Saved by No One

Half a month later, I returned home covered in injuries.

Laughter filled the house. Colorful ribbons and wrapped gifts were scattered everywhere, all signs of a celebration.

In the family chat group, I saw the reason.

Relatives and friends were congratulating them on surviving the disaster.

When Ned Jenkins saw me, a flash of guilt crossed his eyes.

When the flood broke out, the first person he thought of was my sister, Joan, even though I was his fiancée.

My parents also looked at me with complicated expressions.

When they ran, they had thought of everything. They even brought the parrot meant to cheer Joan up, but they forgot about me, their own daughter.

Ned walked over and asked hesitantly, "Cynthia, are you okay? Back then, things were crazy. Joan can't walk well, so I had to save her first."

As he spoke, he reached out, trying to pat my head like he used to.

I casually avoided his hand and stared at him coldly.

Mom's eyes turned red as she pulled me into a tight hug. "You've been through so much, darling! Your dad and I didn't mean to leave you behind."

Ever since Joan came back, it had been a long time since I had felt warmth in my mother's arms.

Maybe before, I would have been moved.

But now, I simply took two steps back and put some distance between us.

Mom looked hurt.

Just then, Joan limped over and held onto Mom with a pitiful look.

"Cynthia, Mom cares about you so much. How can you treat her like this?

"I know you're upset because Mom and Dad saved me first, but you shouldn't embarrass them in front of everyone!

"I don't blame you for getting me lost on purpose back then, so you shouldn't blame Mom and Dad either. Mom, Dad, it's all my fault. If I had known, I wouldn't have come back with you…"

Joan cried her eyes out, and Dad's guilt instantly turned into anger.

"Cynthia, what are you trying to do? Are you seriously trying to make everyone think we've been mistreating you?

"You and Joan are sisters. Back then, you caused her to be lost and taken away. Shouldn't you make it up to her now? We saved her first, and you complain about that.

"I thought after all these years, you would've changed. I never imagined you would still be so cruel!"

Ned stood in front of Joan and joined Dad in blaming me.

"Cynthia, that's enough! Joan suffered for years because of you. You owe her. And now, you're making things hard for her and your parents!"

I stared at them in disbelief.

They were my parents and the man I trusted the most.

The flood had dragged me away. Branches and rocks tore into my skin again and again. I finally managed to grab onto a tree in the rushing water and stayed stuck there for an entire day and night before anyone rescued me.

When I woke up from the coma, the first thing I wanted to do was tell my family I was alive.

Instead, I saw a message in the family chat. They had already landed safely.

[What a miracle! Thank goodness our family stayed together through it all!]

More than a dozen photos stabbed at my eyes.

My parents, my sister, and my fiancé. They were hugging tightly like a perfect family.

And I was alone in a foreign country, barely escaping death.

My body was covered in scars, deep and shallow. The doctor said if I had arrived any later, I could've lost my hand.

For a medical student, hands are everything.

I almost died in that disaster, yet after surviving, my own father accused me of purposely humiliating them and called me cruel.

Even my fiancé, who once promised to always stand by my side, now stood against me.

I suddenly had no desire to explain anything. I turned around and went back to my room.

Behind me, Joan was still pretending to defend me.

"Dad, Ned, don't blame Cynthia. I'm sure she didn't mean it."

Dad laughed coldly. "Joan, you're too kind. I wish Cynthia were the one who got taken back then."

I closed the door and collapsed onto the floor.

Ever since Joan was found and claimed that I abandoned her on purpose, I no longer had a place in this house.

No matter how I explained, my parents never listened.

They gave her my princess bedroom, while I was pushed into this tiny room that used to be a storage closet.

As long as Joan cried, my words didn't matter.

I should have been used to their attitude by now.

Right then, a text message came from my mentor, Robin Jackson.

Everything was ready. All that was left was for me to leave.

My parents didn't know that back when I was still in the hospital overseas, I had already called Robin.

"Dr. Jackson, I've decided to go with you and join Doctors Without Borders. I'm never coming back."