Chapter 3

I stared at Phineas in disbelief.

"Go live? Let the murderer into the memorial hall?"

"Are you trying to roast me and our child over a fire? Or do you want our daughter's soul to have no peace?"

Phineas sighed.

"Sweetheart, I'm grieving for our child too, but life has to go on."

"Let Myra kneel for seven days, and we'll call this settled. It's a comfort that she gets to see the world through our child's eyes."

So that was what Phineas really thought.

Twisting black into white, ignoring the facts.

They were the ones who took my daughter's corneas and her life,

and now I was supposed to be grateful to Myra.

Why should Myra get to wipe out a blood debt by kneeling for just seven days?

And why did I have to learn to let go?

"You want this settled? Fine."

I sneered.

"You take Myra's eyes and give them back to my daughter, and I'll agree."

Tears instantly welled up in Myra's big eyes.

She was so frightened she fled in a daze.

Phineas frowned, his voice jumping an octave.

"Bess! Don't push it too far!"

"Fix your attitude. There's a limit to how much of a fit you can throw."

With that, he chased after her to soothe her.

That night, the door to the hospital room was pushed open again.

Myra came in carrying a bowl of porridge,

and said with false sweetness:

"Miss Fox, I know you're angry with me, but please don't take it out on Phineas."

"This is a little token from me, to help you recover."

I looked at the pig's eye floating in the bowl,

and an uncontrollable wave of nausea rose in my throat.

The horrific image of my daughter being pinned down while her corneas were taken flashed before my eyes.

I whipped my hand around and smashed the bowl on the floor.

"What's going on here..."

Phineas pushed the door open and came in.

Myra dropped to her knees with a thud.

Facing me, she started slapping herself across the face.

Again and again, her eyes bloodshot, she said:

"I came to apologize to Miss Fox, and I brought her something to help her recover, hoping she'd forgive me."

She sobbed, and that alone made Phineas's brow furrow.

"Bess, when did you become so out of line?"

He strode forward, gripped my face, and forced me to meet his eyes.

I hated him so much that even my gaze was full of loathing and rage.

"I'm out of line? Then go find another woman! You disgust me!"

I shoved him hard, pushing him straight into Myra's arms.

Like throwing out trash.

"You're going to hand me over to another woman?!"

Phineas said in disbelief.

"You'll regret this!"

All he got in return was coldness and silence.

"Fine. You've got nerve."

"Then I'll give you exactly what you want!"

He scooped Myra up with one arm,

and slammed the door on his way out.