When He Defended His Sister, I Chose to Break Up

Chapter 3

By the time Mia arrived, I had almost finished packing.

She glanced between Ethan and me. "Ethan, why don't you wait outside? I'll talk to Nora."

The instant he left, her expression changed. She stepped closer, lifted a strand of my hair, and twirled it around her finger.

"Nora, want to make a bet?"

I frowned, unsure what she was talking about.

"Let's see who Ethan believes after my next little prank, you or me."

She smashed a vase, picked up a jagged shard, and dragged it across her calf. Blood poured down her leg.

I stared at her. There was something unhinged in her smile.

"For Ethan, I'd kneel. I'd even hurt myself."

The door flew open. Drawn by the crash, Ethan rushed inside.

Mia dissolved into tears and looked at me as though she were terrified.

"Nora, I know I was wrong before, but why did you smash the vase?"

Blood pooled on the floor. She clutched Ethan's hand.

"Ethan, I'm sorry. I couldn't calm Nora down."

Ethan's gaze fell on the blood streaming down her leg. His expression darkened. He swept her into his arms and glared at me with fury and disappointment.

"Nora Ellis, Mia may take her pranks too far, but she has never deliberately tried to hurt you!"

I gripped the handle of my suitcase and turned to leave, but Ethan blocked me.

"Nora, your blessed pendant is still with me. If you walk out now, I don't know what might happen to it."

I froze and stared at him in disbelief.

I had been in poor health as a child, and my parents had spent hours praying at church before a priest blessed a pendant for me. Years ago, when Ethan had a high fever that wouldn't break, I placed it around his neck and prayed it would keep him safe.

Now he was threatening to destroy the pendant my parents had spent hours praying over for my sake.

My fingers loosened around the suitcase handle.

"Fine. I'm not going anywhere."