Chapter 3

I didn't reply to Mr. Alves' message right away, not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't dare.

Over the years, whenever I dared to hope, I'd always ended up hurt even more deeply.

Even if someone was willing to vouch for me, would my parents and brothers believe him?

In the afternoon, I visited the healer's room alone.

When the herbalist peeled back my sleeve, she drew in a sharp breath.

Flesh was stuck tightly to fabric, and the wound had long since become infected and inflamed.

While she applied the medication, I lay on the sickbed without making a sound.

The herbalist couldn't help asking, "Doesn't it hurt?"

I shook my head.

In truth, it did hurt.

When I cried out in pain as a child, Hans would always comfort me with a pained expression.

Now, nobody cared, no matter how badly hurt I was. So I didn't think it was necessary to voice my pain anymore.

Just then, my attending healer, Maria Thompson, rushed in and slammed my diagnosis report angrily down on the table.

"Katherine, the toxins are already close to reaching your heart! Your wolf is about to vanish! If this goes on, you could die at any time! Where's your family? Do they not care about you?" she demanded.

I lowered my head and said nothing.

After all, my family only cared for Daisy.

When I walked out of the healer's room, Mom was actually waiting at the door for me.

She stared at me for quite a while before asking, "What have you come down with this time?"

I was momentarily stunned.

It was the first time in seven years that she'd shown any concern for my health.

I handed her my diagnosis report with shaking hands, but she stuffed it into her bag without even looking at it.

"Daisy has a therapy session tonight. The shaman mentioned that it's best to have someone who was at the scene of the fire, so you're coming with us," she said.

My heart sank.

It turned out that her concern came at a price.

On the way to therapy, Daisy fell asleep in Mom's arms.

Afraid that Daisy would catch a cold, Mom went out of her way to cover her with a blanket.

I sat in the corner, feeling sharp jolts of pain from the wound in my arm with every bump in the road.

Hayden looked at me and asked, "What's with that damn long face? You owe it to Daisy to help with her treatment."

I leaned against the car window and asked softly, "How much longer?"

Everyone in the car immediately fell silent.

Hans frowned and asked, "What did you say?"

I looked directly at him and demanded, "Is seven years not enough? Will I only catch a break when I'm dead?"

Dad bellowed angrily, "Enough! What's with the ominous talk at this time of night?"

At that moment, I completely lost faith in my family.

They simply considered my subject of conversation an ill omen and couldn't care less whether I lived or died.

Hayden sneered and said, "Stop trying to threaten us with things like that. Even if you really up and died, nobody would stop you. You owe Daisy your life anyway."

As I held back my tears, I suddenly smiled.

Alright. If that was what they wanted, then I'd give them exactly what they wanted.

To treat Daisy's mental trauma, the shaman simulated a fire.

She started a small fire and generated smoke.

The instant smoke filled the air, I froze.

The excruciating pain of my burns seven years ago, the despair of being trapped, and Daisy's cries—all the memories came flooding back in an instant.

I could even remember the stench of burning skin and shards of the shattered window scattering everywhere.

I recalled how I'd run outward with Daisy on my back while repeating to her, "Don't be scared. I'm here."

I reflexively covered my mouth and nose as my breathing became increasingly labored.

Daisy screamed and leaped into Mom's embrace.

"Fire! Katherine locked the door! She wants to burn me to death!"

Seeing this, the shaman immediately paused the simulation.

Everyone gathered anxiously around Daisy.

Nobody noticed that I had collapsed bonelessly on the floor.

My head spun, and I couldn't seem to breathe.

I struggled to crawl forward and grabbed the hem of Hayden's pants.

He glanced down at me before promptly kicking me aside.

"When Daisy has an episode, you somehow have one too. Why did I never realize you were such an actor, Katie?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

A second later, I choked up and violently coughed up black blood.

Mom's eyes widened, and she walked toward me.

Hans couldn't help taking a step toward me as well.

Then, Daisy suddenly wailed, "Mom… I'm scared…"

Mom stopped just a few feet away from me.

Another two steps would bring her close enough to touch me.

Yet, throughout the past seven years, she'd never once closed that remaining distance.

I gazed at the puddle of black blood, a sudden realization dawning on me.

That great fire had never been put out.

It had not only burned my arm but robbed me of my entire family.

I was sent for treatment.

As I was being lifted onto the sickbed, my phone slipped from my pocket, the screen coincidentally lighting up as it hit the floor.

There was a short text from Mr. Alves on the screen, which read, "I've found bodycam footage from the rescue operation back then. Katherine, you weren't lying."

Hans was just about to bend down to pick my phone up when he saw the message and froze.

Hayden picked up my phone instead and immediately turned off the screen.

"Katie's lying again. She sure has a lot of tricks up her sleeve," he said snidely.

As the door to the healer's room closed, I saw Hayden walk away to accompany Daisy, while Hans remained rooted to the spot.

It was the first time he'd stopped for me, and it would also be the last.

I closed my eyes.

Just like love delayed was love denied, a truth realized too late served no purpose, especially to a dying person.