Chapter 3

The smell of disinfectant in the hospital was sharp.

I lay in the hospital bed with my right leg in a thick cast. The doctor said that if I had been brought in half an hour later, my leg would have been completely ruined.

The door to the ward was shoved open.

Julian rushed in wearing an oversized hospital gown, his eyes red.

“Ethan, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean it.”

He rushed to my bedside, his voice choked.

“If Vivian hadn’t been trying to protect me, she wouldn’t have left you alone…”

“Please don’t blame her. If you have to blame someone, blame me.”

Behind him stood Vivian, her face dark.

She looked at my casted leg, and there was not the slightest trace of pain in her eyes, only impatience.

“Ethan, are you done making a scene?”

“Julian was so worried about you that he came running over before his own wound was even bandaged, so who are you trying to impress with that cold face?”

“I’ve already had the company release a statement saying the accident was an accident and won’t affect Julian’s reputation, so cooperate and repost it later.”

I looked at the two of them playing off each other and almost laughed out loud.

【I’m dying laughing. A cat crying over a mouse. Such fake mercy.】

【This woman is still thinking about burying the trending topic. She has no idea the male lead has already pulled the rug out from under her.】

【Julian is such a drama queen. His acting is more convincing than Vivian’s, and she’s the Oscar winner.】

I raised my hand, avoided Julian’s outstretched hand, picked up the wet wipe by the bed, and wiped my fingers one by one as if they had been stained with something dirty.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

“After all, I don’t plan to forgive you.”

Julian’s crying froze, and he looked at me in disbelief.

Vivian frowned, her tone thick with warning.

“Ethan, Julian didn’t do it on purpose, so don’t be so unreasonable when you already have the upper hand.”

“He has been in poor health since childhood, so it’s only right for you to give way to him.”

It was this same speech again.

Ever since we were kids, whenever Julian and I had any conflict, everyone told me to give way to him.

Because he had a clotting disorder, and because he was the weak one who needed care.

And I was the soil that provided nutrients for him, so I deserved to be sacrificed.

I threw the used wet wipe accurately into the trash can and looked up at her coldly.

“Vivian, have you forgotten that I am your fiancé?”

“At the scene of the accident, you abandoned your fiancé whose legs were pinned down and went to take care of a man who had only scraped his skin.”

“Now you even want me to cooperate with your statement and cover up your shamelessness?”

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

Vivian’s face instantly turned livid. She stared hard at me as if she no longer recognized me. In the past, as long as she frowned, Ethan would rush over in distress to ask if she was okay. He would never look at her with eyes that seemed to be looking at garbage.

“Ethan, what the hell is wrong with you?”

She gritted her teeth and stepped closer.

“Do you know that because you threw a tantrum and froze my cards, several projects at my studio have all been shut down?”

“Call the bank immediately and unfreeze them. Otherwise, our engagement ceremony will be postponed indefinitely.”

She thought that if she threatened me with the engagement, I would compromise like I used to.

I looked at that self-righteous face and suddenly felt utterly sick.

“There’s no need to postpone it.”

I pressed the call button beside the bed.

“Vivian, we’re breaking off the engagement.”