Chapter 3

My entire body went rigid. I stared at them, unable to believe my ears. "What do you mean?"

"We made a bet," Chloe said, tilting her head with a playful smile. "We left you out there on purpose to see if you'd call Julian when it started raining. I bet you wouldn't, and he bet you would."

She held out her hand to Julian, wiggling her fingers. "That's five hundred bucks."

Julian pulled out his phone, transferred the money, and sighed with a helpless smile. "Alright, you win."

My blood ran cold. Rage flared in my chest. "You used me for a bet?"

Chloe walked over, wrapping her arm around mine coaxingly. "Oh, don't be mad, Sera! We did it to push you to be independent. We thought if we left, the shock of the rain would force you to stand up."

I violently yanked my arm away from her, glaring at her with pure hatred.

Chloe gasped, taking a step back in mock fear.

Julian walked over with a dry towel and began gently drying my hair.

He had a soft smile on his face, as if he were soothing a throwing-a-tantrum toddler. "Alright, I promise we won't do it again. But seriously, Sera, why didn't you just call me? If you had called, I would've come to get you."

That was the final straw.

I clenched my fists, forcing back the tears. "My phone... was in your pocket."

Julian froze. He saw the sheer disappointment in my eyes, and a flash of guilt crossed his face.

He lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. Let me make you some hot medicine so you don't catch a cold."

With that, he turned and went into the kitchen.

I didn't drink the medicine. I rolled myself straight into my bedroom.

That night, the coldness in my heart turned into a raging fever.

As I lay shivering in bed, the happy laughter of Julian and Chloe drifted through the crack of the door.

It sounded so warm, so lively.

But I was completely alone, shivering in the dark.

I remembered how we used to be. Before I was paralyzed, we were an inseparable trio.

Chloe had been my best friend since childhood. When I lost the use of my legs, she was the first to move in, helping me dress, tying my shoes, and cooking for me.

And Julian had stayed by my side day and night, hiring the best therapists and holding me gently whenever I took my anger out on him.

But now, everything had changed.

In my feverish state, I fell into a nightmare.

I saw Chloe kneeling to tie my shoes. Halfway through, she looked up and sneered, "Sera, you can't even tie your own shoes anymore, can you?"

Then I saw Julian pushing my wheelchair. Ahead of us was a steep flight of stairs. He let go.

I gasped and woke up.

My heart was pounding wildly against my ribs.

I grabbed my phone and sent a message to my mom. "Mom, I heard about a revolutionary rehab specialist in Zurich. Can you take me there?"

My mom replied instantly. "Sera? I thought you wanted to stay home for treatment? Is Julian not taking good care of you?"

A bitter taste filled my mouth. I slowly typed back: "I'm leaving him, Mom. I want to go to Switzerland. The sooner, the better."