Chapter 2

The call had just ended when her hospital room door swung open.

Simon walked in with Vanessa on his arm, and the woman was all smiles.

She set a thermos on the small table by Lily's bed and opened the lid.

The smell of seafood hit Lily immediately, and her stomach turned.

Vanessa said, "Lily, I heard you were in the hospital, so I made you some seafood soup. You should have some."

Lily looked at Simon. He didn't seem to think anything was wrong.

There was guilt in his eyes, maybe even concern. "Vanessa's been worried about you ever since I had to leave. She wanted to do something nice for you. And why didn't you call me after your surgery?"

Lily almost laughed.

He'd forgotten that she was allergic to seafood. He'd forgotten the nurse had called him eighty times during her surgery.

Or those calls about her life hanging in the balance had just seemed like spam to him.

She shook her head and didn't say anything. Then, like she was punishing herself, she opened her mouth and swallowed the spoonful of soup Vanessa offered her. Immediately, she started coughing violently.

Vanessa jumped, and the bowl slipped from her hands. Hot soup spilled onto her skin, and she screamed.

"Vanessa, are you okay?" Simon panicked and scooped her up in his arms. He shot Lily a frown. "How could you be so careless?"

That was when he noticed the red dots spreading across Lily's neck.

He assumed it was a result of the surgery. His mind was entirely on Vanessa and her burn. And once again, he left Lily behind.

Soon enough, Lily was rushed back into the ER.

The nurse who'd been with her the whole time looked worried and pissed. "What's wrong with you, girl? You know you're allergic and you still ate it? You got a death wish or something?

"You were out cold for days last time, and the care workers were already complaining about you."

The truth hit her like a wave, and all that warm, fuzzy feeling from before just evaporated into nothing.

Simon had lied to her. During that whole week she'd been unconscious, he never once took care of her himself.

She let out a bitter laugh and said to both herself and the nurse, "I won't be this stupid again."

The doctors put her through hell—stomach pumping, blood transfusion, the whole nine yards. It took them a long time to stabilize her.

When Lily woke up again, it was already evening the next day.

Her head felt foggy, and she couldn't tell anymore if Simon had ever really cared about her at all these years or if it had all been fake.

She opened her phone and scrolled through his Instagram story. All their relationship moments were still up there, all those little memories.

But then she noticed something that made her blood run cold. Under all those stories, there wasn't a single comment from any of their mutual friends.

It was as if she were the only one who could see them.

Tears fell onto the back of her hand, burning so hot she could barely breathe.

She smiled bitterly and scrolled to his main page with a pale face, and that was when she saw Vanessa's story from last night.

The burn on her hand had a little heart-shaped bow tied around the bandage, and the caption read: [I think the heart is too childish, but someone insisted on tying it for me.]

Simon was supposedly so busy running his empire, but he had time to tie cute little bows for Vanessa. Meanwhile, he hadn't even shown up to see Lily once.

It felt like something ripped open inside her chest, and the pain was unbearable.

*****

The hospital door swung open again.

Lily looked up and saw Simon walk in, his face full of guilt and regret.

"Lily, this is all my fault. I forgot you were allergic to seafood." His eyes were red, and he dropped to one knee beside her bed, gripping her hand tight. He looked like he was begging for forgiveness.

One word—forgot—and that was supposed to make everything okay?

Vanessa followed behind him and slapped herself twice across the face. "This is all on me. I didn't think things through."

Lily's cold eyes flashed with mockery. "Simon, I almost died because of your first love."

Vanessa's eyes immediately filled with tears.

Simon froze for a second, and something dark crossed his face. "Lily, Vanessa already apologized. Why do you have to be so harsh? Nothing actually happened to you."

He added, "What, you want Vanessa to get on her knees and beg you for forgiveness?"

So she had to die on the operating table before he'd blame Vanessa? Was that it?

"Simon, don't be mad at Lily. She has every right to be upset." Vanessa tugged at his sleeve, her voice sweet and pleading. "Can you step out for a minute? I want to talk to Lily alone."

His expression softened immediately, and he seemed to realize he'd been too harsh. He took a breath and sighed. "Don't fight with Vanessa. The doctor said getting upset is bad for your recovery, and then you'll just be in more pain."

Lily knew the truth. Simon only cared about her feelings because he was afraid Vanessa would get hurt.

She'd learned exactly how much he loved her just a few weeks ago.

Vanessa was his sacred ground, and Lily? After ten years together, she was nothing more than a stranger.

After Simon left, Lily cut straight to the point. "What do you want?"

Vanessa pulled a sapphire from her bag and placed it in Lily's hand. "I want you to join me for dinner."

The moment Lily saw the sapphire, something inside her died.

She never imagined Simon would give Vanessa this, too—her family heirloom, the only thing her parents left behind. Their token of love.

The color drained from her face. She forced her lips into a bitter smile. "And if I refuse?"

"This dinner affects Shaw Enterprises' future," Vanessa said, her lips curving with confidence. "If you don't come, the company goes bankrupt. Ten years of work, gone. I don't need to spell it out for you, do I?"

Pain twisted sharply in Lily's chest.

She'd lost. Completely and utterly lost.

She couldn't be as ruthless as Simon; she couldn't just forget their years together, as if they meant nothing. She didn't have his ability to split his heart in two and love two people at once.

But this would be the last time. After this, she'd owe him nothing for saving her life. They'd be even.

Lily said, "Fine."