He Mistook Her for Me, Now He Regrets

Chapter 5

Vanessa strode into the room with her chin raised.

The bodyguards behind her moved straight toward Owen and grabbed him.

"Don't touch him!"

I screamed and tried to get out of bed, but my legs gave way and I crashed to the floor.

My condition had progressed so far that I no longer had the strength to walk.

Vanessa dropped the fragile act, her face contorting with jealousy.

"What do you have that I don't? I risked my life to pull Ethan out of that fire. Why should he choose you over me?"

I dug my nails into my palm and forced myself to stay calm.

"Do whatever you want to me, but leave my brother alone."

"No. I want you to watch the person you care about most suffer because of you."

The bodyguards dragged Owen into the courtyard and dumped a bucket of filthy water mixed with disinfectant and ice over his head, soaking his thin hospital gown.

His lungs were already badly infected after days without medication. The shock of the freezing water pushed his weakened body past its limit.

I crawled to Vanessa and clung to her ankles, begging until my voice broke.

"I was wrong! I was wrong... Torture me however you want, but please let Owen go. Vanessa, I'm begging you!"

Owen's coughing and pained groans reached me from the courtyard, but all I could do was beg.

I kept striking my forehead against the stone floor until blood ran down my face, terrified that if I stopped even for a second, Owen would die.

Then Ethan rushed into the courtyard.

"Stop! Everyone, stop!" he roared.

I crawled to Ethan's feet and clutched his pant leg.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt Owen. Please save him..."

'He is the only family I have left.'

A weak voice came from behind me.

"Claire... don't..."

I whirled around just in time to see Owen crumple.

He was dead.

The little boy who used to sneak out to buy me lollipops, the brother who had fought back his tears every time he saw me after our family fell apart, had been tortured to death before my eyes.

When Ethan reached for me, I slapped his hand away.

I dragged myself to Owen's side and closed his eyes with trembling fingers.

Blood-tinged tears ran down my face as I stared blankly ahead. I turned aside and coughed up another mouthful of blood.

First my ears bled, then my eyes. Finally, blood poured from my mouth and soaked my white hospital gown crimson.

This time, Ethan saw everything clearly.

Shock, disbelief, panic, and regret flashed across his face all at once.

He dropped to his knees in front of me, completely at a loss.

I was strangely calm.

"Ethan, I'm tired. I don't want this life anymore. Take whatever revenge you still need. I don't owe you anything now."

Hot tears splashed against the hollow at the base of my throat. Ethan's voice shook with fear and fury.

"Shut up! Who said you were allowed to die?"

Yet even Ethan knew the truth.

He had nothing left to threaten me with and nothing that could make me stay.