Chapter 3

After Curt left, Kate closed the door.

By the time she reached my bedside, her expression had changed completely.

"I heard you proposed to Curt today."

I turned over to face away from her, but I couldn't shut off her endless chatter.

"Curt is mine. Don't even think about taking him."

"Mom's love is mine too. Don't think you'll get even a sliver of it."

She reached out, dragged me back around, and poured the scalding medicine from the bowl straight into my mouth.

Her hands were heavy, and her voice was heavier.

"Nancy Henson, sometimes I really want you to get out of this house."

The medicine choked into my nose, and I instinctively flailed my arms.

In the struggle, the bowl fell to the floor and shattered.

I braced myself on my arms and coughed desperately, my throat burning like fire.

Rushed, uneven footsteps came from outside the door.

The instant it was pushed open, Kate was standing beside me with her hands hanging down.

Her face was full of helplessness and fear.

"I just wanted to give my sister her medicine."

"Sis, if you're angry, you can hit me, beat me, but don't take it out on your own body."

Curt stood in the doorway, his face darkening.

"Nancy Henson, apologize."

My gaze fell on the pinch marks on my wrist. My voice was hoarse to the extreme.

"I did nothing wrong. She forced the medicine down my throat."

The room went silent.

Half a minute later, Kate lowered her head and began to cry.

"Curt, what do I do?"

"Sis's illness seems to have gotten worse."

"I think I've made a mess of everything..."

Curt strode in.

Not to check on my injuries, but to gently gather Kate into his arms.

He patted her back, one soft pat after another.

"It's not your fault. Don't take the blame on yourself."

Then he turned to look at me.

His voice was thick with disappointment.

"Nancy, you shouldn't have done this."

I swallowed hard and forced myself through the knife-sharp pain in my throat.

"What did I do?"

"Throwing dirt on Kate just to get attention."

I let out a soft laugh.

A wave of helplessness swept over my whole body in an instant.

"Get out."

"I don't want to see either of you."

Kate peeked out from Curt's arms.

"Sis, rest well."

"We've agreed to go hiking tomorrow. Get ready, and don't fall behind."

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

"I'm not going."

At some point, Mom had come to stand in the doorway.

"Kate has everything ready. Don't ruin the fun."

It was always like this.

No one had ever really listened to a word I said.

The door swung shut, but the voices outside didn't stop.

Kate went into the room.

After she closed the door, Curt's voice came, low.

"Ma'am, Nancy's fever is pretty bad this time."

Mom cut him off at once.

"Don't go soft. If Kate hears that, she'll definitely make a scene."

"Kate's birthday wish this year is for us to go along with a little prank of hers, and we can't spoil her fun."

"Don't forget, you're the one who smeared the grease on the stairs yourself."

I closed my eyes, and tears rolled down from the corners.

My heart felt like it was being sawed back and forth by a dull blade, bleeding from the pain.

So it turned out they all knew I wasn't acting; they were simply watching my suffering with cold, indifferent eyes.

So it turned out that all of this had begun over nothing more than a small birthday wish from Kate.

Everyone was bullying me.

Under the raging fever, I finally slipped into a hazy faint.