Chapter 1

The frantic rescue effort lasted three full hours. Only then did the heartbeat monitor—so close to becoming a flat line—finally begin to rise and fall again.

Seeing the grim, ashen expressions on my parents' faces, even Eric Spencer found it hard to keep pretending to be sick anymore.

"This really has nothing to do with me… He suddenly slit his own wrist. I was scared too."

Desperate to clear himself, his voice even carried a trembling sob.

The moment my sister, Alicia Spencer, saw that, she hurried forward and shielded Eric behind her as she spoke with absolute certainty.

"Mom, Dad, this is obviously one of Ronnie's pathetic little self-directed acts! If he really wanted to die, why didn't he stab himself through the throat? He cut his wrist because he knew he could still be saved! I think he calculated everything perfectly!"

I had just forced my eyes open through the lingering haze of dizziness when those words reached my ears.

Slowly, I moved toward a corner no one was paying attention to.

Obediently, I picked up the knife that still hadn't been taken away.

Deep in my memory, those sticky, revolting laughs and the tearing agony circled endlessly in my mind…

I fought to suppress the trembling running through my body and forced out a pleading smile.

"Alicia, Eric, I'll listen to whatever you say."

As I spoke, I pressed the knife against my neck and drove it down hard.

The instant the family heard my weak voice and turned around, the color drained from their faces.

The room exploded into chaos in an instant—screams, frantic scrambling, utter disorder.

My parents coaxed and pleaded before finally managing to wrestle the knife from my hands.

Alicia still wanted to say something, but the moment she opened her mouth, Dad cut her off with a thunderous slap against the table.

"That's enough!"

He hurled the knife to the floor with a violent clang.

His trembling finger pointed at Eric, then swung toward Alicia.

"Have you ever seen anyone seek attention like this?! Look at him! Look at what you've driven Ronnie into!"

The moment those words fell, both Eric and Alicia widened their eyes in disbelief. Eric's eyes reddened with anger, his face full of resentment. Meanwhile, Alicia glared at me darkly through gritted teeth.

"Ronnie, just you wait! If you make Eric upset, I'll never forgive you!"

Shrinking back behind Mother, I cautiously peeked my head out, my eyes filled with fear. My body reacted before my mind could. I gently tugged on Alicia's sleeve, my voice weak and submissive.

"Alicia, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I shouldn't have upset Eric… I'll apologize to him right now."

Before any of them realized what I was about to do, I had already slowly moved to the window.

I pushed it open. Then, under everyone's horrified gaze, I jumped.

The world fell silent for one second.

A moment later, a shrill scream tore through the room.

"Ronnie!!"

My parents staggered toward the window.

Mom only looked down once before collapsing to the floor, fainting on the spot from sheer terror.

Dad scrambled out in panic to find a doctor, stumbling so badly he nearly fell several times.

Alicia and Eric stood frozen where they were, completely dumbfounded.

The wind roared past my ears. Warm wetness spread beneath me, followed by shattering pain.

As my consciousness slowly faded, I gently closed my eyes.