Chapter 4
The next afternoon, the hospital room door opened.
Aubrey walked in carrying a fruit basket.
“Bree, how does it feel knowing your throat is ruined?”
There was no one else in the room.
So she stopped pretending.
I looked at her coldly without moving.
She pulled over a chair and sat down.
Slowly, she peeled an apple.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter whether you sign that report or not.”
“Evelyn and Theodore will only believe me anyway.”
I picked up my phone.
I typed in the notes app.
Then I turned the screen toward her.
You intentionally knocked over the reagent. Weren’t you
afraid you would get yourself killed too?]
Aubrey giggled.
“You really underestimate me.”
“I checked the reaction threshold of that reagent.”
“The explosion would only cause burns, nothing more.”
“Where I was standing, I would only suffer minor injuries.”
“But you…”
“You were standing right under the ventilation outlet.”
She leaned closer.
Her voice dropped.
Actually, I kind of feel sorry for you.”
“You were the Biological Daughter.”
You were the rightful wife.”
But all I have to do is shed a few tears.”
And they’ll choose my side without hesitation.”
“Tell me…”
Don’t you think your life is pretty pathetic?”
I looked at her twisted expression.
My fingers moved quickly across the screen.
[So you were the one who turned off the exhaust system in
the fume hood beforehand.]
Aubrey raised her eyebrows.
“So what if I did?”
“The security cameras were already broken two days ago.”
“Now all the evidence points to you.”
looked at her.
A mocking smile appeared at the corner of my lips.
My fingers moved across the screen again.
[Even if I become mute, you’ll always be a parasite who can
only survive by pretending to be someone else.]
Aubrey’s face instantly darkened.
She suddenly stood up.
Then she lunged at me, trying to grab my neck.
Her hand hit the area where I had surgery.
A sharp, unbearable pain shot through my body.
pushed her away with all my strength.
She fell backward.
She hit the floor hard.
At that exact moment, the door was pushed open.
Theodore and my mother rushed inside.
They froze when they saw the scene in front of them.
Aubrey’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“Professor, I’m sorry!”
“I only came here because I wanted to check on you.”
“I don’t know why you’re so angry.”
“If hitting me will make you feel better…”
Go ahead.”
‘Beat me to death if that makes you feel better.”
Theodore strode over.
He lifted Aubrey from the floor.
Then he turned and glared at me.
Bree, What the fuck are you doing? Have you lost
mind?”
your
“Going to another hospital behind our backs was already bad enough.”
Aubrey came here to check on you out of kindness.”
“And you actually attacked her?”
My mother walked over too.
Her face was cold.
“Bree, I thought you were just spoiled, but I didn’t know you
were this vicious!”
“What exactly did Aubrey do wrong?”
“Why can’t you just let her go?”
I leaned against the headboard.
I looked coldly at my mother and my husband, who stood
there acting like they were the ones delivering justice.
Suddenly, I found it all pointless.
The truth was, my phone had been recording the entire time.
But I didn’t press play.
didn’t use the recording to defend myself.
Because I knew.
They only believed what they wanted to believe.
picked up the pen beside my bed.
On the blank paper, I wrote three words.
(Get out!]
Theodore looked at the paper.
He was so angry that he laughed.
Fine, Bree.”
Remember what you just said!”
“When you learn how to behave, then you can come home!”
He carried Aubrey and walked out.
My mother stayed behind.
She looked at the bandage around my neck.
For a moment, her eyes flickered.
But soon, they returned to their usual coldness.
If you don’t apologize to Aubrey, don’t call me Mom anymore.”
She left after saying that.
The hospital room fell silent again.
pulled the IV needle out of the back of my hand.
Blood rushed out.
Drops of red fell onto the white bedsheet.
I changed out of the hospital gown.
Then I put on my own clothes.
I set the recording file on my phone to send automatically.
Recipients:
The Board of Trustees and major media outlets.
Scheduled delivery:
8:00 p.m. tonight.
After finishing everything, I picked up my bag.
Then I walked out of the hospital,
Tonight at eight.
The flight to Boston would take off on schedule.