Chapter 2

Silas POV

The slap knocked my head to the side, my ears ringing, my already blurred vision growing even darker.

"Silas! Have you lost your mind?"

Leah shoved me aside and anxiously pulled Zane behind her, checking his neck. "Zane, are you hurt? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Zane's eyes reddened. "I just saw Silas wasn't feeling well in the middle of the night and wanted to get him some water. But he said I was being fake and tried to kill me."

"I didn't." I endured the nearly fracturing pain in my spine, my voice hoarse. "He threw away my medicine."

"Enough!"

Leah cut me off coldly, her eyes disappointed. "Don't I know what kind of person he is? But you, Silas, ever since Ethan died, you've become twisted!"

She glanced at the empty spot on the sink where the pill bottle had been and sneered. "Medicine? What medicine? I think you're just having drug cravings."

I opened my mouth, but in the end could only close my eyes bitterly.

What was the point of explaining?

In her eyes, I was nothing but a lowlife who'd sell out her brother just to survive.

"Since you have so much energy, go clear your head."

Leah pointed at the pitch-black rainy night outside the window. "Go stand in the yard. Don't come back without my permission."

Zane hid behind her, revealing a triumphant smile.

I took a deep breath, suppressing the blood churning in my chest.

"Yes."

I braced myself against the wall to stand straight, trying not to let her see my trembling legs.

I turned and walked into the pouring rain.

The ice-cold rain pelted my body, the bone-chilling cold slightly easing the burning in my spine.

I stood in the mud, facing Leah's bedroom window.

The lights blazed there.

I could vaguely see Leah drying Zane's hair, her movements so gentle it made my eyes sting.

Once, that tenderness had belonged only to me.

I couldn't help touching my chest.

Twenty-eight days left.

Leah, I hope these twenty-eight days pass quickly.

Even faster.

I stood in the rain all night.

Just before dawn, I couldn't hold on anymore. Everything went black and I collapsed into the muddy water.

When I woke again, I was in the hospital emergency room.

I moved my fingers and found myself lying on a simple hospital bed with an IV drip in my hand.

"Awake?"

A cool voice came.

Leah sat in a chair beside me, peeling an apple.

She didn't look at me, just focused on peeling the apple.

"The doctor said you had low blood sugar and caught a chill. Didn't manage to die."

She cut off a piece of the peeled apple, but instead of giving it to me, turned to hand it to someone on the next bed.

Only then did I notice Zane was also in this hospital room.

He wore a patient gown, his face ruddy, eating the apple Leah fed him with relish.

"Thank you, Leah. So sweet."

Zane swallowed a bite of apple and turned to look at me with false concern.

"Silas, really, you shouldn't push yourself when you're not well. Last night you collapsed in the yard. If Leah hadn't found you early, you might actually be dead."

Watching this scene, my heart felt like it was being squeezed by a giant hand.

I was the one who'd stood in the rain until I collapsed last night.

But now, the one receiving care and concern was him.

I spoke, my throat as hoarse as if I'd swallowed sand. "I want water."

Leah paused.

She set down the fruit knife, pulled out a tissue and casually wiped her hands, sneering. "Water? Don't you have hands?"

"Leah, Silas still has a fever..." Zane offered fake advice from the side.

"Let him burn to death for all I care." Leah stood up, looking at me. "Silas, do you know what else the doctor said?"

She walked to my bedside, her tone ice-cold. "The doctor said all your internal indicators are completely messed up, like you've been taking some kind of psychiatric medication long-term. So tell me, are you really having drug cravings?"

My heart jumped.

Had the doctor made up that lie to cover the inflammatory response caused by the bullet in my spine? Or had Zane already bribed the doctor?

I looked at Zane. He was winking at me, pointing at the door.

In that instant, I saw a figure in a white coat flash by the doorway. The attending physician Zane had bought off.

"I'm not addicted to drugs." I defended myself weakly.

"You know the truth yourself."

Leah straightened up, the last trace of warmth disappearing from her eyes.

"Silas, you disgust me. How could Ethan have idolized someone like you?"

"Since you're not dead, stop wasting money at the hospital. Pull out the IV and go buy Zane a sandwich. He didn't get to rest last night because he had to bring you to the hospital."