Elena’s <b>POV</b>:
+
“<b>Get </b>out
Mom’s voice sliced through the air like a de. Her re didn’t waver, didn’t falter–just cut cleanly between us. For <b>a </b>split second, I wasn’t sure if she meant me <b>too</b>. My breath caught, my heart pounding, but when she looked past <b>me </b>and leveled all that fury squarely at Niki, I understood.
she <b>meant </b>him.
And for some reason, my chest still tightened.
<b>Damn </b>it, Nikd. Why did he have to go and open his big mouth like that? Did he want to get us both disowned? Did he think dramatic confessions worked in real life?
I clenched my fists, resisting the overwhelming urge to scream at him. Just once, JUST ONCE, couldn’t he let me handle this my own way!
But it was toote. The damage had been done.
<b>What </b>was <b>I </b>supposed to <b>do </b>now? Cry<b>? </b>Beg! Throw myself at her feet! No. I didn’t cry unless it mattered. I didn’t beg unless it saved someone. I <b>Hidn’t </b>grovel for mistakes that weren’t mine to begin with.
So I did what I <b>always </b><b>did</b>.
I braced myself.
Niki looked between us, his jaw flexing before he spoke. “I understand that you’re angry” he <b>said </b>evenly, facing her without flinching. “And that’s fair. But I want you to know that I’m marrying your daughter <b>not </b>just because she wants revenge–even though that might be <b>part </b>of it–<b>but </b>because I genuinely like her. And hope, in time, you’ll support us.
I rumed my head to gape at him.
Where did thate from!
He sounded sincere. Too sincere.
Then, as if that bomb <b>hadn’t </b>just dropped, he smiled faintly, bowed his head respectfully, and added, “Take care and get well soon.”
And with <b>that</b>, he left.
The door shui behind him like <b>a </b>thunderp,
Silence settled in the room, heavy <b>and </b>suffocating, <b>I </b>stood there for a beat, unsure if I should <b>speak </b>or just evaporate into mist. Then I turned to
face her.
She looked tired.
More than fired.
She looked betrayed.
Her expression was calin, but I could feel the tension coiling beneath her <b>skin </b>like <b>a </b>drawn wire.
Finally, the broke the silence.
“Tell me the truth, Elena. <b>You’re </b>my daughter.”
Thur air grew colder. The tension wasn’t just crackling now—it was screaming.
Thesitated, unsure of what to <b>say</b>. But then I remembered ouse thing I was grateful to Niki for at least he hadn’t said why I was marrying him. He hadn’t sold me out. Notpletely. Not yet.
So I <b>forced </b>myself to meet her eyes and nodded. “Whatever Niki said is mostly true<b>. </b>
Mondy
He hadn’t told her the part where I <b>was </b><b>basically </b>selling myself for a prier.
1:39 PM
She <b>stared </b>at me, that <b>sharp </b>glint in her eyes returning.
“Did he offer you money <b>in </b>return for marrying him?”
The question was a <b>whisper</b>, but itnded like a p, I swallowed, heart pounding
I shook my head fervently, 1-1 really do like him, Mom. I promise
She let out a quiet, bitterugh. “Do you really think of me as <b>such </b>a lowly mother? That I wouldn’t know when my own daughter is lying to my facel
Linched.
“You should have just let me die if this is what you were going to tell me when I woke up. That you basically sold yourself to save me. Am I supposed to be grateful<b>?</b><b>” </b>
My stomach twisted. The tears welled up finally, hot and stinging.
No. I <b>didn’t </b>want her to be grateful. That wasn’t what this was about. I just
I just wanted her to live.
—
But she made it sound like her life wasn’t worth saving. She made it sound like I wasmitting a crime, wanting to save the one person in this world who loved me. Who I loved.
“No” I said quickly, <b>voice </b>shaking. That’s not it. It’s not like that. Please don’t think that?
She looked away from me, her eyes burning with hatred. Not for me<b>, </b>for herself.
The silence stretched again
Then, softly, she said, “Leave Give me some time alone.
I blinked. “Can I stay until dinner? I—‘
“Leave, Elena” she said, firmer this time. “I’ll have the nurse feed <b>me</b><b>. </b>I’m sure they <b>wouldn’t </b><b>mind </b>with how much they’re being paid.”
The jabnded cleanly.
I stood there for a second, frozen<b>, </b>swallowing down the lump in my throat. Then I nodded
Without a word, I turned, grabbed my phone<b>, </b>and walked out of the room
My legs moved on autopilor, but I <b>had </b>no <b>idea </b>where to go. I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to go to university. I didn’t have <b>a </b>shift to distract me anymore
So I just walked.
Down the hallway<b>. </b>
Down the stairs.
Fach step <b>heavier </b>than thest
And as I reached the hospital lobby, rage started to bubble inside me. Thick, hot anger that blurred the edges of my vision.
Why did he do that!
Why the hell did he have toy all that now!
I’d have found a way to tell her eventually, I <b>had </b>a n. Or at least the start of one. But no. He just had to show up with hi carefully polished oxfords and drop a nuclear bomb in the middle of my <b>already </b>shattered world.
his charming
ng smile and his
Would he still be here! It had only been a couple minutes. He wouldn’t have left so soon right? I turned and started walking to the double <b>doors </b>lending ouride of the hospital.
anned the <b>ss </b>doors leading to the <b>parking </b>lot–and there he was
His hand in his pocket, as the other clicked away on his phone.
<b>8:30 </b>PM
I marched forward, my steps quick and determined. My pulse roared in my ears. My heels clicked sharply against the tiles.
He was just getting to his car when I caught up to him.
I grabbed his shoulder and spun him around with a force that surprised even me. His brows shot up as he turned to face me.
1 jabbed my finger into his chest.
“<b>WHAT</b>, THE HELL WAS THATH
<b>色 </b>