Chapter 3

When I woke up again, all I saw was a stark white ceiling.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of disinfectant.

"Aubrey, are you okay! You're finally awake! You've been unconscious for three days and three nights after the car accident!"

Julian excitedly gripped my hand by the bedside. My mind slowly started to clear.

I expressionlessly pulled my hand away. Julian froze for a few seconds.

In that brief moment, a petite figure squeezed past the stunned Julian.

"Sister-in-law! Your sudden car accident scared Julian and me terribly! Julian personally took care of you for three days!"

Chloe looked worried, but her eyes clearly told me:

*Why aren't you dead yet?*

I weakly pulled at the corners of my mouth. "Then I'm truly grateful for your devoted care."

As I spoke, my gaze fell directly on Chloe's slightly swollen belly.

Chloe realized her true intentions had been seen through, and being stared at so intently, she recoiled slightly.

Julian disapproved of my tone. "Aubrey, why would you say that? We're all family. Family doesn't talk like strangers."

I forced myself to sit up, my body, aching from the crash, felt as if it would shatter.

"You and I are legally family. What does that make Chloe?" My tone was devoid of emotion, simply stating a fact.

But Julian instantly reacted like I'd struck a nerve, jumping up from his chair.

The chair scraped against the floor with a shrill screech, but no one cared in that moment.

Julian's face darkened. He pointed at me, enunciating each word: "Aubrey, apologize to Chloe immediately!"

"Chloe grew up with me since she was little. Her father was my dad's old comrade; he entrusted her to our family before he died. Are you saying you don't consider Chloe a sister at all?!"

I looked at the two standing together, and it was like seeing Julian protect me in the past.

Before, when I was cornered and bullied in the alley by people who looked down on me at school, Julian defended me with the same unwavering resolve.

Now, I had gone from being by his side to standing against him.

"Is that so? What's Chloe's last name? Or is she the one on your family record?" I looked coldly at the man before me, my eyes devoid of any past affection.

Julian's anger was thoroughly ignited. He roughly grabbed my hand, which was still hooked up to an IV.

"No matter what Chloe's last name is, or if she's on my family record, she *is* my family!"

A sharp pain shot through the back of my hand. I watched as blood rapidly flowed back into the IV line.

The man who once couldn't stand to see me get even a scratch.

Now, he showed no reaction to my injury, his sole focus still on defending his beloved sister.

My numb heart still involuntarily twinged with pain.

Memories of love flickered within me, the contrast with the harsh reality made my eyes sting.

I quietly watched the blood in my body mix little by little with the medication.

Julian, getting no response, followed my gaze.

Only then did he notice the blood flowing back, and a look of disgust flashed across his face.

Julian abruptly flung my hand away.

"My wife shouldn't be someone as jealous as you. You stay here and reflect properly."

With that, he took Chloe and slammed the door shut as they left.

I lay alone on the bed, silently weeping.

My hand unconsciously went to my lower abdomen, where there was no longer any sign of life.