Chapter 8 Chapter 8

Chloe's legs trembled as she returned home, grateful that her mother and brother had already left, sparing them from witnessing her disheveled state. She filled the bathtub with steaming hot water and sank into it, allowing herself a moment of weakness in the small, confined space.

As she stared at the bruises on her body, memories of last night's chaotic events flooded back, and scalding tears fell, mingling with the warm water. She couldn't understand why her life had taken such a disastrous turn. It must have started when she caused her father's death. She killed him, and now even the heavens were punishing her. Betrayed by both her boyfriend and her sister, as if that weren't enough, she had inexplicably ended up in bed with a stranger.

She felt too ashamed to face anyone.

"Chloe..." Her father's bloodstained hand had grasped hers as he stroked her face with his dying breath. "My darling... I'm leaving... This family... depends on you now... Take care of your mother... take care of... Flora and... Beck..."

And with that, her father closed his eyes, full of regret and reluctance.

At that moment, miraculously, her high fever broke. She stared at her father's blood-covered body and the blood on her own hands, feeling utterly empty. It was as if the fever had drained all the moisture from her body-she wanted to cry, but no tears came.

Undoubtedly, in the eyes of her mother and siblings, she was the one who killed her father. And her inability to shed a tear was proof of her cold-heartedness.

"Dad..." Chloe cradled her face in her hands, tears finally streaming down. "I wish I could die in your place..." Her frail shoulders shook uncontrollably.

She was so tired. She longed to lie down and rest, to finally lay down the burdens on her shoulders. But her father was gone, and she couldn't... she couldn't show weakness in front of her family, or anyone else. She had to carry on the responsibilities her father had left behind.

After pulling herself together, exhaustion overcame her, and she collapsed onto her bed, eyes fluttering shut. Her curled eyelashes still clung to remnants of moisture, trembling slightly, and her round nose was red while her face was excessively pale, like a sheet of paper.

She wasn't sure how long she had slept-or if she had slept at all-when a sudden ringing startled her awake.

She answered the phone, only to hear her mother's sobbing voice, "Chloe, Flora's in trouble... come to the hospital..."

Chloe's heart sank. Since their father's death, her mother had cried for days and nights, losing her voice and shedding all her tears until she fell silent, showing no emotion. But now... something truly terrible must have happened!

For a moment, Chloe almost dropped the phone. Her fragile family could hardly withstand another blow.

Her voice trembled as she tried to sound steady, "Mom, don't cry, I'm on my way!" But in truth, she was panicking. Her mind was a blank slate, and she felt utterly lost. Yet, she had to be strong-if she fell apart, what would happen to her mother?

Shakily getting out of bed, she rummaged through her wardrobe for a long-sleeved shirt, buttoning it up to hide the marks on her neck. Slipping on her shoes, she rushed to the hospital.

***

At the hospital, Chloe found her mother with swollen, tear-streaked eyes. The moment her mother saw her, she collapsed into Chloe's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mom, don't cry. What happened to Flora? Trust me, no matter how difficult things get, our family... we'll get through this together..." Chloe's voice caught in her throat as she tried to comfort her mother, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn't cry!

"Last night... Flora... Flora was at Paradiso..." Donna choked on her words, unable to form a complete sentence.

But just hearing the name "Paradiso" made Chloe's heart pound in fear. She had been at Paradiso last night too... Could it be that her sister had experienced the same horror?

Oh God, her head spun as she struggled to stay conscious.

"Flora... she... at Paradiso... she suddenly fell ill... she's dying..." Donna finally managed to say through her sobs.

Chloe's vision darkened, and she nearly fainted.

Her frail body leaned against the wall for support, barely keeping her upright.

Her delicate eyes could no longer hold back the weight of her tears, and they finally cascaded down.

Flora is dying?!

Those words struck her like a curse, squeezing the breath out of her lungs!

Her father's dying words echoed in her ears once more.

If Flora dies, how will she ever face her father?

She would rather go back to two months ago when Flora pointed at her, arrogantly declaring, "I slept with your man!" She would rather Flora curse her, call her heartless, a devil! She would rather Flora jump and shout that she hated her!

What did her own pain matter? At least then her sister was alive! Their family was still whole, and she wouldn't have failed her father.

But now...

Chloe's slender frame shook as she held onto her mother, her tears falling like a flood, her teeth clamped down on her lip to keep from making a sound.

Dad, I failed to protect my sister. I failed to protect this family... Her heart was already shattered, more painful than the humiliation she endured last night. No amount of tears could wash away her guilt.

She had caused their father's death, and now their family was falling apart because of her!

The doctor pushed open the doors of the emergency room and stepped out.

"Who is Flora Miller's family?"

"I-I am." Chloe wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened her frail frame. "Doctor, how is she...?"

The middle-aged doctor, around fifty years old, glanced at Chloe's weak figure, worried about the small girl before him. He asked again, "You're her family?"

Chloe nodded.

"Her condition is critical. While she's not in immediate danger, she needs a significant blood transfusion and treatment for several other serious conditions. Expect to need hundreds of thousands of dollars..." The doctor seemed to hesitate, reluctant to further distress this frail mother and daughter duo.

But he was only a small attending physician, powerless in the face of such dire circumstances. There was more he could have said... but seeing their pitiful state, he couldn't bring himself to say anything else, only gently urging, "Hurry and gather the money. And when she wakes up, don't upset her."

Even though Flora wasn't dying, the enormous medical bills were like a death sentence.

Donna's legs gave way.

"Mom, Mom!" Chloe cried out in fear, and the doctor rushed over to help, guiding them to a nearby chair.

"My poor child..." Donna wept in agony.

Chloe's heart broke at her mother's cries, torn between the doctor's half-good, half-bad news.

"Mom, as long as she's alive, that's all that matters! I'll find a way to get the money." What did it matter if she had to scrape together the money? As long as it didn't cost her sister's life.

The doctor glanced at Chloe's red, swollen eyes. She was a young girl, once as vibrant as a flower, now reduced to this sorrowful state, smiling through her pain, crying in a way that broke his heart.

Sigh-

He sighed and shook his head as he left.

Chloe had only graduated from university a few months ago and hadn't found a stable job yet. Since her father's death three years ago, she had been working as a pianist at Blues bar, where Mag generously paid her $5,000 a month. With her earnings from teaching piano on the side, she made about $10,000 a month.

But after covering her family's living expenses and her brother's school fees, there was hardly anything left. And Flora, being a high-maintenance spender, barely managed to cover her own expenses, let alone contribute to the family.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars! It was a death sentence for Chloe too. Sadly, the only friends she had were Mag and her best friend Cynthia. But neither of them had the means to help her.

What on earth was she going to do?!