Chapter 3

Miles lifted his hand to slap himself.

Elena quickly grabbed his wrist and snapped at me. "Rowan, Miles didn't do it on purpose. Do you have to throw your weight around every time?"

Grandma got even angrier. "What a piece of work! Rowan hasn't said a single word, and that punk is already crying. How is Rowan the bully? I'm so furious! Rowan, chin up! Give them something to think about!"

I raised my hand and slapped Miles across the face. Then, I looked at Elena and asked, "See that? That's what throwing my weight around looks like."

Miles froze. Elena did too, her eyes turning icy. "Rowan, you're out of line..."

I lifted my hand again and slapped her just as hard. "That is out of line."

I'd spent years spoiling her, never once losing it. My slap left her completely stunned.

Elena glared at me and said through gritted teeth, "Fine. Great! You laid hands on me, so don't you dare regret it! Come on, Miles. I'll take you to have that looked at."

Grandma scoffed. "You ignore Rowan as he bleeds and rush to coddle another man. You'll only regret sticking with that scumbag! Oh, my poor Rowan, that must hurt."

I looked down at the scrape on my arm, blood pooling bright red. The dull ache I'd been holding back surged in a wave.

Back in school, if I so much as scraped my knee, Elena would panic as if the sky was falling, ready to take the pain for me if she could. Perhaps her love was a lie, but the closeness we shared back then was genuine.

But now, she didn't even glance at my injury. She scolded me instead, desperate to shield the man she really cared about.

Grandma's words sounded true. If I were to marry Elena, it would only end badly.

I pushed the thought aside and went to find a nurse to clean and bandage my arm.

Just then, a cluster of nurses was peering toward the corridor, so I glanced over too.

Through the glass partition, I saw Miles and Elena wrapped in each other's arms, their body language anything but innocent.

I heard Miles murmur, "Elena, if Rowan ever finds out you faked amnesia just to be with me out in the open, he'll flip."

Elena pinched his cheek. "So what if he does? Everyone knows he loves me. Whether I have amnesia or not, he'll still be begging me to marry him."

Grandma gave a cold snort in my head. "Keep dreaming! Rowan didn't choose you this time. He won't be begging you for anything. In a couple of days, when the engagement news drops, we'll see how cocky you are!"

I let out a humorless breath, my face as pale as paper, and decided I'd heard enough. Holding my bandaged hand, I headed for the exit.

That was when the hallway erupted. Someone yelled, "Those guys have knives! Run!"

Panic rippled through the crowd.

Instinct took over, and I moved with the crowd, but one of the agitated patients lunged at me, grabbing hold and raising a knife to strike.

I was already banged up, and fighting back head-on wasn't going to end well.

I spotted Elena looking in the direction of the commotion. She had trained in martial arts and was skilled in fighting. I didn't have the luxury of pride. "Elena, help me!" I shouted.

She started toward me on instinct, but Miles clamped onto her arm and wouldn't let go. "Elena, I'm scared! Don't leave me, please!"

She faltered. In that heartbeat of hesitation, the blade pierced my forearm. Pain shot through me, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

Grandma was beside herself. "That medical dispute was bad enough last time. How did Rowan end up caught in the middle of it today? Elena doesn't really have amnesia. She knows how he went to hell and back for her, yet she won't lift a finger! This is too much!"

My strength was draining away with the cut. I gritted my teeth and yelled, "Elena, I'm begging you! If you don't help me, I'm going to die!"

Right then, a patient rushed at them. Elena moved in a flash, threw herself in front of Miles to shield him, and pulled him to safety.