Chapter 3

Everything I experienced at the school made me break down again.

My eyes were empty, unconsciously rejecting anyone's touch.

Marcus looked at me with heartache written all over his face.

Eventually I was injected with a sedative and taken away in an ambulance.

When I woke up again, it was completely dark outside.

The pungent smell of disinfectant made me realize I was still in the hospital.

My whole body was bound with restraints.

In a daze, I heard Marcus's familiar voice outside the hospital room.

"Lily, seeing Claire like this, are you satisfied now?"

"I am. Ryan dated her for eight years. If I didn't use extreme measures, I was afraid they'd rekindle their old flame. It's just hard on you, having to spend your life with such a woman. Every time I think about it, my heart aches for you. In this life, because of my family situation, I can't marry you..."

Through the foggy glass door of the hospital room, I saw Marcus pull Lily into his arms. His hoarse voice carried the bitterness of unrequited love:

"No... Lily, you don't owe me anything... I'm doing all this willingly for you. Now that you're carrying my baby, that's already the greatest blessing for me. Besides, Claire treats me well. You don't need to feel guilty..."

The man and woman outside the room kissed passionately.

Mixed with their desire was the man's low, choked voice.

He really loved her so much. They even had a child together.

Old wounds tore at my heart, sending waves of piercing pain.

Large tears fell from my eyes.

So from beginning to end, I was the one who was unnecessary...

I forced myself not to listen to the intimate sounds from outside the door,

but those sounds wrapped around me like a curse, driving me mad.

I buried my head in the blanket,

my teeth biting the corner so hard they left traces of blood.

I lost track of how much time passed.

The hospital room door was slowly pushed open from outside.

A wave of perfume hit my nostrils.

Before I could react,

a pair of slender hands pinched my chin.

"Claire, don't be nervous. It's me, Lily..."

Hearing the woman's name, I struggled desperately in the darkness, trying to break free.

She laughed softly and helped untie the restraints binding my body.

"Claire, who seemed so proud and unyielding, turns out to be such a pathetic waste after all. Of the two men in the Marcus family, with just a flick of my finger, either one would abandon you and run to me. Especially Marcus—he's truly sacrificed so much for me..."

"Such an upright man, yet to give me the teaching position at the academy, to fulfill my marriage, he personally drove his mentor to death, and personally sent his mentor's daughter into other men's arms. Tell me, what kind of love is that?"

"When your dad died, he stupidly begged Marcus to take good care of you. And your pathetic mom probably still thought Marcus was your family's savior! So foolish! Your dad's ashes were scattered by Marcus's own hands!"

Lily's words struck me like lightning.

I had always thought my father committed suicide because he couldn't cope.

I never imagined it was Marcus who drove him to death.

My father was Marcus's mentor, who gave everything to teach him all his life's knowledge.

How could he bring himself to do it...

I used all my strength to spring up from the hospital bed,

gripping Lily's throat tightly.

But before I could apply pressure,

the hospital room door was violently pushed open from outside.

Seeing it was Marcus,

Lily immediately ran to him crying.

"Marcus, I just felt sorry for Claire and wanted to help untie her restraints so she could move around. But she insisted I stole everything from her and tried to strangle me like a madwoman!"

Before I could explain,

Marcus came forward and slapped me across the face.

"Claire! Everyone around you has been good enough to you! What the hell are you making a fuss about?! You failed to grasp everything yourself—why blame Lily?! Crazy woman!"

After saying this, he ignored me collapsed on the floor and left with Lily in his arms.

The moment the hospital room door closed,

Lily turned back and smiled at me with contempt.

She was right to mock me—I was worthless.

But they seemed to forget one thing:

Even a cornered rabbit will bite...