Chapter 2

The next day, after finishing my final night shift, I returned home at dawn with a fever.

But when I opened the door, I found the place bustling with noise.

They were throwing a birthday party for Ella.

There were twinkling lights and nonstop laughter. The scent of cake filled the air as well. Kurt's closest friends were all there, and Ella was at the center of it all, surrounded like a princess.

The moment I walked in, their playful banter came to a sudden halt.The atmosphere turned awkward.

Kurt rushed over in excitement and shoved a microphone into my hand. "It's Ella's birthday today. Anna, why don't you sing her a song?"

My head was spinning so badly I could barely speak.

I hadn't slept since the night before. The only thought echoing in my mind was the deadline to confirm Hefford's offer, which was less than 24 hours away.

I gently pushed his hand away and shook my head, instantly causing the mood to falter.

Ella glanced at me and said, "It's okay. Anna doesn't have to sing if she doesn't want to."

Kevin Drew, who was drinking nearby, let out a whistle and shot me a displeased look.

His expression made it clear that he thought I was ruining the vibe.

I didn't bother to explain myself. My steps were unsteady as I turned to head toward the bedroom.

But just as I turned, my eyes caught sight of a crumpled pile of old clothes tossed in a corner, stained with grease.

It was the set of scrubs I had hand-sewn the day I started my ICU internship after graduating from college, meant to be a keepsake.

I had always kept it at the top of the closet, ensuring it remained pristine and clean. I looked at it as a symbol of my original passion.

Now, it was covered in cake, alcohol, and even dirt.

I felt my heart twist painfully, but no one noticed anything was wrong. Kurt was still gazing tenderly at Ella as she laughed.

It wasn't until I stood in front of them, holding the scrubs in my hands, trembling with suppressed fury, that they finally spared me a glance.

When Kurt saw what I was holding, he immediately pulled me into his arms and whispered,

"Ella accidentally used that as a rag. She didn't mean to. I'll buy you a few new ones, okay? Don't take it to heart."

New ones? A few more?

I froze. That wasn't just clothing; that was a piece of my life I had fought to preserve.

But there wasn't even a hint of guilt in his eyes, only a desire to smooth things over.

The grievances I had buried deep inside finally broke free, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

Kurt was stunned for a moment. Then he instinctively reached out to touch my face, but I turned my head away.

A flicker of irritation crossed Ella's eyes. She thought this moment was supposed to be hers, and now I was ruining it.

But she quickly composed herself, putting on a pitiful expression as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Anna, don't be mad at Kurt. It's all my fault. I'll buy you something better later to make up for it, okay?"

That one sentence lit a fire in Kevin.

He licked his tongue in annoyance and pulled out a wad of cash, slamming it in front of me.

"Isn't money what you want? Why go through all that drama? Is this enough for you?"

Kevin had always been like this. He was a typical friend of Kurt's who looked down on me.

In their eyes, I had never been someone from their world.

I would have felt embarrassed and inferior in the past. I would have wondered how I could fit in with them.

But now, all I felt was relief. I finally knew I didn't belong here.

I stepped on the cash emotionlessly, walking toward the bathroom with those clothes in hand.

After several failed attempts to smooth things over, Kurt finally lost his temper.

He berated me, "Anna, whatever crap you dealt with outside, don't take it out on us!"

My head buzzed as I abruptly looked up at him.

I was still wearing my food delivery vest. My shoes were soaked with rainwater, and I was burning hot with fever.

I had worked myself to the bone to fund his business, doing side gigs and even helping to pay off his debts. In the end, all I got in return was to be scolded like that.

I smiled softly, but there was no sadness in it, only the peace that came with letting go.

Kurt's expression wavered for a moment. For some reason, a wave of panic suddenly crept into his heart.

He instinctively reached out again, but the next second, my body gave out.

I collapsed straight to the ground.

The last thing I saw before everything went dark was the panic-stricken look on Kurt's face.