Chapter 3

Skylar's POV

When I finally woke up, a young nurse was leaning over my bed, adjusting the IV drip.

Seeing my eyes flutter open, she let out an exasperated sigh. "You’re finally awake. While you were unconscious, I had to redress your wounds three times. Honestly, I've never seen a family like yours. Your sister only suffered a mild scare, yet your entire family swarmed her room like she was dying. You’ve got dozens of stitches across your shoulder and back, and not a single soul came to fetch you a glass of water. As for your boyfriend? Completely missing in action."

I stared blankly at the white ceiling tiles, offering no response.

The nurse sighed again, reminded me to keep the dressings dry, and stepped out.

The gashes on my back throbbed with white-hot pain. I threw a thin cardigan over my shoulders and used the wall for support, inching my way toward the dressing room.

As I passed the VIP suite at the far end of the hallway, I noticed the door was slightly ajar. Laughter drifted out from inside.

The entire Sterling family was there.

Margaret sat by the edge of the bed, blowing on a bowl of creamy chowder, patiently spoon-feeding Chloe. "Take your time, honey, don't burn your tongue."

Chloe leaned against her plush pillows, tilting affectionately toward Shawn.

Robert stood nearby holding several high-end shopping bags filled with expensive tonics and supplements for Chloe.

Shawn sat on the chair beside her, gently brushing a stray lock of hair away from her forehead.

Robert was the first to notice me standing at the door. His brow furrowed in immediate irritation. "What are you doing here? Your sister just went through a terrifying ordeal. Don't you dare come in here and upset her."

Margaret’s spoon paused in mid-air. She shot me an indifferent glance, then went right back to feeding Chloe.

Shawn lifted his chin. The moment he saw me, his expression turned freezing cold. "Chloe is completely traumatized, and you're just wandering around like nothing happened? You really are heartless, aren't you? Can't stand seeing your sister doing well?"

I gripped the doorframe, waves of sickening pain radiating down my spine.

I was the one who took the blade. I was the one stitched together like a rag doll. Yet the entire room was fussing over Chloe, who hadn't sustained a single scratch.

When I was little, I foolishly believed that if I ever got hurt badly enough, someone in this family would finally look at me first.

Now, covered in blood and stitches, the very first thing my father said to me was to stay away from my sister.

I was allergic to mangoes.

Growing up, Chloe loved waving mango slices in front of my face, intentionally smearing the juice across my skin. When hives broke out across my arms, she would giggle to our parents, "Skylar is so fragile."

And Margaret’s response had always been the exact same: "She's just little, Skylar. Be the bigger person."

In my past life, I fought with my family over these injustices for over a decade. But after all those screaming matches, not once did anyone ever stand in my corner.

What was the point of arguing? There was never any room carved out for me in this family to begin with.

I let go of the doorframe and turned around.

When the doctor peeled back the gauze to clean the wounds, cold sweat soaked my hairline. I clutched the rough hospital bedsheet, refusing to make a sound.

After getting the dressings changed, I limped down to the pharmacy counter to collect my painkillers, hugging the paper bag against my chest as I cut across the hospital courtyard.

Light, hurried footsteps came pattering up behind me.

I didn't even need to turn around to know who it was.

Chloe dashed ahead and spread her arms wide, blocking my path. "Skylar, you saw it with your own eyes, didn't you? Mom and Dad, Shawn—they all choose me. You should understand your place by now. Even if you talk until your throat bleeds, nobody will ever believe you. You will never, ever beat me."

She was right about that.

I fought with all my might until the day I died in my previous life, and I ended up with nothing.

I looked at her calmly. "I don't want Shawn anymore. Whatever else you want, take it."

Chloe froze for a second, then tilted her chin up arrogantly. "He was mine to begin with! Everything you've ever had in your life was just my leftovers. You’ve never won against me, and you never will."

She puffed out her chest as if she had just won some grand prize.

Yet listening to her words now, I felt completely numb.

All I cared about was getting my paperwork finalized so I could get on that plane.

I took a step to the side and walked right past her.

Behind me, Chloe burst into a smug, mocking laugh that echoed across the lawn.

I tightened my grip on the paper bag and kept walking, never once looking back.