Chapter 3

Just then, Jessica came rushing over, putting on a panicked act. "Oh, no. Lily, are you alright? I should've stopped the kids. This is all on me.

"If you don't like it, just skip it. Frank even made some soup for me. Once it's done, you should try some, too."

She grabbed my arm, her face showing nothing but worry and kindness.

But I had no clue what she was hiding in her hand. Something sharp suddenly dug deep into my arm.

I cried out in pain and jerked away, and out of nowhere, she threw herself forward and crashed to the floor.

The next second, someone slapped me hard across the face, and a plate of smashed turkey splattered all over my face.

Frank's shrill voice cut through the chaos. "Lily! Have you no shame? Jessica was just looking out for you, and this is how you repay her?"

The reek of blood and filth made my dizziness even worse.

I gripped my neck, struggling to breathe, and staggered forward, desperate for something to hold onto.

Just then, someone stuck out their foot and tripped me, sending me crashing to the floor.

Right after, a storm of tiny fists and kicks rained down on me.

They shouted, "You damn gold-digger! How dare you hurt Jessica? Why don't you just die already?"

A little hand grabbed some scraps from the floor and smeared them into my mouth. "Eat it! Jessica brought this just for you. How dare you waste it?"

Jessica called out, pretending to be worried. "Kids, stop hitting her. I'm fine. Ah... Frank, I think my arm's dislocated..."

Frank said, "Fine? You're always so considerate, but you don't need to be nice to trash like her. That bitch doesn't know what's good for her. Forget her. Let's get you to the hospital."

Chaotic footsteps echoed as everyone rushed out, and someone kicked me out of the way as they left.

Frank's voice was cold as he snapped, "If anything happens to Jessica, I'll make you pay for it."

I groaned under my breath, and then my son's voice snapped through the chaos, full of anger. "Move away, you piece of trash!"

Even my daughter, who'd been silent all this time, finally spoke up. "That's right. If Jessica gets hurt, I don't want you as my mom anymore."

My ears were ringing so badly that I could barely make out the sound of the door slamming shut.

The dizziness kept intensifying, and my vision was shaking so badly that it felt like my eyes were about to roll out of my head.

I tried to get up, fumbling for something to hold onto, but my legs just gave out and I collapsed to the floor again.

My head slammed into the doorframe, and warm blood streamed down my cheek.

Slowly, everything faded to black as I lost consciousness.

I had no idea how long I'd been out when a deafening bang snapped me out of the darkness. Something just blew up.

Right after, a rush of burning heat blasted in from the kitchen. Fire!

My eyes struggled to focus through the haze, and after a moment, I realized the flames had already swallowed the living room.

My parents emerged from the fire, their eyes full of concern.

"Lily, don't come looking for us. Take care of yourself, sweetheart. We're not angry with you," they said softly.

My nose tingled, and tears just wouldn't stop streaming down my face.

After a moment, I slipped back into unconsciousness.

When I finally woke up, I found myself lying in a hospital bed.

I looked around and spotted Joanne sitting at my bedside.

When she saw my eyes open, she breathed a huge sigh of relief and cried out, "Oh my. You're finally awake!"

I tried to move, but a jolt of pain shot through me. I cried out, slumping back onto the bed, my whole body limp.

Joanne rushed over to help me, fussing and chattering away nonstop.

She said, "You're still all banged up. You've been asleep for two whole days. If the doctor hadn't said your vitals were fine, I was starting to think you were already..."

She suddenly caught herself and knocked on wood. "Oh, no, listen to me, saying such unlucky stuff."

Once I was settled, she handed me a glass of water.

A bittersweet ache welled up in my chest.

Frank had never taken care of me like this. Even my friend showed me more concern than he ever did.

I took a few weak, shaky breaths, and only then did I realize that my throat felt raw, like it had been cut with a knife.

"Thanks for saving me, Joanne," I whispered.

I still remembered that day. I watched the flames get closer, feeling totally helpless. And then, I remembered nothing but darkness.

Joanne waved her hand, feeling a little embarrassed. "It wasn't me who rescued you, though.

"Your place caught fire that day, and your neighbor smelled something burning and called 911. The cops couldn't reach your husband, so they reached out to your latest contact.

"Do you even know what you looked like when I got to the hospital? You were covered in soot, and your face was all bloody. I seriously thought you were done for.

"You seriously owe your neighbors your life. If they hadn't noticed the fire so quickly, it could've burned down more than just your place."

I forced a smile, though it barely reached my eyes.

But then, memories of what those people put me through before the fire suddenly flooded back, and I just went silent.

Joanne clapped her hands in front of me, raising her voice. "Stop dwelling on it. Right now, you just need to focus on getting back to full strength.

"And as for those scumbags, once you're better, we'll take them all down, every last one."