Chapter 4
My eyes welled up.
I could almost see my adoptive mother's gentle face hovering in the air, as kind and angelic as ever.
"Evie, what's wrong? Don't scare me..." Brody didn't even look up at the aurora, just kept scrolling on his phone.
"Evie's not feeling well. She's really dizzy. I'll change our tickets right now. We'll fly back first thing in the morning," Brody said.
I watched him handle everything in silence.
"Evie, that's your third wish, right? You got to see the aurora," Brody said.
"I've already booked our flight home. If you want, you can stay a couple more days," he added.
I could see how desperate he was to put some distance between us. I gave him a smile that was more painful than tears and nodded firmly.
"Yeah, it's done. Brody, you don't owe me anything now. We're completely even," I said.
He let out a long breath, finally relaxing after hearing that.
"If you ever need help with anything, just contact my assistant. He'll take care of it," he said.
I knew this wasn't about caring. It was just his way of making sure I wouldn't keep clinging to him.
For him, setting up something like this was as far as his kindness went.
"Okay. Thanks. You can go now," I said.
He looked a bit surprised by how calm I was, but he still turned and walked away without a second thought.
Evie threw a huge party, going all out to celebrate Brody being single again.
She posted a nine-photo grid on Instagram, with Brody's arm around her, both of them looking really happy.
I knew that even just liking one of their posts would feel like I was bothering him.
Without a word, I blocked them on Instagram.
The doctor looked at my latest test results and let out a heavy sigh.
"The treatment isn't going well. At most, you've got about a month left. If there's anything you want to do, now's the time," he said.
A month. It's enough time.
I went back to the old house and gently wiped my adoptive mother's little memorial plaque.
"Mom, I might... be joining you soon. I'm sorry I never really figured out how to live a decent life..." I murmured to myself.
Before I could finish, the taste of blood flooded my mouth, and blood suddenly poured out. I was hit by a wave of dizziness.
Suddenly, a piercing ringtone shattered the silence.
"Eleanor! Help me! You have to come! The Shaw family's got me trapped at your scrapyard!" Brody's voice was frantic.
I came to a little, forcing out a weak smile.
Coughing, I said, "Brody, why aren't you calling your bodyguards? Or Evie? Why'd you think of me? We're even now, remember?"
He looked stunned, clearly not expecting me to respond like that. His voice got even more desperate.
"The bodyguards took Evie and got her out! I'm all by myself! Eleanor, I'm begging you here! There's a whole bunch of them!" he pleaded.
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, fighting to keep the blood from rising up in my chest.
"Okay, just hide and wait for me," I said.
Outside the scrapyard, the Shaw family's guys were ransacking the place, tearing through everything without a care.
I grabbed a rock and chucked it far away, trying to distract them just like I did last time.
The leader snickered when he heard the sound.
He sneered, "You again? Didn't die last time, and now you're trying the same stunt? You think we're idiots or something?"
Before he could finish, a couple of his guys rushed me with nasty grins, ready to pounce.
I spun around to run, but my legs turned to jelly and I hit the ground hard.
Struggling, I lifted my head and spotted that huge, upside-down cauldron sticking out in the corner.
The leader swaggered over, a leering, predatory look in his eyes.
"So you're Brody's precious, huh? Always jumping in to protect him?" he sneered.
He suddenly lunged forward and yanked my jacket open, rough and aggressive.
"Rip her clothes off! I want to see how long Brody can keep hiding like a coward!" he barked.
"No!" I yelled.
I tried to fight back, but I was so weak. My struggles barely made a difference.
Those rough hands were all over me, their disgusting touch making me want to puke.
I scrambled around, my fingers finally closing around a broken piece of wood, only for him to slam his foot down on my hand, crushing it.
"Damn it, you just don't know your place! Hold her down, boys! Let's see what Brody's girl is really like!" he barked.
"Brody, don't come out! Just stay out of this! Forget about me! I'm already..." I tried to yell.
I was dying anyway. Let me protect you one last time before I go.
I wanted to say it, but I couldn't get the words out. One of them just slapped me hard across the face.
I suddenly felt a chill down there as they yanked off my underwear.
One of them pinned me down, trying to force himself on me.
I was crying in shame, completely unable to move.
Suddenly, that rusty old cauldron in the corner was slammed from the inside, flying straight toward me!