10
Celine leaned back against the pillows, her eyes glittering with smug triumph.
www
I looked at these people, these boys. Caleb, the stoic, serious one I once had a secret crush on, dreaming of being his girlfriend.
Julian, once the gentlest big brother, always so patient with me. Leo, only a year older, my favorite playmate. And my own brother,
Alex, who had once sworn I was his only precious sister and he would protect me forever.
To save them, I had pushed down my terror, driven a car that was about to explode, and faced the danger alone. All I wanted was
for them to be safe. I didn’t care about myself.
I had been in a coma for three years for them.
And now, three years later, for Celine’s sake, they wouldn’t
These people… just looking at them made me sick.
grant me a shred of fairness or trust.
“I told you, I didn’t do it. And I have no intention of proving my innocence to you. I don’t care..
“If you have evidence, then call the police. Let them give me justice.
“If you want to lay a hand on me, I will fight you to the end, and I will call the police.
“If you want to target me, then go right ahead.”
I looked at them with pure scorn. “Let’s see just how shameless you can be! It’s not like I haven’t died once already!”
My words stunned them into silence for a moment.
“Rory Rhodes, do you think saying that will make us believe you?”
“Do you think shouting makes you right?”
“Stop throwing a tantrum! If you were half as kind and sensible as Celine, would we be treating you like this?”
They started shouting again.
“If you don’t fix your mistake today and make Celine happy, don’t think we’ll let this go!” Caleb snarled, grabbing me and pulling me
2
05:52
Chapter 2
towards Celine again.
Celine sat on the bed, her expression a perfect picture of fragile innocence, her eyes mocking me.
I lunged forward and slapped her. Twice. Hard.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” I said, grabbing her and shaking her as I apologized sarcastically.
They were so shocked by my actions that they froze for a second.
“Ah, it hurts!” Celine finally shrieked, struggling.
“Rory Rhodes, what are you doing?!” They snapped out of it, grabbing me and throwing me away from her.
“Ah!”
I was thrown so hard that my head slammed into the sharp corner of a table. I felt a hot, wet rush of blood.
