Chapter 5

Lily POV

Smack!

The sharp sound of a slap exploded through the hospital ward.

I didn’t know where I found the strength.

I struggled up from the floor, raised my hand, and poured all the hatred and despair inside me into a single blow across Nora’s face.

The slap was hard enough to knock her off balance. She screamed and crashed into the medical equipment behind her.

Half her face swelled instantly, and a thin line of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.

“You killed him… You killed my rabbit!”

My eyes were red as I lunged at her and clamped both hands around her throat.

“I’ll make you pay with your life!”

Bang!

At that moment, the ward door was violently thrown open.

Ethan rushed in carrying a bag of fruit.

“Have you lost your mind?”

He dropped the fruit and charged forward. Grabbing my collar, he yanked me away from Nora and threw me aside.

Then, without a moment’s hesitation, he swung his hand and slapped me across the face.

Smack!

I was already barely standing. The blow sent me crashing to the floor.

My forehead struck the edge of the bedside cabinet, splitting the skin. Blood slid down my pale cheek.

My ears rang. My vision went black at the edges.

“Lily, are you insane?” Ethan roared, standing protectively in front of Nora. “She went out of her way to make food for you and brought it all the way here! You could have refused, but you actually hit her! You’re an incurable, poisonous witch!”

Nora immediately hid behind him. Covering her swollen cheek, she began to sob loudly.

“Ethan, don’t hit Lily… She didn’t mean to. I didn’t know that was her rabbit. You said it was unwanted, didn’t you? I only saw how weak she was and wanted to help her recover. I really didn’t know she’d get so angry…”

“Rabbit?”

Julian arrived at the ward just then.

He pushed open the door and saw me lying in a pool of blood, while Nora trembled behind Ethan.

He paused.

Then he walked over to Nora and looked down at me with disappointment and exhaustion.

“Lily, you’ve really disappointed me.”

His tone remained polite, but it was cruel beyond words.

“It was only a rabbit. It was old and nearly dead anyway. Nora was only thinking about your health. You attacked her, and then you made yourself look like this. How much longer are you going to keep causing trouble?”

Only a rabbit.

I lay on the cold tile floor, blood from my forehead blurring my vision.

Through the red haze, I looked at the three people standing together before me.

One was my brother, who had once sworn to protect me for the rest of my life.

The other was my boyfriend, who had once promised to marry me.

Now they stood like two guardian angels protecting the cruel killer who had murdered my rabbit, accusing me of being vicious.

It was absurd.

So absurd.

I suddenly started laughing.

The sound shook up from my chest, filled with a tearing pain. In the silent ward, it sounded especially eerie.

Julian frowned and took a step toward me.

“What are you laughing at?”

Using the edge of the bed for support, I slowly and painfully got to my feet.

I didn’t wipe the blood from my face. I simply swept my dead, empty eyes over the three of them.

“I’m laughing at myself for being blind.”

My voice was so soft it could have been scattered by the wind, but every word was a blade coated in ice.

“Ethan. Julian. Remember this. Snowball wasn’t some unwanted old rabbit. He was my family. Today, you killed my rabbit for this woman. And you hit me.”

I lifted my trembling hand and pointed toward the door, speaking each word slowly.

“Now take your precious Nora and get out.”

“Lily, don’t be so ungrateful—” Ethan started.

“Get out!”

I grabbed the remaining shards of the bowl from the bedside table and hurled them at Ethan’s feet.

The ceramic shattered with a sharp crack, and one piece sliced into his calf.

Ethan flinched. Finally, he gritted his teeth and grabbed Nora by the wrist.

“Fine. Since you’re determined to be ungrateful, stay here and reflect on yourself! We’re leaving!”

Julian looked at me deeply. Something complicated flashed through his eyes, but in the end, he turned and followed Ethan.

The ward door opened.

Just before it closed, I clearly heard Nora’s tearful voice from the hallway. Yet beneath the tears, she couldn’t hide her satisfaction.

“Ethan, Julian… Does this mean she’ll never forgive me? Did I do something wrong?”

The door slammed shut.

The world finally fell silent.

My strength gave out. I slid down beside the bed and collapsed among the shards and blood.

I buried my face in my arms like a desperate beast abandoned by the entire world.

Then I let out a broken sob.