Chapter 5

Pain tore through my entire body. But the deeper pain was the despair of being completely abandoned.

Fragments of memories flashed through my mind.

The first time I saw Victor, he sat behind his massive desk. His glasses reflected a cold light. I provoked him. He didn't care.

The first time he pinned me down, he called me Angel. His voice was deep and raspy. I thought that was love.

Countless nights, I lay in his arms. I listened to his steady heartbeat. I thought I finally found a home.

The final image froze in my mind. Victor lunging to protect Chloe without hesitation.

I was left behind to face the danger alone. Like a bystander he could just throw away.

I opened my eyes again. I was lying in a VIP hospital bed.

The room was quiet. I could hear Victor on the phone outside my door.

"Chloe, does it still hurt?" His voice was so gentle. It felt foreign to me.

"It's much better, thank you, Victor," Chloe's voice was weak. "If you hadn't grabbed me in time, I might have..."

"Don't think about that," Victor comforted her. "The doctor said you were just in shock. No physical injuries."

"Victor, if it happens again, you'd still save me first, right?"

Victor didn't hesitate. "Of course."

"But Serena got hurt..."

"She has no reason to be mad," Victor's voice was calm and rational. "In an emergency, of course I'd save you first. You were severely injured before. Serena is tough. She's not fragile like you. She'll understand."

I closed my eyes. It felt like someone just twisted a knife into my heart.

In Victor's eyes, I didn't even have the right to be angry.

Footsteps approached. My door opened.

Victor stood there. He saw I was awake. There was no guilt on his face. "You're awake?"

"Yeah," my voice was hoarse.

"The doctor said you have a mild concussion and scrapes on your leg. Nothing serious," Victor said. "I've arranged the best medical team. I'll stay here and take care of you for the next few days."

"Thanks," I said. I stared at the ceiling. "I'll pay you back for the medical bills in ten days."

Victor frowned. "What are you talking about? What happens in ten days?"

"I said I'll pay you back." I turned my head and looked at him. My eyes were flat. "And for my stay at your place. I'll settle it all at once."

Victor's expression went rigid. "Serena, there's no need to be so calculating with me."

"Why not?" My voice didn't have a single ripple of emotion. "We never meant anything to each other anyway, did we?"

A long, dead silence filled the room.

Victor looked like he wanted to say something. In the end, he just said, "Get some rest."

Over the next few days, Victor stayed in the hospital. He took care of me.

He checked on me regularly. He made sure the nurses gave me my meds on time. He even had a five-star hotel chef deliver my meals.

But I stayed cold and distant.

I didn't cry. I didn't throw a fit. I didn't demand his attention.

I treated him like a kind stranger. Polite, but extremely cold.

This new version of me made Victor very uncomfortable.

On the afternoon of the third day, Victor sat in the chair by my bed. He watched me listlessly flip through a Vogue magazine.

"Serena," he started.

"Yeah?" I didn't look up.

"About that night..." Victor paused. "I saved Chloe first. But it wasn't because I didn't want to save you."

He continued. "Chloe is physically weak. She's been severely injured before. She couldn't handle that kind of impact. It was the only logical choice..."

I put the magazine down. I cut him off. "I know."

Victor looked at me. A strange, unreadable emotion flashed in his eyes. "Are you really not mad?"

"Do you want me to be mad?"

Just then, a commotion erupted in the hallway.

"Hurry! Get her to the ER!"

"What happened?"

"Miss Chloe had a severe allergic reaction to a medication! She's in anaphylactic shock!"

The color drained from Victor's face.

He shot up from his chair. "I have to go handle something," he said urgently.

He walked to the door. He looked back at me one last time. "I'll come see you later."

I listened to his rushed footsteps fade down the hall. I closed my eyes. A deep wave of exhaustion washed over me.

Chloe successfully snatched Victor away from me again.

I had no energy left to fight for him.

Besides, in a week, he'd be free to fly away with her anyway.