Chapter 3 Glass and Blood

"Nora, I'm sorry. This is all my fault," Elena said softly. "I know you hate me for taking Julian away. You can hit me if it'll make you feel better."

The words sounded repentant, but malice flickered in her eyes.

I watched her coldly, unimpressed by the clumsy act. Suddenly, I saw her suddenly lose her balance and fall straight onto the shattered glass.

"Ah! Julian!" she screamed, lifting her bleeding arm.

Julian charged over like an enraged lion and slammed his foot into my stomach.

I flew into the coffee table. A sharp pain ripped through my ribs, and my vision went dark.

"Nora didn't do it on purpose, Julian. I'm fine," Elena said weakly. "She's just upset. Julian, go comfort her."

Julian roared at me as he gently gathered Elena into his arms.

"Nora, how can you be this vicious? Elena is my sister. How dare you do this to her!" He said to her, "Don't be afraid. I'm taking you to get bandaged right now!"

Then, he turned to me. "I'll make you pay if she scars!"

I curled up on the floor, watching their backs as they walked away.

Blood seeped from my forehead, spreading across the floor like a dark red bloom.

…

In the middle of the night, the sound of someone kicking the door jolted me awake.

Julian stood in the doorway holding Elena, whose arm had been neatly bandaged. He said with icy eyes, "Quit playing dead. Do you know how many stitches Elena needed?"

Elena swayed in his arms, showing off her wrapped wrist. "Nora, I know you hate me, but Julian and I really are just siblings. It only happened because I was drugged…"

"Julian, this is my fault. I made Nora angry," she murmured. "I just won't be able to make you coffee for a while."

Julian clasped her hand, heartbroken. "Elena, stop defending her!"

"Elena's injured. Go pack her things," he barked at me. "Every single design sketch. Don't miss one."

He shoved me into the study. I staggered and slammed into the bookcase.

The wound in my abdomen tore open again, warm liquid soaking through my shirt.

I gritted my teeth as I gathered the scattered design drafts from the floor. Every movement sent pain jolting up my body. Soon, cold sweat drenched my back.

Just then, Elena pushed the door open and thrust a design sheet smeared with ink toward me.

"My competition piece!" she suddenly shrieked. "I stayed up three nights drawing this! Nora, how could you pour ink all over my design?"

Julian rushed in at the noise. He went berserk when he saw Elena sobbing on the floor. He slapped me to the ground, then immediately pulled Elena into his arms.

"Nora, do you have any idea how important this competition is to Elena?"

The pain was so intense that I spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Now you're even pretending to cough up blood?" Julian snarled. "If you've got a problem, take it out on me! Why do you keep hurting Elena? You've really disappointed me, Nora!"

I lay collapsed on the floor. Julian started to stand when Elena suddenly fainted.

"Elena! Elena! Call an ambulance!"

Julian swept her into his arms. On his way out, he kicked the coffee table over hard.

Glass shards sprayed across my face, sliding down with the warmth of my blood.

When the front door slammed shut, my knees finally gave out as I sank to my knees.

Blood kept spilling from the corner of my mouth, pooling on the floor in a blinding red stain.

I fumbled for the phone Julian had crushed underfoot. The screen was spiderwebbed with cracks, but our wedding photo still glowed beneath them—him lowering his head to kiss me, his eyelashes almost translucent in the sunlight.

My blood smeared the screen as my shaking finger hit the emergency call.

When the line connected, Julian's voice was ice-cold. "Nora, you've got some nerve calling. Elena's in surgery."

Every word sent blood bubbling from my lips. "J-Julian… we're done."

"What are you playing at now? Once Elena's out of danger, I'll deal with you… Elena!"

The call was cut off.

I suddenly remembered the night he proposed, holding me by the river and whispering, "Nora, I'll never let you suffer."

How cruel. 'The one you love most would always hurt you the deepest.'

My vision blurred. As I stared at the chandelier swaying on the ceiling, I thought of the champagne flutes we'd prepared for the wedding that morning.

It seemed we would never reach the day of sharing that final toast.

Darkness swallowed me whole.

'Julian, we will never see each other again.'