Chapter 5

In the end, it was Ryan who broke first, he coughed up blood again.

He staggered to his feet, grabbing onto the couch and the wall for support.

He pulled open the drawer under the TV, his hands shaking as he fumbled for a few painkillers.

I watched him coldly and then spoke up.

"If you're coughing up blood after drinking, painkillers will only tear your stomach lining up worse and make the bleeding worse.

"Before you swallow those, you should write a will."

Ryan's hand trembled as he held the pills, and he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

I knew he'd heard me, but he couldn't quite believe his ears.

I added it quietly. "You have a company and assets in your name.

"I really don't want to end up fighting those old geezers in the family for your stuff after you're gone."

The pills from the drawer and the knickknacks on the TV stand.

They all crashed to the floor with a loud clatter.

Ryan's eyes went red, burning with rage.

His breathing came fast and ragged, and the fury and the grief showed through no matter how hard he tried to hide them.

His voice was hoarse, dripping with hate.

"Emily, when did you become like this?"

I stared at him as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Selfish, greedy, disgusting, you make me sick!"

I sat there, frozen, even my fingertips wouldn't move.

That cold, indifferent expression was fixed on my face, like a mask I couldn't take off.

I was just numb inside.

But in the end, Ryan set the painkillers down.

He finally calmed down, just like James did when he broke up with me.

All the hate, all the resentment, all the affection, they all faded from his eyes.

He swapped the painkillers for the sobering pills, then picked up his phone and dialed 911.

He was still drunk, so his movements were slow.

But at least now he was moving with purpose, not losing control or doing anything reckless anymore.

I watched him quietly.

Suddenly, it felt like I was already dead, my soul just drifting above it all.

All I could do was watch as Ryan finally started taking care of himself.

The ambulance arrived quickly, and the paramedics rushed in through the door.

They helped Ryan to his feet, and when they saw me, they looked a little surprised. "Looks like we've got family here."

Ryan's voice was cold. "She's not family."

My throat was so dry I couldn't get a single word out.

The paramedics led him away.

As he stepped through the front door, he glanced back at me.

His face was completely drained of color; all that remained was a cold, detached calm.

I heard him say, "I hope I never have to see you again."

And at the same time, I heard James' last words echoing in my mind.

"Emily, I hope I never have to see you again."

When I snapped back to reality, the front door had already opened and closed.

I was the only one left in the living room.

For the first time, I realized just how huge this house really was.

Suddenly, all my strength left me, and I slumped back onto the couch.

I struggled to pick up the box of painkillers Ryan had thrown on the floor, grabbed a handful without even counting, shoved them into my mouth, and swallowed them dry.

With my heart failing, it felt like every part of me was twisted in agony. Cold sweat soaked my back.

I closed my eyes, and as my consciousness faded fast, my mind drifted back to years ago.