CHAPTER FIVE —THE SHADOW AT MY WARD

CHLOE

"Did I interrupt anything?"

Jenna stood in my doorway holding white lilies like she was attending a funeral.

My funeral.

Pink sweater. Perfect lip gloss. That sweet-girl smile she always wore when she wanted people to think she was innocent.

But her eyes were empty.

Sterling was on his feet before I could breathe.

"Get out."

Jenna blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

She laughed. "Wow. So chivalrous."

"Jenna," I whispered. "What are you doing here?"

We'd been inseparable since we entered college, sharing notes, sharing meals, staying up late talking about everything. We'd promised to always have each other's backs.

I'd never imagined she'd become the person who hurt me the most.

But Jenna didn't even look at me.

She walked past Sterling as though he were furniture and placed the lilies on top of the paper bag Sterling had brought. The bag crumpled beneath the flowers.

A soft squashing sound came from inside.

"Move the flowers," Sterling said.

Jenna feigned surprise. "Oh! Is that yours?"

She lifted one of the lilies, revealing a dark stain spreading across the bottom of the bag.

"Oh, no," she pressed a hand to her chest. "I think I ruined something."

She tipped the bag. Mangoes rolled out, hit the edge of the table, and dropped to the floor, scattering across the tiles.

"Oops."

Silence.

I stared at her, struggling to understand how the girl I'd trusted with almost everything could deliberately destroy something someone had brought for me.

"Pick them up," Sterling said.

His voice was quiet. Too quiet.

Jenna turned to him, offended.

"Over some fruit? Are you serious?" She nudged one of the fallen mangoes with her shoe. "Chloe probably doesn't even want them anymore."

"Jenna, why are you doing this?" I whispered. "You watched me bleed. You bought the pills. You convinced Jace."

For a second, her mask slipped.

Then she leaned over my bed, her vanilla perfume overwhelming me. Her voice was low enough for only me to hear.

"Let me give you some free advice, bestie."

Her smile widened.

"Jace was mine long before he was yours. I let you have him, but he's back where he belongs now."

My heart pounded painfully.

She flicked her eyes toward Sterling.

"And you really think Sterling wants you? That guy who never talks to anyone?"

"It's none of your business."

Sterling's voice cut through the room. Cold. Final.

Jenna turned toward him, startled. He wasn't looking at her. He was looking at me.

"Whether I like her or not is none of your business, Jenna."

For the first time, Jenna's smile cracked.

Neither had I expected that answer. My heart gave an unfamiliar little thud, but I quickly pushed the feeling aside.

Jenna recovered quickly. Then, with a deliberate sweep of her hand, she knocked the lilies off the table. Petals scattered across the tiles.

"Oh, dear. So clumsy of me."

Sterling grabbed her wrist. "That's enough."

Jenna's expression changed instantly. "Let go of me!"

"Don't you ever speak to her like that again."

She twisted her wrist, then changed tactics. Tears flooded her eyes, and she raised her voice so the hallway could hear.

"Help! He's hurting me!"

"Sterling!" I grabbed his sleeve, my IV tugging painfully. "Don't! She's trying to make you look bad!"

He was breathing hard. His injured knuckles had begun bleeding again, his jaw tight. For one frightening moment, I thought he might lose control.

Then he looked at me. Whatever he saw made him release her wrist.

Jenna stumbled backward, clutching her wrist dramatically.

"You're sick," she spat. She turned toward me. "And you, Chloe? When this little hero fantasy ends, don't come crying to me."

I stared at her, tears burning behind my eyes.

"I would rather have nobody for the rest of my life than have you in it again."

For a moment, Jenna looked genuinely taken aback. Then her expression hardened.

"Be careful what you wish for."

She snatched up her handbag and headed for the door.

"Enjoy being her hero while it lasts."

Then she slammed the door. The sound made me flinch.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

"Chloe." Sterling's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

I almost laughed. I'd lost my baby. My boyfriend had betrayed me. My best friend had helped him. Someone had posted my most humiliating moment online.

No. I wasn't okay.

But I swallowed the answer. "I'm fine."

He bent down and began collecting the mangoes from the floor. He picked them up carefully and placed them back in the damaged bag. Then he gathered the scattered lilies and dropped them into the trash can. The lid snapped shut.

"Sterling? Your hand is bleeding again."

He glanced down. "It's nothing."

"Stop saying that."

He let out a quiet breath. "Stubborn."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Despite everything, the corner of my mouth almost lifted.

Sterling picked up the damaged fruit bag and headed toward the door.

"Are you leaving because of her?" I asked.

He stopped. "Your mom will be back soon. You need to rest."

"That's not what I asked."

He turned his head slightly. "I'm leaving because you need to rest, Chloe."

I lowered my eyes. "Oh."

"Sterling? Thank you. For everything."

"You don't owe me anything, Chloe."

"Maybe not. But I'm still grateful."

At the door, he paused.

"Don't look at UT Confessions tonight."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because whatever they're saying about you, reading it won't make anything better."

"It's easy for you to say. You're not the one everyone is talking about."

"You don't have to figure that out tonight. Just get some sleep. I'll handle it."

"You'll handle what?"

"Finding out who's behind it."

He said it with such certainty that, for a moment, I almost believed he could make all of this disappear.

"Okay," I whispered.

Sterling gave a small nod and left. The door clicked shut behind him.

I told myself I wouldn't. But my hand reached for my phone.

It buzzed.

NEW POST — UT CONFESSIONS - 1m ago

Not the stretcher photo.

It was THIS room. Taken through the glass slit in my door.

Me on the bed, tears on my face. And Sterling crouched beside me, head bent toward me. Angle made it look like he was holding my hand.

Caption:

WARD B UPDATE: Chloe Hart isn't as heartbroken as she wants everyone to believe. She's already found her replacement. Guess who was seen leaving her room? Sterling Brooks.

Comments exploding.

I threw the phone on the bed.

Someone had been right there. Outside my door. Watching. Filming.

My eyes shot to the door.

The little glass panel reflected hallway light.

A shadow moved across it. Quick.

"Hello?"

No answer.