Chapter 4

4: 4

4

In the end, I carried my brother's ashes and pushed open the door in a daze.

And the first person to come toward me was Reuben Barnes.

"Maddie, I finally found a doctor who can cure your brother. He's overseas, but I've already booked the plane tickets."

"Take your brother there tomorrow. Don't worry about a thing. I'll cover all the costs."

Watching him lie to my face without so much as a flicker, my stomach turned. All I felt was sick.

"Were you the one who gave this address to Marcella?"

Reuben didn't notice how pale my face had gone. He just assumed I was picking a fight over nothing.

"If I want to earn Marcella's trust, of course I have to be completely open with her. What are you throwing a tantrum about now? Sure, Marcella's a little spoiled, but she'd never be as… unreasonable."

So everything I'd done these past days, in his eyes, was just being unreasonable.

And Marcella, who had taken everything from me, who had destroyed my family, was only a little spoiled.

Reuben, if it's Marcella you love, why did you come after me in the first place?

I wanted to demand it of him, but every word felt lodged in my throat.

"Maybe there was some misunderstanding back then. Maddie, give me some time, and I promise I'll help the two of you clear it up."

"You'll be the best of friends again."

Two lives were gone. Whether it was Marcella and me, or Reuben, all that was left between us for the rest of this life was blood debt.

I let out a soft laugh.

"Is she even worthy?"

Once Reuben saw the mockery at the corner of my mouth, he couldn't keep up the act any longer.

His face darkened. "Madeline Winfield, everything I've swallowed at Marcella's side, I did it all for you!"

"But you, over one little fit of jealousy, wouldn't play along. Fine. And then you wanted to use that livestream to go public with our relationship. How did I never know you were this calculating!"

"Marcella was right. You're a scheming person. You've been using me from the very start!"

With that, he flipped the table over.

The tea set on top shattered across the floor.

Even the ceramic cat I'd made for my brother with my own hands broke.

Reuben snatched up that ceramic cat before I could, grinding his teeth.

"So this thing you'd never let me have, it turns out you gave it to that useless brother of yours."

He squeezed a shard of it, blood seeping from his palm.

Anger drained the color from his face and brought it back again.

Before, I would have panicked, hunted all over the place for a first-aid kit for him.

But now my heart stayed perfectly still.

"He's the brother who loved me most. He's not useless."

Reuben was still waiting for me to come dress his wound. When I didn't move, his brow knit together.

Quietly, I dragged my suitcase out of the room.

He thought I'd caved. He didn't even notice that I no longer cared about him.

In a good mood, he said,

"Pack your brother's things too. No need to rush, though. I'll drive you over tonight."

Before, the moment he gave me a way out, I'd take it obediently.

Now I only shook my head, my eyes settling on my brother's urn.

"That won't be necessary."

Fallen leaves return to their roots.

I was taking my brother home.

Reuben was about to say something more when Marcella's call came in, urging him to go try on wedding gowns.

His eyes slid away from mine.

I gave a soft laugh. "Go be with her. I can leave on my own."

Reuben thought I'd finally come to my senses, and he smiled with relief.

"Maddie, don't worry. I'll make it up to you properly from now on!"

Watching him rush off, not even minding the cut on his palm.

My face was blank.

But Reuben, there is no "from now on" for us.

The next day, Reuben was celebrating Marcella's birthday on a yacht, and everyone was waiting for me to livestream my apology.

But I never showed up.

Reuben wasn't worried in the least. No one knew better than he did how much my brother meant to me.

A penniless person, and one he'd arranged to send overseas.

A stranger in an unfamiliar place. Where could I possibly go?

He had his assistant contact me.

But over the phone came the assistant's terrified voice. "Miss Winfield never boarded the flight."

Something dropped out of Reuben's chest. He smashed his glass all at once, and yesterday's cut split open again. Blood ran across the floor, and he didn't care.

"Where could Madeline Winfield go? A woman alone, dragging a useless brother, where could she go!"

The assistant didn't dare look at him at all.

"Word came from the hospital. They said Miss Winfield's brother…"

"…passed away the day before yesterday."