Chapter 2 2

Augustina coughed so hard her ribs ached.

The sudden movement yanked the IV needle taped to the back of her hand. A sharp pinch of pain grounded her.

She wiped her mouth with a trembling arm and looked around.

The room was vast and silent, filled with equipment she'd never seen outside of movies. A small, engraved plaque on the wall read 'The Cedars-Sinai Presidential Suite.' The name meant little to her, but the sheer luxury screamed money and power.

Her eyes darted to the digital clock on the bedside table. The red numbers displayed the date.

Her pupils shrank. Her breath hitched in her throat.

It was five years ago.

The memories crashed into her brain like a physical blow. This was the night of the charity gala. The night she almost drowned shortly after being brought back to the Hogan family.

In her past life, Kayleigh had deliberately pushed her into the deep end of the pool. Then, Kayleigh ran to the press, crying that Augustina had tried to drag her down and murder her.

The sharp click-clack of high heels hitting marble echoed from the hallway outside.

Augustina didn't hesitate. She grabbed the plastic tubing of the IV and ripped the needle out of her vein.

A thick drop of dark blood rolled down her pale skin and stained the pure white bedsheets.

She pushed off the mattress. Her bare feet hit the cold floor.

She walked over to the window and peered through the narrow slits of the blinds.

Out in the hallway, her legal mother, Cindy Hogan, was wrapping a cashmere shawl around Kayleigh's shoulders. Cindy was rubbing Kayleigh's arms, whispering soothing words.

A few feet away, her father, Felton Hogan, was aggressively pointing a finger at the hospital director. He was demanding they suppress any media leaks about the scandal.

Her second brother, Dustin, stood against the wall. He yanked at his silk tie, his face red with frustration.

"She's a curse," Dustin spat out. "A piece of trash we dragged out of the slums. We should have left her in The Warrens."

Augustina listened to the venom in his voice. In her past life, those words would have made her chest tight with panic. She would have cried, begging for their love.

Now, her stomach didn't even flutter. She felt nothing but a cold, clinical detachment.

She turned away from the blinds and walked into the private bathroom.

She turned on the faucet and splashed freezing water onto her face.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was young. Her skin wasn't scarred by years of torture. Her eyes weren't dead yet.

A slow, chilling smile curled the corners of her lips.

The sound of the door handle turning echoed in the room.

Augustina quickly stepped out of the bathroom. She stood perfectly straight beside the hospital bed.

The door swung open. Cindy stormed in, her face tight with suppressed rage.

Cindy didn't ask if her lungs hurt. She didn't ask if she was okay.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Cindy hissed. "You ruined Kayleigh's limited-edition dress. You humiliated us in front of the entire board!"

Felton walked in right behind her. His eyes were hard and calculating.

"You will sign a statement for the press," Felton ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You will admit you slipped and fell. If you don't, I will cut off every cent of your allowance."

Dustin leaned against the doorframe. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking at her like she was a stain on the floor.

Kayleigh hid behind Cindy's shoulder. Her eyes were red and puffy, but a tiny, mocking smirk played on her lips.

Augustina didn't cry. She didn't try to explain that Kayleigh pushed her.

She calmly reached over to the bedside table and picked up a heavy glass of water.

Dustin tensed. He took a step forward, his fists clenching, fully expecting her to throw it.

Instead, Augustina tilted her head back. She drank the ice-cold water in three long gulps, soothing her raw throat.

She set the glass down with a soft clink.

She looked at the four of them. Her dark eyes swept over their faces with the indifference of looking at strangers on a subway.

"Fine," Augustina said. Her voice was hoarse, but steady. "I'll sign it."

The room fell dead silent.

Felton blinked. Cindy's mouth parted slightly. They were entirely unprepared for this level of submission from the usually rebellious girl.

Kayleigh's smirk vanished. Suspicion flashed in her eyes. She stepped forward, extending a hand to play the victim. "Gussie, I'm so glad you understand-"

Augustina shifted her weight, dodging the touch completely.

She shot Kayleigh a look so sharp and hollow that Kayleigh physically flinched, a shiver running down her spine.

Felton cleared his throat, assuming his threat had finally broken her spirit. "Good. I'll have the lawyers draft it immediately."

"I have one condition," Augustina said flatly. "After I sign it, I am leaving this hospital. I want to go back to the estate tonight."