Chapter 2

Feverish and dazed, I slipped into a haze, lost in dreams of the past.

When I was a child, I was kidnapped by the Johnson family's enemies and thrown into a drainage ditch. An intellectually challenged old man took me in and raised me like one of his own.

He passed away when I was three. After that, it was Frederick's and Lennon's families who helped me get by. The three of us grew up together.

One became the boyfriend I adored, while the other was like the brother I never had.

When I turned 18, my birth parents finally found me. They were overjoyed, telling me that I was their long-lost daughter, the true heiress of the Johnson family. They even begged me to come home.

I had always longed for family. So, I planned to go back with them.

However, Frederick's eyes turned red. He said he couldn't bear to be apart from me.

Lennon, always impulsive, went even further. He slit his wrists and ended up in the emergency room. Their actions terrified me. After that, I never dared to bring it up again.

The three of us had grown up together. So, naturally, I didn't want to hurt them. I thought we would stay happy that way forever.

Then, out of nowhere, Florence said she wanted to build a relationship with me and showed up with her suitcase in hand.

At first, both Frederick and Lennon were distant toward her. But not long after, the four of us took a trip together and were caught in a flash flood.

I dragged Frederick and Lennon, who were both unconscious, out of danger and left Florence to watch over them while I rushed to a hospital nearly 60 miles away with a severe infection.

Later, she told them that she had risked her life to save them. She even said that I had abandoned them to run for my own life. Their attitude toward me and Florence shifted instantly.

A loud bang and a sharp, violent kick at the door snapped me awake.

I opened my eyes to see Lennon storming in, his face twisted in rage. "Florrie said that you pushed her into the pool! She's been crying nonstop. Do you think faking an illness is going to get you out of this? Get up and go apologize!"

"I'm not faking it… I almost drowned. I've got a fever and pneumonia," I explained.

After what he did today, nearly killing me, there was nothing left but hatred. His feelings meant nothing to me anymore.

Still, I forced myself to speak, because I didn't know what he might do in his rage.

However, Lennon didn't believe a single word I said. "You've learned how to swim at six. And that pool's barely deep enough to drown you. Stop pretending to be the victim, Elizabeth. What, did you miss your calling as an actress? Get up and apologize to Florrie!"

His words made my blood boil. After my near-death experience after having dragged him and Frederick out of the flood, I never went near water again. The trauma of that incident left me fearful of water. However, no matter how many times I said it, they never believed me.

I swallowed my anger and rasped out, "Fine. I'll go after this IV drip finishes. Happy?"

Three years of this had taught me when to shut up and fold. So, I thought that it would be enough to satisfy him.

However, he ripped the needle from the back of my hand and yanked me off the hospital bed.

The skin tore with his harsh movement, peeling away to expose raw flesh beneath. Blood sprayed down my wrist, the sting making me hiss in pain. However, Lennon didn't flinch and simply dragged me out the door like he couldn't even see it.

Even though we were not related by blood, he used to say that we were siblings by heart. He even said that if anyone ever hurt me, he would be the first to make them pay. I was a fool to ever believe him.

I pressed my hand to my bleeding wound as he hauled me into Florence's ward.

The moment I stepped in, I saw her sitting on the bed as Frederick held her and comforted her gently. "It's okay, Florrie. I'm here. Don't be scared."

He used to set clear boundaries with other women for fear that I would get upset. Yet, there he was, holding another woman in his arms, even with me standing right before him.

Even with the blood from my hand dripping steadily to the floor, all he cared about was her. Looking at my injury, he remarked, "That must hurt. But crying about it won't help. You hurt Florrie, so you owe her an apology!"

"Fine. I'm sorry. Is that good enough?" I didn't care anymore. I just wanted it to be over so I could get back and finish my IV drip.

Florence heard me but chose to ignore me. Instead, she curled into Frederick's arms and continued to cry.

His heart ached at that sight. He snapped, "You pushed her into the pool in the middle of winter. One little apology isn't enough."

I almost died, and that still wasn't enough for them.