Chapter 5
The day Rosie recovered enough to leave the hospital, I was finally discharged too.
My condition was actually very poor by then.
Deathly pale, my once fitted clothes now hung loosely.
Quinn waited for me at the hospital entrance, eyes red.
She had tried visiting me several times, but was always chased away by security.
Seeing how emaciated I’d become, she cursed under her breath while carefully helping me into the car.
In a corner I couldn’t see, Lucas had been watching me leave. But he didn’t appear in front of me.
He saw me stumble as I got into the car.
His heart clenched suddenly, shocked at how thin I’d become – as if a breeze could blow me over.
In the car, Quinn stared at my face for a long time, her eyes brimming with tears.
“I told you not to take them in back then, but you wouldn’t listen.”
“Are you
satisfied now? Look how those three beasts have tortured you.”
Quinn’s words were harsh, but her eyes grew more and more moist until she turned away to cry silently.
I gently patted her back. When she calmed down, I told her I was dying and wanted to spend my remaining days in a small southern town.
Quinn’s eyes immediately welled up again.
“Alright, I’ll go with you!”
Quinn booked two plane tickets. Just before boarding, we were shocked to see Henry, Sean and Lucas!
They had somehow found out and intercepted us before we could board.
“Zoe, where do you think you’re going without my permission?!” Henry demanded.
“Zoe, Rosie’s almost recovered now. We haven’t had a chance to make it up to you yet,” Lucas said.
“That’s right. And if Rosie gets sick again, we’ll need your help,” Sean added.
As they were about to grab me, Quinn shielded me behind her.
“Get lost! Do you want to watch her die before you’re satisfied?!”
Lucas’s pupils constricted sharply.
Sean’s expression darkened.
They remembered Quinn’s words when she burst into the hospital room.
11:22 AM
<
So…
Had Zoe really been injured 8 years ago?
Henry was the only one who remained calm. He pushed Quinn aside and grabbed my wrist.
“Stop pretending, Zoe. You’re coming back with us now.”
Quinn immediately grabbed my other wrist.
I was already anemic from the massive blood loss. The wounds on my abdomen and waist hadn’t healed.
Now I was being pulled back and forth like a rag doll.
Everything spun and I collapsed, losing consciousness.
When I came to, I was back in the familiar hospital.
This time, Henry, Sean and Lucas were all by my bedside.
Henry still couldn’t believe I was dying.
Lucas’s face was grim.
Sean’s eyes were red.
“Henry! Why did you take two–thirds of her blood?! I said to only take a little!” Lucas suddenly exploded, punching Henry.
Henry retaliated with a punch of his own.
“Don’t act all righteous! Weren’t you the first one to take Zoe’s blood for Rosie?!”
“At least I wasn’t cruel enough to take her uterus!”
The two started brawling by the bed.
Sean tried to break them up, but got punched and joined the fight.
Lucas was the first to notice I was awake. Ignoring another punch from Henry, he rushed to my side.
“You’re awake? Does anything hurt?”
Perhaps because they knew I was dying, Lucas’s tone was uncharacteristically gentle.
Sean’s eyes welled up.
Even Henry refrained from making cutting remarks.
The concern on their faces wasn’t fake, but I gently pushed Lucas away and tried to leave.
But I had overestimated my body. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I collapsed weakly.
The organ removals and blood loss had taken too great a toll. I couldn’t even walk anymore.
Just then, Rosie appeared in the doorway in a wheelchair.
“Zoe, you’re finally awake.”
Normally, the three of them would have rushed to surround Rosie.
But this time, they hurriedly helped me up instead.
I didn’t want them touching me and pushed them all away.
<
Through the crowd, I saw the hatred in Rosie’s eyes.
In the end, Henry went to wheel her in.
As soon as she entered, Rosie burst into tears as if terribly wronged.
“Zoe, I know you hate me. You can hit or scold me if you want, but please don’t take it out on the boys.”
Rosie was putting on an act again. But her usual tricks weren’t working this time. Even Henry frowned.
“Rosie, Zoe doesn’t mean that. Don’t make assumptions.”
The hatred in Rosie’s eyes intensified.
But I no longer wanted any part in their drama.
I was dying.
I had spent my whole life atoning. In the time I had left, I just wanted to live for myself.
I didn’t want them touching me. I struggled to get up on my own, but fell again.
Just then, Quinn entered with lunch.
Seeing the room full of people, she paused for a moment before grabbing a broom and chasing everyone out.
“Get out, you ungrateful beasts! All of you!”
Quinn helped me up with tears in her eyes.
“Did they bully you again while I was gone?”
I shook my head and pointed shakily at my legs.
“Quinn, I think my legs don’t work anymore.”
“I don’t want to stay in the hospital. Can you take me away?”
Quinn found a wheelchair and snuck me out while no one was looking.
This time, we successfully boarded the train and left in the night.
After I left, Lucas was the first to discover I was gone. He quickly contacted the Young brothers.
They searched the entire hospital but couldn’t find me.
Finally they saw on the security footage that Quinn had taken me away.
Sean slumped against the wall, covering his face.
“Did we go too far?” he asked, his voice muffled.
Lucas said nothing, eyes fixed on the security footage. Then he took out his phone and called his contacts to search for me.
Henry patted his brother’s shoulder, jaw clenched,
“We did nothing wrong. If Rosie wasn’t treated, she really would have died.”
Back in the hospital room, Rosie tried to cheer them up like usual.
But they were all distracted. She quickly sensed something was off and probed:
“Are you guys upset because Zoe left?”
11:23 AM
“It must be because I went to see her yesterday. I know Zoe hates me, but I didn’t think she’d leave the hospital because of it.”
In the past, they would have rushed to comfort her.
Lucas was irritated and snapped at her:
“Cut the act! Zoe never meant anything like that!”
Rosie was stunned. This was the first time anyone had yelled at her.
Henry had long been annoyed with Lucas. He shoved him, pointing angrily.
“Watch your mouth!”
The two looked ready to fight again. Sean quickly pushed Lucas out and tried to mediate.
The room fell silent again.
Rosie lay in bed with tears in her eyes.
“Henry, you’re the best to me.”
In the past, hearing this would have thrilled Henry.
But now, the words brought him no joy.
Henry made an excuse to leave, wandering distractedly to the lobby.
Suddenly he saw Rosie’s former doctor. After some thought, Henry approached him.
“Dr. Liao, long time no see. Rosie’s had a kidney and uterus transplant. When can she be discharged?”
Hearing this, the former doctor looked confused.
“Why would she need transplants? Rosie can be discharged anytime.”
“I remember she just had mild anemia.”
Chapter 6
Henry stood there in shock.
So… Rosie was never seriously ill?
Henry wanted to ask more, but Rosie’s current doctor rushed over.
“It’s a misunderstanding! Dr. Liao was Rosie’s former doctor, he doesn’t know her current condition.”
With that, the current doctor quickly led the other man away.
Henry wasn’t stupid. He instantly understood everything!
Henry stormed back to Rosie’s room, face dark with anger.
“Henry, you’re back!” Rosie tried to cozy up to him.
But the next second, Henry yanked open her hospital gown.
Her belly was smooth and unmarked, without even a scar!
So they had all been deceived!
Henry’s eyes blazed red with fury. He grabbed Rosie by the throat.
<
11:23 AM
If Rosie hadn’t claimed to be gravely ill, they would never have taken Zoe’s organs.
Rosie had exploited their concern to nearly kill Zoe!
All this time, Rosie had used the excuse of modesty to chase them out during dressing changes.
That’s why they never discovered the truth.
Exposed, Rosie’s face drained of color.
“Henry, let me explain.”
The hand on her throat tightened. Just as Rosie was about to suffocate, Henry released her.
Rosie gasped for air. There was no point in pretending anymore.
“Fine, I set this all up!”
“I wanted Zoe to suffer! You three were my childhood friends. She just took care of you for a few years – why do you all love her so much?!”
“Henry, love me again. Zoe was 17 when she found you guys. Who knows where she got the money to raise you? She was probably already impure.”
Henry’s expression was murderous.
He thought of how they had taken Zoe’s organs based on a lie.
He remembered how hard Zoe had worked to support them as teenagers.
“Don’t look at me like that. If you want to blame someone, blame Zoe for being so pathetic!”
“Oh right, I heard yesterday that she doesn’t have long to live. Good riddance!”
Henry snapped. He grabbed a fruit knife and stabbed Rosie repeatedly.
Rosie screamed in terror, but Henry covered her mouth.
He stabbed her over and over until she stopped breathing.
I knew none of this.
During this time, Quinn took me to many places.
We saw snow and the ocean together.
We had planned to go hiking too, but my body couldn’t handle it anymore.
We laughed together during the day. But late at night, Quinn would watch me with red–rimmed eyes.
I knew what she was grieving. Because I was dying.
“Zoe, tell me honestly. If you could go back in time, would you still take them in?” Quinn asked.
We were sitting on a mountaintop watching the stars. Fireflies glowed all around us.
I held out my hand. The little creatures landed on it, blinking like the stars above.
“I would.”
“I owed them that much.”
I spoke softly, lifting my hand. The fireflies flew away.
ID
ON
11:23 AM
<
Quinn knew the whole truth now. She was silent for a moment, eyes red.
Finally she sighed and tapped my forehead.
“You’re too kind–hearted.”
A few days later, my condition worsened rapidly. We put our travel plans on hold.
Quinn and I went straight to our final destination – a small, unnamed southern town.
Here, life moved slowly. Time seemed to stretch endlessly.
My days consisted of bantering with Quinn and letting my mind wander.
Until an unexpected visitor arrived in our little town.
Lucas.
Somehow he had found out where I was living and come straight here.
