Chapter 4

Rage burned in my chest, so fierce it was about to make me snap.

A thunderbolt ripped through the sky, and just like that, the heavens opened up, dumping rain in sheets.

Andrew still stood in the middle of the training ground, completely unfazed by the downpour.

Maisy didn't give a damn about the stares. She rushed right into the rain and stood beside him, holding an umbrella over his head.

Andrew's soldiers, clearly pissed off, started yelling at me. "Rita, even if Andrew messed up and hurt you, you two are married! If you just plead for him, they'll let it slide!"

"Exactly! Look at Maisy. No matter how spoiled and stubborn she acts, when push comes to shove, she's always got Andrew's back!"

"After all these years together, you still can't compare to Maisy!"

The chorus of voices just kept growing.

Even the folks in the compound started blaming me. "You two grew up together. How could you just stand there and let him take the fall?"

"Rita, at the very least, think about how Andrew took care of you and your mom after your dad died. Can't you just plead for him?"

I forced a smile, my nails digging into my palm, but I couldn't even feel the pain.

I was the one who got hurt. I was the one who almost lost my life.

But because Maisy held an umbrella and they got caught in the rain, I was pushed onto a moral high ground, condemned for not "forgiving."

It was absurd.

The crowd got so rowdy, shoving and yelling, that they ended up knocking my wheelchair right off the steps.

I tumbled down the high steps, chair and all, rolling seven or eight times in the mud before stopping.

My shoulder wound tore open again.

Blood mixed with rainwater, turning the puddle beneath me bright red.

The people on the steps only watched coldly. Their eyes held only the golden boy, Andrew.

They timed it perfectly, didn't even pause for a breath before hustling Andrew inside.

They left me lying there, all alone in the pouring rain.

The rain kept pouring, soaking into my open wounds, making everything sting even more.

My head was spinning, everything getting hazy. The last time I got drenched like this, my parents were right there with me.

I was just a freshman in high school. I was heading home after a late-night study session when some creep started tailing me.

Freaked out, I bolted and ended up trapped in a dead-end alley.

The rain was coming down so hard, the whole street was empty. I watched the guy get closer and closer, and all hope drained away.

Right then, Andrew came charging in, snatching the knife straight out of the mugger's hand.

When we got home, my mom carefully dressed his wounds, her touch gentle and full of concern.

My dad clapped Andrew hard on the shoulder. "I owe the Patton family a great debt."

Andrew just shook his head, his eyes steadfastly meeting mine.

"If anything ever happened to Rita, I don't know how I'd live. You have my word, Mr. Browning. Rita's the only one I'll ever want in this life," he said.

When I opened my eyes, my pillow was damp with tears.

Andrew was sitting right next to me, dozing off with my hand in his.

The emptiness inside me felt even deeper, but strangely, it didn't hurt at all. I quietly slipped my hand out of his grasp.

Andrew jolted awake when I moved. "My men were just standing up for me. They didn't mean to hurt you. The doctor just left. Your wound's a bit infected, but it's nothing serious."

I looked steadily at the man who once swore he'd be with me forever.

He'd changed long ago, and I was the only one still trapped in old memories.

I was exhausted, body and soul, and didn't want to say another word.

All I wanted now was to wait quietly for the day I could finally leave.

"Rita, you're up? I just ate, but there's a little left. If you're not picky, you can have the rest," Maisy said, putting a plate in front of me.

I glanced at it. It was a plate of mushy ravioli.

"I'm useless in the kitchen, so Andrew made some ravioli. I was starving and had no clue when you'd wake up, so I already ate a few," she said.

I fixed my gaze on the plate, then looked over at Andrew, my voice trembling. "Did you really cook the ravioli I hid at the very bottom of the fridge?"

Andrew nodded. "Maisy was worried you hadn't come back, so she waited here and skipped her meal. Don't make a fuss about it."

"Do you even get it? Those ravioli... My dad made them for me before he died! Every New Year, I would only make some to eat with my mom!" I screamed until my throat felt shredded, tears pouring down my face.

Maisy flinched, startled, and hid behind Andrew.

"They've been sitting there for years, huh? No wonder they taste awful! Why not just toss them?" Maisy said.

She tossed the plate onto the floor and stomped on it with her foot.

I grabbed the cup beside me and hurled it straight at her.

Andrew jumped in front of Maisy, and the cup smashed into his forehead, blood starting to stream down his face right away.

"Maisy didn't know! Don't make such a big deal out of it! Madeline's still alive. Just wait till she's up, she'll make you another batch!" Andrew snapped.