Chapter 3
Sarah pulled back her trembling fingers, letting out a barely noticeable sigh of relief.
"Miss, is he hurting you?" The nurse looked worried.
"You know, domestic violence is against the law. Want me to call the cops for you?" she asked, concern written all over her face.
"No, it's not like that," Sarah quickly replied.
"He's not my boyfriend. He's just a classmate. He was nice enough to give me a ride here," she explained.
Even though they were at the same school, Sarah barely knew him. At best, they nodded at each other a couple of times in passing.
The Dawson Group had built a business empire in countless industries, and for years, they were known as the city's top charitable enterprise.
Bradley supported many students at school, and whenever his name came up, people always said he was a really kind person.
He really was a good guy, but he was also a sharp businessman. Every year, he chose to back only the best students from struggling families, and in return for his help, he expected them to contribute to his company in their fields once they found success.
It was like making bets. There were only so many top students every year, and some of them were sure to make it big.
Bradley was clever. He only helped people who could be useful to him.
Sarah and Martin's relationship was no secret. Their families were rivals, and while things hadn't boiled over yet, Bradley was watching her, no doubt sizing her up.
That was the kind of look from the rival, quietly sizing up the enemy camp.
Her phone sat nearby, silent. No calls came in.
Martin wouldn't reach out to her, but he'd always manage to force her back somehow.
It had always been like this.
Sarah woke up groggy, and when she opened her eyes, Bradley was right beside her, typing away on his laptop.
From where she was lying, the screen was visible to her.
Pretty much every student he'd sponsored in the last few years was studying something useful for the Dawson Group. He wasn't even trying to hide his motives.
The ward was utterly silent, the only thing breaking the hush was the tapping of Bradley's keyboard. But soon, his typing slowed down. It seemed like he'd hit a snag.
"Hmm, this problem," Sarah asked gently, "Mind if I take a look at it?"
Bradley glanced over at her, calm as ever, like he'd known she was already awake. Without a word, he passed her the laptop.
Sarah carefully sat up, making sure not to disturb the IV line as she reached for the keyboard. She made a quick adjustment and handed the laptop back.
"You can use that if you want," Sarah said.
"Just my own suggestion. That's all," she added.
Bradley studied the screen, and his face gave nothing away. "Last year, you beat me in the competition. I only got second place, and to be honest, it bugged me."
"How about now?" Sarah asked in a low voice.
Most people might miss it, but with Bradley's intelligence and professional eye, there was no way he didn't catch the issue.
Honestly, she got the feeling he was putting her to the test.
Bradley ignored her question and asked, "Is this whole mess because of your diary?"
"Kind of, but not totally," Sarah replied.
The room went quiet. Outside, dusk crept in, and the chilly glow from the laptop screen made Bradley seem even more aloof.
"Get some rest," Bradley said.
He closed his laptop. "I've already had someone delete your forum post."
"Thanks," Sarah said.
"Don't mention it," Bradley replied.
Once Bradley's footsteps finally faded, Sarah shot Martin a text, telling him she was still hooked up to an IV at the hospital.
Just in case he didn't doubt her, she attached a picture of the IV stuck in her arm and the empty room around her.
Martin didn't reply.
Meanwhile, Tessa filled up her social feed with a bunch of posts. After grabbing dinner, they hit a bar. And in the videos, she leaned close to Martin, holding drinks up to his lips, her chest pressing against his arm.
The caption read, [That annoying third wheel is finally gone.]
Someone commented, [Is something romantic finally happening?] Then, Tessa replied with a bashful emoji.
With each new video, Tessa was getting bolder, even a little provocative. Martin didn't stop her. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
Martin wasn't one to smile for real, but he sure knew how to put on a cheerful facade.
The next day, Sarah was summoned back to campus by her professor, who wondered if she was in any trouble.
"Do you mean the forum post?" Sarah replied, a little lost and unsure.
She stumbled over her words, trying to reassure her professor, "Don't worry. I'll get it sorted out."
Suddenly, the professor reached over and yanked up her sleeve. Her face changed instantly. "How did you get these? Did someone at school hit you?"
Sarah was blindsided. She snatched her arm back, unable to meet her eyes, shame written all over her face. "No, no one hit me. I was just... really stressed, and I did it to myself. I promise it won't happen again."
After a long silence, the professor let out a sigh. "You've always been a quiet kid, and honestly, I should've paid more attention to how you were feeling. This isn't something to brush off."
She paused, then said, "I called your brother to tell him what's going on. So don't worry..."
Sarah couldn't hear anything after that. With her ears ringing, all she saw was her professor's mouth moving.
"I did this to myself. It's got nothing to do with anyone else," Sarah choked out, her voice shaking hard.
Her nails pressed into her palms as her words rushed out, "I swear I won't do it again. Please, don't let Martin know..."
Before she could finish, the office door swung open.
The sudden sound made Sarah jump, her face drained of color. The rest of her words died on her lips as she froze up.
Martin strode in, looking sharp in his suit, and walked right up beside her, introducing himself in a calm, unhurried way.
Right in front of Martin, the professor pulled up Sarah's sleeve for him to see, and tactfully told him she'd been under a lot of stress lately, maybe even showing signs of self-harm.
Martin listened politely, acting like he had no clue, and assured the professor he'd keep an eye on Sarah from then on.
"Sarah's been receiving full scholarships every year. It's no secret to the faculty how outstanding she is. This overseas opportunity is a big chance for her..." the professor added.
"Yeah." Martin flashed a gentle smile that didn't reach his eyes and took Sarah's hand. "Sarah's the pride and joy of our family. I've just been swamped with work lately and barely had time to look out for her."
"But that won't happen anymore. Work can't ever come before Sarah," he said softly.
His fingers were chilly as ice, sliding along her wrist like some slimy snake, then tightening viciously around the barely healed scab.
That mark had only formed a few days ago, burned there by Martin's cigarette.