Chapter 3

I had only two doses of pain medication left. I injected both into my arm. After cleaning myself up as best I could, I limped into a taxi.

By the time I arrived at the bar, Rachel's birthday party had already started. All the guests were Rachel's friends, but to my surprise, Ethan was among them.

In the past, he would only give me a contemptuous look on my birthday, saying he wouldn't hang out with us kids. But now, he was here for Rachel...

A bitter, sour feeling spread through my chest.

When Rachel saw me, she pretended to be friendly and walked towards me. "Sister, I've been waiting for you for so long! Come on! My birthday wouldn't be perfect without you!"

She pulled me to the center of the room and introduced me to her friends: "This is my sister. She used to be an amazing dancer! I was so jealous!"

Rachel's friends all looked at me with mischievous grins, their eyes full of ill intent. For some reason, I had a bad feeling.

The next moment, one of the guys spoke up, "Rachel, since your sister can dance, why don't you have her dance to celebrate your birthday?"

"Yeah!" another girl chimed in. "We want to see something sexy! Like those hot girls dancing at clubs!"

I clutched my clothes tightly and looked towards Ethan, who was sitting in the middle. But he hadn't glanced at me once, only gazing lovingly at Rachel.

"Sister, my friends all want to see. Can you please do it for my birthday? Help me save face~" Rachel said with an arrogant smile, pouting at me.

"Hey! We need some drinks to get in the mood before dancing!" Nine bottles of vodka were suddenly placed in front of me. The guy winked at me, "Come on, sweetie. Drink these, and you'll dance even better. Don't be shy, we're all very open-minded here!"

"Sister, you don't want to, do you?" Rachel frowned, looking at me timidly. With her back to Ethan, only I could see the malice in her eyes. "Then... brother, maybe we should forget it. This is too much to ask of her," she turned to Ethan, pouting. "It's my fault for getting too excited. I forgot that she really dislikes me."

Rachel turned to look at Ethan, acting coy. Ethan finally looked at me, but his expression was indifferent, as if everything had nothing to do with him.

"Aria Night, have you forgotten everything I told you to do?"

I clenched my fist slightly, picked up a bottle of vodka, and started drinking. The burning sensation of the alcohol hit my stomach immediately. The pain was unbearable, making the two doses of pain medication I had taken earlier seem useless.

But I didn't stop. Amid the cheers of Rachel's friends, I continued drinking. By the time I finished all nine bottles of vodka, my vision was blurry.

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!" Even though I was drunk, I could still feel the immense humiliation. But Ethan continued to act as if he couldn't see anything.

The dull pain in my heart had turned to numbness. I shook my head and started taking off my outer clothes, layer by layer. The cheers from Rachel and the others grew louder. The guys in the room even started recording.

Just as I was down to my underwear, a bottle suddenly shattered by my feet. The air in the room instantly froze. I blinked hard, trying to regain some clarity, only to meet Ethan's disgusted gaze:

"You're embarrassing yourself and ruining Rachel's party! Get out!"

I felt as if I'd been granted a reprieve. Stumbling, I left the room.

The strong vodka and the intense pain in my stomach were making me more and more clear-headed. I wanted to go to a pharmacy to buy some painkillers, but I couldn't hold on and passed out again.

This time, I woke up in the hospital, but Ethan was sitting beside me.

"Brother..." I said softly, but Ethan cut me off coldly.

"If you're awake, go home. Don't waste my money here!"

"You're just drunk. Stop acting like you're dying. It's disgusting!"

Ethan's cold voice made me swallow the truth I was about to reveal. So, he had always thought my condition was just an act.

Even in the hospital, he couldn't be bothered to have me examined...

"Brother," I spoke with difficulty, clinging to my last shred of hope: "What do I have to do for you to forgive me?"

Ethan laughed coldly, his eyes full of cruelty. "Aria Night, haven't I answered you enough over the years?"

"I've told you before, if you die, I'll forgive you immediately!"

With that, Ethan turned and left.

"Alright, I'll fulfill your wish, brother." Looking at his retreating figure, I whispered softly.