice cellar.
After all the times he had rejected me, I had never felt this desperate.
I thought that even if we couldn't be together, after getting to know each other for so many years, there would still be some small friendship between us.
It turned out that as soon as his true love was involved, I meant nothing to him.
The two men outside didn't know I had woken up and continued arguing.
"You have no evidence to blame all this on Sera. You won't even give her a chance to explain? Just because she's been in love with you for years gives you the right to hurt her without restraint?"
"I've put up with her obsession for all these years, and I've given her face only out of respect for you! How much more decent do you want me to be to spare her feelings? You complain that I hurt her, but have you ever considered how long I've endured?"
The anger that had been building up in Damine finally burst into flames.
He could no longer stand it. He grabbed Liam by the collar and threw a punch.
Liam didn't hold back, and they began to fight.
Hearing the commotion, my heart trembled. I forced myself to get up and go out to stop them.
I saw their faces bruised and purple as they threw ruthless punches at each other's bodies. I immediately threw myself between them.
The tears I had held back for so long finally burst forth as I cried hoarsely.
"Stop fighting, please stop. Damine, come back with me, please, I'm begging you!"
Seeing my tears, the rationality that had left my brother finally returned.
His nose stung, and he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before letting go of Liam.
He took my hand and wearily turned to walk back to the hospital room.
As the door closed, they both heard Liam's icy voice through the crack.
"Don't think playing the victim will make me forgive you. I'm warning you one last time: stay away from Sylvia from now on."
The anger Damine had just suppressed began to flare up again. I hugged him tightly, my voice filled with pleading.
"Let it go, brother, just let it go. I'm leaving soon, and I'll never appear in Liam's world again. You don't need to alienate yourself from him or his pack because of me."
The more I urged him, the more it pained him to see me like this.
The siblings looked at each other in silence. For a long while, the room was quiet before my brother finally broke the silence, his voice low.
"Sera, it's my fault. Liam only has Sylvia in his heart; he'd even give up our friendship for her. I should have told you the truth when I first realized you had feelings for him. Then you wouldn't have fallen this deeply."
I slowly shook my head, my eyes filled with weariness and helplessness.
"I know you had your difficulties to consider, and I've never blamed you. Besides, what's done is done. Regret won't change anything now. I'm only 22, so young. Everything can be a fresh start."
Seeing the forced smile on my face, Damine reached out and stroked my hair.
"That's right. Our Sera will have a brand new life ahead of her. You'll definitely meet someone better."
For the next few days, I continued to recover in the hospital.
During this time, I often overheard bits of gossip from the healers doing their rounds.
"I heard the VIP suite upstairs was booked by the Alpha of the Stormfang Pack? No wonder he's so generous. The patient in there must be his fiancée. No wonder he's guarding her bedside every moment, feeding her water and meat, and buying gifts to keep her happy."
"It sounds like they had a child before they are bound. Apparently, they're hold mating ceremony in a few days. I heard the mating dress and ring cost hundreds of millions. He's going to all this trouble to prepare a global broadcast of a century mating ceremony, giving the bride such status. It seems this Alpha Blackwood truly loves her to his very bones."
Listening to their envious chatter, I remembered the plan I had overheard at the hotel entrance and closed my eyes.
Liam was making this mating ceremony so grand and spectacular, it must mean he was absolutely sure Sylvia would accept his proposal.
He had waited for so many years, using all his effort and scheming to put on this act, and now he was finally getting what he wanted.
And that clingy girl he disliked most would disappear forever after this mating ceremony, never to appear again.
What a perfect situation, truly worthy of a great celebration.
As I was lost in my thoughts, my phone buzzed a few times.
I came back to my senses and saw the name on the screen. I stared for a few seconds before answering the call.
"Sera, I heard you were hospitalized. How have you been feeling lately?"
It was Lucas the friend for Damine and Liam on the phone. After beating around the bush for a while, I could tell something was wrong.
Finally, he stammered and explained his purpose.
"I heard your brother and Liam got into a fight? Their relationship has become pretty strained. What's this all about? We tried to mediate but couldn't. Do you know what's happening?"
I was silent for a long time before I briefly explained the situation.
After hearing the whole story, Lucas sighed.
"Brothers for so many years, fighting over such a misunderstanding... it's embarrassing to even speak of it. Sera, could you help us? We're gathering the key members tonight. Can you get Damine to come? We can clear up the misunderstanding right then and there."
I knew that besides family, the one thing my brother valued most was his friend
I didn't want him to become distant from them because of me, so I agreed to his request.
