Chapter 3

I grabbed the transfer letter back.

Eric looked at me in surprise. "You're leaving?"

Jessica's eyes turned red, tears welling up as she started to cry.

"Melissa, did you find out I wanted to apply for that branch, so now you just want to go there and act all high and mighty?" she sobbed.

I was stunned.

Jessica was crying so hard she could barely stand, and she stumbled right into Eric's arms.

Eric frowned.

He spat, "Melissa, are you trying to follow in Jessica's footsteps just because she went abroad before?

"That branch is Jessica's dream. Why are you trying to go there now?

"Cancel it."

I clenched the transfer letter tightly. "No way.

"Eric, I'm really curious. Why is it that just because it's her dream, she gets to go, but when I want it, suddenly I can't?

"What's wrong, can't stand to see her leave?"

Eric hesitated. "I shouldn't hold her back. She came back, but I never meant to keep her from living her own life.

"I can visit her often, but I'll always respect her freedom."

My chest tightened.

"So, when she left you back then, you weren't even angry, huh?" I pressed.

Eric closed his eyes for a moment.

He said, "Back then, she had her own reasons. Could I really ask her to stick around and suffer with me?

"Melissa, chances to go to the overseas branch are super rare. Come on, just drop it.

"I'll get someone to set you up with a great job here at Betriton. Just stop competing with Jessica for everything."

I slapped him hard across the face, and Jessica cried out, hurrying over.

"Melissa. Don't take it out on Eric," she cried.

Jessica clung to my arm, tears streaming down her face. "I won't go, Melissa, please don't fight with Eric because of me, I—"

My hand landed hard on her cheek, cutting her off mid-sentence.

Jessica froze, stunned into silence.

"What are you all yapping like stray dogs for?" I spat.

I carefully tucked the transfer letter away while Eric pulled Jessica behind him, shielding her.

"You're crazy," Eric yelled.

I shot them a cold look.

"I'm leaving, and that's my call. Nothing you say will change my mind," I said.

I gave Jessica a cold, dismissive look.

"Don't ever pull that pathetic little show in front of me again," I said.

With that, I strode out of the shop, leaving everyone staring after me in shock.

Eric watched my back as I left, surprise in his eyes.

He clenched his jaw.

While I was driving to drop off the paperwork, I had just stopped at a red light when someone slammed right into the back of my car.

I stomped on the brakes, but the car behind me just kept going, like they didn't even care they'd hit me. I lay on the horn, but they just floored it and took off even faster.

Suddenly, my car smashed into a wall. Half my body flew out the window, and the airbag and seat crushed my chest so hard I could barely breathe.

This place was deserted, and no one even noticed the crash.

I had no idea where my mobile phone was thrown.

After a moment, the car behind me finally swung its door open.

Jessica, heels clicking on the pavement, was sobbing as she dialed her phone.

Not long after, Eric's car pulled up.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I shouted.

"Eric. Help me."

"Eric. I'm over here," Jessica cried out, her voice trembling.

Jessica was sitting on the ground, hugging herself and shaking all over.

Eric looked from me, blood all over, to Jessica, who just had a tiny scrape on her ankle.

He clenched his jaw, ignored me completely, and picked Jessica up like I wasn't even there.

"Eric," I shouted.

With what little breath I had left, I yelled, "Help me first. Or at least call 911. I-I can't breathe."

"Cut the act," Eric snapped.

Eric scowled. "It won't take me long to get her to the hospital and come back with the paramedics. Why do you always have to fight Jessica for everything? Can't you see she's the one in real danger?"

"Eric, I." I let out a weak voice.

I tried to speak, but he was already scooping Jessica up and heading for the car.

My cries vanished into the dust as he sped off.

I didn't even remember when I passed out.

I didn't even remember how a passerby ended up finding me and calling for help.

Thanks to the quick treatment, I made it out without any serious injuries.

As soon as I could, I called the cops and found out which hospital room Jessica was in.

The license plate at the scene turned out to be Jessica's, so the police started investigating right away.

But Jessica just broke down in tears.

"I'm sorry, Melissa, I really don't know what happened. I was sick at the time," she sobbed.

"So, being sick means you can just ignore someone else's life?" I shouted.

I slammed my hand on the table. "Do you even realize I was about to die?"

"Just shut up," Eric snapped.

Eric pushed me aside. "She's got depression. Just leave her alone."

"Depression?" I shot Eric a skeptical look, my brows furrowing.

Just as I expected, Eric slammed a psych evaluation down in front of me.

"She was having a full-blown episode. Do you have any idea how brutal depression is for her?" Eric snapped.

Furious, I let out a bitter laugh as I held the report.

"You can just throw some money and get one of these reports. Since when does depression let you pick the one spot with no cameras and keep your foot on the gas the whole way? That's not an accident, that's attempted murder," I snapped.

"Why can't you just stop harassing someone who's sick? Is it only if someone dies that you'll finally believe she's really ill?" Eric shouted.

Fueled by Eric's anger, I grabbed Jessica by the shirt, my own frustration boiling over.

"Alright, let's have the police see for themselves if she's really sick," I shot back.

Jessica shrieked, "No. Please, don't."

She started trembling all over, and even though I barely pulled her, she collapsed dramatically to the floor with a loud thud, sending medical equipment flying and leaving scratches on her skin.

The cops came running, and Eric gritted his teeth, frustration written all over his face.

"Officer, I want to report Ms. Monroe for stirring up trouble," he snapped.