Chapter 4

The hospital corridor lights flickered in front of my eyes.

The staff wheeled me into the resuscitation area. Mia was left outside.

When I woke, a monitor was attached to my wrist, an oxygen mask pressed against my nose. Every breath felt like it took everything I had.

The doctor stood at my bedside, his voice soft.

"Your wolf spirit has completely decayed. You have only a few hours left. Say your goodbyes to your family."

Mia covered her mouth. Tears fell immediately.

I moved my fingers, signaling her closer.

She bent down and held my hand.

"Don't cry."

Her eyes were red, but she nodded desperately.

My phone buzzed again and again in my bag. The nurse took it out and placed it where I could see it.

Dad had sent several messages.

[Where are you?]

[Chloe's been looking for you since her treatment ended. You can't even show your face?]

[Jane, when are you going to grow up? Stop making the whole family revolve around your moods.]

Mom sent a voice message too.

"Chloe's already having a hard time. Even if you're still angry with us, today isn't the day to act out. See the message and come home. Don't make her think you hate her again."

I wanted to tell them I wasn't refusing to come home.

I just couldn't anymore.

But my fingers were stiff. The words on the screen blurred together. I didn't even have the strength to unlock the phone.

Then Chloe sent a message.

[Sis, why didn't you come this time? Weren't you always the first to show up when I was feeling bad?]

She quickly sent a photo.

In the photo, she was leaning against Damian, a blanket over her. Mom and Dad were on either side of her hospital bed.

[They're all with me. See? It's fine if you're not here.]

The next message followed.

[Actually, I was never sick. The first time I said I was afraid of the dark, it was because I heard Mom say she worried about you the most. I wanted her to stay with me too.]

[That time in the storage room, I went in by myself. I knew you'd come looking for me. I just didn't expect the door to actually get stuck. Later, when I said you locked me in, Dad believed it.]

I stared at the screen. There was no anger in my heart. Only a late, tired exhaustion.

[I ruined the dress. The allergy was something I arranged myself. Every time you tried to explain, they thought you were bullying me. The more desperate you got, the less they believed you.]

[I just wanted your things. Mom's time. Dad's favor. Damian. And the factory. I didn't expect you to hand them all over so quickly.]

I closed my eyes.

Every time I'd been misunderstood in the past, I'd been desperate to prove my innocence.

I searched for evidence, argued, cried, begged them to believe me one more time.

But the more I tried to make the truth clear, the more they thought I was targeting Chloe.

Now the truth was right in front of me, and I had no strength to pursue it, no will to ask them to believe me.

I tugged weakly at Mia's hand.

She bent down immediately.

"What is it?"

With all my strength, I pointed to the inner pocket of my bag.

There was a small black USB drive inside.

Mia found it and held it in her palm, looking at me in confusion.

"There are records in there. Things I've kept over the years." My voice was faint. "Things she said. Things she did. Evidence that proves the truth."

Mia's expression changed.

"You knew all along that she..."

I nodded slightly.

"Open it after I die."

Mia gripped the USB drive tightly. Tears fell onto the back of my hand.

My breathing grew shallower.

The sound of the monitor began to fade into the distance.

Mia bent close to my ear, crying my name.

I wanted to comfort her one more time, but no sound came out.

I looked at the window one last time.

The sky was already bright.

The phone on the nightstand was still lit. Dad's last message sat frozen on the screen.

[If you dare not show up, then don't ever come back.]

Good.

I don't need to come back.

The heart monitor let out a long, flat tone. Longer and longer. Straighter and straighter.

The sound seemed to come from very far away.

The doctor checked his watch, his voice low.

"9:42 AM. Jane Smith. Resuscitation failed. Time of death."