Chapter 8

Sinead finally relaxed when the doctor said it was just a flesh wound and that her bone was fine, and that the falling chandelier had pretty much missed her.

After they were done bandaging her hand, she went home.

As the day of the Green family's departure drew near, the living room was filled with suitcases of every size.

She rested for two days, then told a few close friends she was moving abroad.

They put together a farewell dinner just for her, and the mood at the table was heavy. Everyone was sad to see her go and kept telling her to stay in touch after she left.

It was nearly dawn by the time the gathering finally broke up.

After seeing everyone off, Sinead paid the bill and went back to the private room for her purse before heading out.

As she walked past the next room, a few familiar voices drifted out.

"Nelson, how does it feel to finally get the girl you've had a crush on for years?"

The door was half-open, and she could hear Nelson's amused tone clearly. "Feels like I would be fine with it even if I dropped dead right now."

Laughter exploded inside, mixed with a tease. "Then what about that little childhood friend of yours?"

After about ten seconds of silence, Nelson finally spoke lazily. "Her? She's pretty good in bed."

"We're so jealous, Nelson. None of us has a partner who comes to your every beck and call, then leaves when you wave her off, and you don't even have to own up to it."

The room then roared with laughter. Nelson only raised his eyebrow and said nothing.

"But now that you're engaged to Irene, what are you going to do with her?"

"End it cleanly, of course. Irene's the only one for me. I don't want anyone else."

He sounded so sure that the others started praising how devoted he was.

Sinead dug her nails into her palms so deeply that her knuckles went white. She had thought she was already over this, but hearing it with her own ears still felt like someone was tearing her heart open.

So… Their twenty years of friendship… All those years of late-night calls, holding hands, kissing, and sleeping together...

It all came down to one line.

Pretty good in bed.

She bit her lip hard to hold back the ache in her heart and then walked away on heavy feet.

It was raining outside. She lowered her head and stepped into the rain, but someone blocked her path. Irene stood there with four or five young women, shoulder to shoulder, staring straight at her.

Sinead stayed silent. Just as she raised a hand to hail a cab, Irene grabbed her. "I knew there was something off between you two. Now, I finally understand. So, this is how cheap you are, throwing yourself at my boyfriend and sleeping with him for so long."

The hatred in her voice made Sinead's face go a shade paler.

Sinead wanted to explain, but Irene did not give her the chance as she looked her over with open contempt. "I will let what happened before slide, but now that Nelson and I are engaged, you're still coming looking for him… Do you really like being a homewrecker that much?"

Sinead's heart skipped a beat as she drew a deep breath. "I'm not a homewrecker, and I didn't come to see Nelson today..."

Before she could finish, Irene cut her off with a glance at the young woman beside her. "Drag her inside and go find a few beggars."

The young woman understood at once. They closed in on Sinead, shoving and pushing her up the stairs. "What are you doing?!"

Fear jolted through her. She struggled with everything she had, but there were too many of them. They forced her into the innermost private room and locked the door.

Before long, one of the young women came back with a beggar in tow.

Irene clapped her hands as she let out a cold laugh and stepped aside. "This woman is quite desperate. She'll let you have her for free. You had better make sure she's satisfied."

As Irene laughed, she had someone else close the door.

In the cramped room, the ragged man lunged at her, his eyes gleaming.

Sinead clawed at him again and again, fighting as hard as she could, but it did not help. He was far stronger than she was, and her dress was ripped open, revealing the skin underneath. He pressed his mouth against her, and a foul sewer stench spread through the room.

Filled with rage and terror, Sinead's hand wrapped around an ashtray, and she swung it hard at the man's head without thinking.

With a heavy thud, he crumpled to the floor.

Barely believing she had gotten away, Sinead grabbed her phone and ran out, only to run straight into Irene in the hallway. She had not gone far at all.

Seeing her escape, Irene's expression changed, and she grabbed Sinead's hand again. "How did you get out?!"

Irene was about to drag Sinead back into the room when she caught sight of a figure from the corner of her eye. In an instant, her expression shifted. She let herself fall backward and tumbled down the stairs.

Nelson happened to come out just then and saw it. Shock shot through his eyes as he rushed over and scooped Irene into his arms.

Seeing the blue and purple marks on Irene, he immediately turned on Sinead in a blaze of fury. "Sinead! Why did you push Irene?!"