Chapter 6

I woke up from a nap. I felt a sharp sting in my arm.

I looked down. The IV was backing up. A red line of blood steadily climbed up the clear tube.

I pressed the call button.

A nurse hurried in. She frowned when she saw the tube. "Why was no one watching you? Where's your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend," I said calmly. "He had an emergency and left."

"How long ago?" the nurse asked while expertly changing the needle.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 2 AM. Victor left at 7 PM. Seven hours ago.

"A long time ago."

The nurse sighed. She shook her head. "That's how these rich guys are. They put on a good show. But when it really matters, they're nowhere to be found."

After she left, I couldn't fall back asleep.

Dawn broke. I decided to go for a walk.

I dragged my IV pole into the hallway. I overheard two nurses whispering.

"That girl on the top floor is so lucky. The Sterling CEO bought out the entire penthouse floor. He flew in a private Swiss medical team overnight. He turned it into a sterile ICU."

"I know, right? I heard even the water sent in there is specially purified. He hasn't left her side since she was admitted."

I stopped in my tracks.

The penthouse floor was on the tenth floor.

I was on the eighth floor. In a normal private room with basic nursing staff.

I pressed the elevator button. I went up to the tenth floor.

The entire floor really was locked down. Only one room had the lights on.

I walked to the door. I looked through the sterile glass.

Victor sat by the bed. He patiently fed Chloe soup, spoon by spoon.

She leaned against the pillows. Pale but content.

"Does it still hurt?" Victor asked softly.

"Much better," Chloe said. She opened her mouth for another bite. "With you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

Richard sat on the sofa. He peeled an apple for her.

She finished the soup. He immediately handed her a slice.

"Eat slowly. Don't choke," Richard's voice carried a fatherly love I hadn't heard in years.

"Thank you, Richard," Chloe smiled sweetly. "You feel like a real father to me."

"You are my daughter now," Richard said. He patted her hand. "This family is your family."

Victor smiled gently. He reached out to smooth Chloe's hair. "Are you still dizzy?"

"Not anymore. Just a little tired."

"Then get some sleep," Victor said. He drew the curtains. He dimmed the lights. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay right here with you."

This warm, family-like scene twisted like a knife in my heart.

I bit my lip hard until I tasted blood. I forced myself not to make a sound.

I turned around. I turned my back to that room. I went back to mine.

Don't cry, Serena. You can't cry.

Four days before my scheduled flight to LA for the wedding, I was discharged.

I walked out of the hospital. I saw Victor waiting by his car.

"Get in," he said.

"I'll take a cab."

"Get in." Victor's tone brooked no refusal.

I looked at his cold, hard expression. I finally got into the car.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To get some air," Victor started the engine. "You've been cooped up in the hospital too long."

Half an hour later, he pulled up in front of Sotheby's auction house.

"An auction?" I looked at the posters by the entrance.

"There's a jewelry auction today," Victor said. He got out. "I thought you'd like this sort of thing."

I was about to refuse. He handed me the auction catalog. My eyes landed on a familiar item.

Lot 47: A sapphire necklace.

My hands started shaking.

I knew that necklace. It was my mother's. It was the only piece of vintage couture she left me.

"What's wrong?" Victor noticed my reaction.

"Nothing," I clutched the catalog tightly. "Let's go in."

In the restroom, I called my agent with trembling fingers.

"Liquidate everything. My stocks, my properties. Empty my accounts. Right now."

"Miss Serena, you said you were going to bring that money to LA..."

"I changed my mind," I said urgently. "How much can you scrape together?"

"About fifteen million dollars."

"That's enough." I hung up. I took a deep breath.

I had to buy my mother's necklace back.

We walked into the auction hall. Victor found seats in the front row.

I was about to sit down. A familiar voice rang out.

"Victor!"

Chloe walked over. She wore a light pink dress.

She still had a neck brace on. But she looked as beautiful and fragile as ever.

She hooked her arm through Victor's.

"Oh, Serena is here too," Chloe smiled sweetly at me. "I told Victor I wanted to make peace with you in person today. I didn't expect him to actually bring you."

Everything became cruelly clear.

Victor didn't bring me here to make me happy. He didn't bring me here to "get some air."

He brought me here because Chloe wanted to "make peace." I was just a prop he brought along for the ride.

I looked at Chloe's victorious smile. The last shred of pain in my heart vanished. It was replaced by a cold, hard numbness.

I couldn't feel anything anymore.