I hurriedly walked to the car. Ashton and Elena's footsteps approaching from behind made my body tense, but I didn't turn around. I didn't want to see their faces.

"Claire, wait! Don't leave like this!" Ashton's voice called out, approaching faster and faster. His hand held me open the car door.

I twisted violently, glaring at him angrily. "What else do you want, Ashton? I've had enough humiliation from you and this woman! If you still love each other, why do something this ridiculous? I've already told you to get back together, right?"

Elena approached, her face paled. "Claire, I... I didn't mean it like that. You have to believe me. I don't want this to turn out badly. I'll throw all those feelings away, okay? Will you forget everything? I'll help you get married to Ashton.”

I laughed sarcastically, seeing Elena's behavior. "Help me get married to Ashton? I don't need anything from you! You made things this way, Elena! You ruined my life, and now you pretend to care? Ashton is one hundred percent yours."

Ashton stepped forward, touching my arm and pulling me close, but I brushed him off. "Don't touch me, Ashton."

"Claire, I'm guilty," Ashton said, his voice sounding desperate. "I don't know how things got this way. I want to fix it. I need time!"

My eyes narrowed. "Fix? By continuing to let Elena interfere? By forcing me to accept this humiliation, you need time to reflect on why you could be this bad."

Elena began to cry, her hand clutching Ashton's arm like a child seeking protection. "I don't want you to misunderstand, Claire. I don't want to look bad in front of anyone."

I felt sick of her acting. "You care about yourself, Elena. Only you.”

I got into the car and started the engine roughly. Ashton tried to open the door, but I locked it from the inside.

"Claire, please, not like this! We can talk!" he yelled.

I ignored him, pressed the accelerator, and drove at high speed. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. My breathing was heavy, and my eyes were getting wet with tears. It hurt my heart to be betrayed throughout my relationship before it started.

I didn't know where I was going, but one thing was clear: I had to get away from them. But my emotionally charged mind made me lose concentration.

"Claire, focus," I muttered to myself. But it's useless because I can see Ashton's car behind me, why are they following me? What do they want?

The car accelerated. Of course, I was scared because they were overreacting. They should have been happy I canceled the wedding, but why were they never satisfied? What was their real goal? I maintained the speed while grabbing the bag on the side seat. I tried contacting Jena because I was confused about where to go if they followed me like this.

The cell phone I grabbed fell, and when I tried to pick it up, my focus was distracted, so my car hit the side of the road, and I couldn't control it anymore.

My head felt dizzy as I hit the steering wheel repeatedly. Everything seemed to fade away, and a humming sound filled my ears. After that, I could see a woman who was, of course, Elena. I could see she had a smile on her lips.

I could no longer hold my consciousness as the darkness increasingly took my vision.

***

When I opened my eyes, bright light dazzled my vision. The faint sounds of people talking could be heard all around, and slowly, everything became real in my eyes.

"Ashton, how is she?" It was Rosalind's voice.

"She'll be fine. The doctor said she needs to rest," Ashton replied.

I turned my head slowly and looked at them. Rosalind stood with a face full of worry while Ashton sat in a chair near my bed. In the corner of the room, Elena stood with a worried face that looked forced. Jena and my father, too, were there.

Jena came over and hugged me. I cried in her arms.

"You'll be fine, Claire. The doctor is having difficulty caring for you, and you'll recover soon. Take it easy.”

I nodded. Jena's embrace made me much calmer. Even though my heart now hurt even more when I saw those two traitors here.

"Claire, I'm here. I'll keep you company," Ashton said softly, his voice gentle. He came closer, trying to touch my hand. His lips formed a smile, but I felt disgusted by his attitude, which felt fake now.

"Don't touch me!" I shouted, pulling my hand away.

Everyone fell silent. The sound of my breathing was audible in the room.

"Ashton and Elena, you better not come here! I'm sick of it! Stop pretending!"

Ashton looked awkward. He moved away but didn't leave as I ordered, while Elena cried like a baby, and she hugged Rosalind as if I was hurting her.

"What happened, dear?" my father asked. He hugged me and calmed me down.

I didn't know what to say. I knew he must be shocked by this disgusting truth.

I was about to speak, but Rosalind interrupted me.

"What's really on your mind? Why do you always hate my daughter? What didn't we do to take care of you, Claire? Why did you kick Elena out?"

"She's starting to act up again, Mom, and she's accusing me of having a relationship with Ashton, even though I have no intentions whatsoever. But why did she have the nerve to say that earlier in my apartment? And now, when we want to visit her, she's acting weird again."

I almost choked on my saliva hearing that.

"You, do you have two faces now? Are you slandering me, Elena?"

"Frank, I'm going to be honest with you. Since the first day the wedding was postponed, Claire didn't accept it and instead accused my daughter with vile accusations."

My father looked at me, and he rubbed my cheek gently.

"I know my daughter wouldn't behave like that over a trivial matter. There must be something big that you are trying to keep from me, Rosalind. Now, when you are all together, it is better to tell me the truth.”

I felt calm when my father was by my side.

"Claire, are you going to tell me?"

I nodded and started telling him everything from the beginning. I kept the intensity of my voice. I didn't want to shock my father, as his health could suffer.

My father looked at Elena quizzically.

"Is it true, Elena? What have you done?"

Ashton approached my father and held his hand. "It's all my fault." My father immediately swatted his hand away until Ashton fell to the floor.

Elena, who saw it, got up from her seat.

"You want to know the truth, dad?"

I looked at my father, who looked angry, and his jaw hardened. His blue eyes stared intently at Elena. I stroked his hand.

"Dad, don't listen to her, she will definitely create more drama!"

Honestly, I was afraid of my father's health, which had declined considerably. The doctor had told him to keep his temper.

I looked at Jena and asked her to send Elena away, but Rosalind blocked Jena completely.

“Frank, why are you backing our daughter into a corner? Do you believe Claire? She's just blindly jealous!"

"Let Elena talk! I want to hear her confession!"

Elena smiled wryly. "I'm the one responsible for everything that happened. I wasn't willing to let Claire get everything she wanted so easily. Ever since my mom and I moved into that house, we've been mere decorations, we can't get along, and I've always been treated like I have no feelings. I was an outcast; you even deliberately threw me away by sending me to school abroad for years, and then you left all your wealth to your spoiled child. My mother has accompanied you and taken care of your frail body. You should be able to see us!"

I didn't expect Elena to say such nonsense.

"You're such a liar, Elena! I never do anything for no reason. I sent you to school abroad because of your mistakes, too! You... oh my god!" My father was holding his left chest.

I helped him to sit up with the rest of my strength. Jena and Ashton also helped my father to the sofa, but before they could, my father's body wavered and lost consciousness.

"Dad!”