Chapter 5

On the day Mom was discharged from the hospital, I stepped downstairs for just a moment, only to hear frantic screaming echoing from the ward.

When I rushed back into the room, Josh was standing by Mom's bed, begging for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Campbell! I'm the one who hurt Dean and ruined their relationship! I was shameless! I seduced Charlotte! You can hit me or curse at me all you want!

"Don't worry, I'll walk away on my own and give Dean his happiness back!"

Mom, whose health had barely begun to recover, was pushed over the edge again. She stood up abruptly and screamed, "Shut up! I will never let Dean stay with that b*tch!"

However, the moment her foot hit the ground, she collapsed straight to the floor, clutching her chest tightly as if she couldn't breathe.

"Mrs. Campbell! What's wrong?!"

Josh reached out to help her, but I threw him off and screamed in pure rage.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

He flinched in terror, stammering out his words. "Dean... I... I just came to apologize to your mom."

After slamming the emergency call button, I helped my mom back onto the bed.

Josh, his eyes red, reached out to grab my arm to explain. Before he could utter a word, I slapped him hard across the face, glaring at him with pure hatred.

"Stealing my girlfriend wasn't enough, so now you want to kill my mom too?! Josh, you are disgusting!"

I hit him hard enough that his head snapped to the side, leaving sharp red finger marks on his face.

I grabbed his arm tightly, trying to kick him out of the room. Just as we reached the doorway, Charlotte appeared.

The moment her eyes landed on Josh's swollen face, rage flared in her eyes.

"Are you crazy?! He's practically your brother!"

She shoved me back hard, pulling Josh into her arms with desperate concern. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

Before her words even settled, I crashed heavily into the metal IV pole.

The sharp hook dug deep into my back, sending white-hot pain through my whole spine. Blood instantly soaked my clothes and seeped onto the floor.

Mom's eyes went wide. She tried desperately to speak, but she couldn't make a sound, passing out cold a second later.

Ignoring the agony in my back, I crawled toward the hallway inch by inch, screaming for a doctor.

Charlotte froze, a flicker of worry finally crossing her eyes.

Josh was about to bend down to pull me up, but I roared at him instantly.

"Get the fuck away! Stop pretending!"

Charlotte's face darkened completely. She grabbed Josh's arm and pulled him toward the exit, her gaze icy.

"If he doesn't want our help, then let him be. Come on, I'll take you to get your injuries treated first."

Watching their cold backs as they walked away, my heart broke completely.

When the blinding surgical lights went out, the doctor officially declared Mom's death. She had suffered a massive heart attack, and resuscitation had failed.

I collapsed onto the floor, trembling violently as I broke down sobbing.

Just like that, the very last person in this world who loved me was gone.

…

Three days later, after burying Mom, I packed my life into a suitcase and took a cab straight to the airport.

My phone had been buzzing continuously with hundreds of texts and calls from Charlotte and Josh these past few days. However, I hadn't answered a single one.

It was only when the plane broke through the clouds and warm sunlight streamed through the window that I pulled up the photo of the three of us on my phone.

"Goodbye," I whispered before permanently deleting the memory.

From this day on, you and I will be worlds apart.