I Became His Cure, They Lost Their Minds

My father, Isaac Wright, sounded surprised yet happy. "Julie, you were so adamant about not marrying into the Lowell family yesterday. Why the sudden change of mind?"

I climbed down from the stool and laughed. "I just thought that since I'm all grown up now, it's about time I contribute to our family. I still remember the Lowell family's promise to save the Wright Group if I marry their son and cure him."

Isaac said repeatedly, "This is great!"

I had never heard him say that to me in the past decade. Ever since my mother, Dorothy York, passed away, he had rarely ever smiled at me. The only time we had a proper talk was when he brought Sophia Somerville home.

Isaac said his military buddy had passed away and left Sophia behind. He added that even though she was sickly and frail, she could still be my friend, so that I wouldn't be lonely. However, she became the cause of my isolation.

After hanging up the phone, I heard Xavier Ferris ask from outside, "Who's in the bathroom? Get out!"

I grabbed the rope and opened the door.

"Julia? Why are you here? And why are you holding something like that?" Xavier frowned.

His eyes were filled with vigilance. It was as if he were scared that I would hurt Sophia.

"Ignore her. She's always been this willful and loved pranking people since we were kids," Aaron Carter also said coldly, standing nearby.

He fidgeted with his rosary and gently caressed Sophia's hand. "We've seen everything you did to Sophia all these years, so stop your scheming."

I heard something shatter inside me. Sadness swallowed me whole. I bit my lip until it bled.

"I arrived before any of you. Didn't Sophia tell you anything?"

"Julie, it's my fault for forgetting to tell them. Don't be angry at me!" Sophia finally spoke up from her bed.

She got out of bed and kneeled before me. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"

"Julia, you've crossed the line!" Xavier immediately carried her back to her bed.

Aaron tightened his grip on his rosary. "Julia, what goes around comes around. Aren't you scared of being punished for your actions?"

Even though the heater was on inside the hospital room, my body felt cold. "Punished? Me?"

I laughed. "If I'm going to be punished, what about you two?

"To avenge Sophia, you pretended to love me and got engaged to me, only to later toss me aside like I'm nothing! What do you think your punishment will be, then?"

Their expressions stiffened after I finished my sentence. "Did you hear everything, Julia?"

Of course I did. Since I turned 18, I had gotten engaged twice, and both were called off.

Aaron broke his celibacy and made love to me in the church over and over again. But after we got engaged, he told me.

"Julie, I can't forgive myself for breaking my celibacy. I have to atone for my sins for the rest of my life, so I can't marry you."

After I got together with Xavier, he made love to me every night and called me his baby as he held me. We even picked out a wedding dress, but then he said that his lust was too strong and we didn't suit each other.

My mother passed away too soon, and my father wasn't close to me either. After how both my engagements ended up, I thought it was just my fate, and that I didn't deserve to be loved. It turned out that everything was their scheme.

"Either way, this has nothing to do with Sophia. Don't push the blame onto her."

Xavier shielded Sophia behind him. "So what if we did it on purpose? Have you forgotten how you bullied Sophia when we were kids?"

"Xavi, Ronnie, don't blame her! It's all my fault…" Sophia looked innocent. Her eyes were teary.

I had seen this expression too many times. Whenever the four of us played together during our childhood, something would happen every time Sophia and I were left alone.

One time, Sophia's face was smashed into a cake. She cried pitifully.

"It's all my fault. Julie didn't do anything! I fell by myself. Believe me…"

Xavier immediately flared up. "How is it possible for your face to smash right into the cake if you fell by yourself?"

Aaron frowned. "Tell us who did this. We'll stand up for you."

Everyone looked at me. Dazed, I tried to help Sophia up.

However, she purposely flinched away from me and fell one more time. Her head started bleeding.

"Julie, I'm already trying my best to endure the pain, so can you stop hurting me? It hurts so much!"

That day, I was forced to bow and apologize to her in front of everyone. Even if I said I didn't do it, who would believe me?

In the hospital room, Xavier looked at me solemnly. "Julia, come at us if you want to hold us accountable.

"We can deal with everything outside. Don't disturb Sophia when she's resting!"

They walked to the door. Sophia was wearing Xavier's family heirloom ring and the rosary Aaron always carried around. I stood up weakly, wanting to leave this suffocating place.

Suddenly, Sophia shrieked. When I turned back, the ring had been smashed into two, while the rosary had been shattered into pieces. The shards even cut the back of my hand.

"Julie, you…" Sophia started to cry. Her voice was filled with sorrow.