Chapter 3

"I'm not raising that bastard, Elara."

My mouth opened.

Blood trickled from the corner of my lips. "You—"

He cut me off.

"If you really wanna die, take the brat with you. Looking at his face—looks just like yours—makes me sick."

Right.

Silas hated me.

So he'd hate Leo too.

If I died, no one would protect Leo.

Silas might even hurt him.

I yanked the knife out.

Coughed up blood and stumbled.

He caught me.

The last thing I heard before I blacked out was his voice, sharp with panic.

"Ambulance! Get a fucking ambulance!"

When I woke up, I was in a VIP room.

Silas sneered down at me.

"Getting smarter with your tricks. Even faking suicide now."

I looked at him.

His lip curled. "Jade was right. You should've been an actress."

He left.

I lay alone in the white room.

Stared at the ceiling.

Pressed my hand to my chest.

That afternoon, I knocked on my brother's door.

Mom's photo still sat on the table.

On the couch lay the unfinished scarf she'd been knitting for him.

Winter was coming. She'd wanted him to wear it.

When Alex saw me, he moved to slam the door.

I shoved my hand into the gap.

"I need to ask you something."

He turned his head away.

I stepped inside.

He sat on the couch and lit a cigarette.

He never smoked. Never drank.

After Mom died, he did both.

"I'm sorry. I should've listened to you from the start."

He exhaled smoke. Said nothing.

"I shouldn't have held on for those ten years. I shouldn't have fought with you and Dad over Silas. I should've let Jade have him when you first said so. I'm sorry."

My brother laughed bitterly.

"Sorry? Will sorry bring Mom back?"

My throat closed.

He stared at me.

"You were so obsessed with keeping him, Mom died because of you."

The last words came through clenched teeth.

"Why do I have a sister like you?"

I lowered my head, voice shaking.

"But... I'm begging you. Take care of Leo."

He went still.

"I'm not asking you to love him like your own. Just... don't let anyone hurt him."

My brother stared at me. Then laughed coldly.

"What, guilt-tripping me now?"

I said nothing.

"Leo's unlucky to have a mother like you."

"Please."

"Get out."

"Please—"

"GET OUT!"

An ashtray shattered at my feet.

"Get out! Don't stand there and disrespect Mom's memory!"

I turned.

Mom's photo smiled gently at me from the table.

I knelt.

Pressed my forehead to the floor.

Stood.

Knelt again in front of Alex.

"Please."

I left without looking back at his shocked face.

Outside, I'd already reached the car when his voice rang out.

"Don't ever come back! Go die wherever you want! Don't tell anyone you're my sister! This family doesn't have a sister like you!"

I gripped the steering wheel.

Tears slid down my cheeks.

It was okay if he cursed me.

I knew.

In the end, he wouldn't abandon Leo.

I started the car.

Drove away.

The sleeping pills lay quiet on the table.

I stretched out on the rental bed.

Set a delayed message to the landlord.

To send in twenty-four hours.

Asking her to contact the funeral home.

I'd sold my last pieces of jewelry. Twenty thousand dollars.

Not enough for Mom's surgery.

But enough to cover the landlord's trouble.

I brought the pills to my lips.

The door exploded inward.

Someone grabbed my throat.

I choked. Spat the pills out.

Silas's jaw clenched, his eyes wild.

"What did you do? What did you and your mother do to Jade?!"