Kelvin did not immediately respond. He only remained silent, as if weighing whether I was truly as vicious as they claimed.

Mom and Dad asked Kelvin to stay at home for a few days.

Kelvin paused. “But Carol still has not been discharged yet. It’s been a full day. I really should go see her.”

Dad cut him off. “Oh, we’re her parents. We’ll visit her. Since she hasn’t contacted us yet, she’s probably feeling too guilty to show up. I heard from the nurses at the hospital that there aren’t many critically ill patients lately.”

He hesitated for a long time, then he nodded with downcast eyes.

My spirit felt a tug from an invisible thread. I followed Kelvin’s footsteps involuntarily, never straying an inch too far from him.

I watched him carry a plate of fruit into Delila’s room. He picked one up with a fork and offered it to her lips.

Delila accidentally spilled juice on him, then carefully wiped it off.

Their intimate gestures brought out a suggestive atmosphere. I felt countless needles pierce my trembling soul.

I wanted to rush forward and tear off Delila’s false mask.

Moreover, I had so many questions for Kelvin. Were all our past memories nothing but a joke?

But I could not do anything.

I could only watch helplessly as Delila grew bolder. She reached out to touch the necklace around Kelvin’s neck.

It was my gift to him after working three months straight.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch it, Kelvin abruptly stepped back.

He frowned tightly. A flash of irritation darted through his eyes, as if he had reached his limit.

Delila’s eyes instantly reddened. Biting her lip, she said plaintively, “Kelvin, are you still thinking about Carol? Did I… did I do something wrong?”

Kelvin said nothing. He merely told her to rest before turning and leaving.

He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen rapidly.

I floated over to his side and saw him calling me.

A mechanical female voice came through the receiver.

“The number you have dialed is unavailable.”

Once, twice, three times...

On the fifth attempt, Kelvin finally hung up impatiently.

His face darkened as he messaged me.

[Carol! Are you done with your nonsense?]

When I saw the anger in his eyes, a wave of bitterness washed over me.

He was not worried about me. He just thought I was throwing a tantrum, trying to manipulate him into giving in.

Immediately after, he sent me a barrage of messages.

[Carol, you can be angry, but don’t play this disappearing act. What’s the meaning of this?

[I know you resent your parents for favoring your sister. I know you blame me for not speaking up for you, but you can’t be this stubborn.

[You need to stop this nonsense. If you keep this up, I’ll break up with you for real and be with Delila!]

Every word felt like a knife that slowly sliced through my heart.

While reading those threatening words, I felt the version of Kelvin who used to cherish me so deeply die off.

Just then, I heard my parents’ hushed voices outside the door, tinged with a barely perceptible worry. “Why can’t we reach Carol? This child is becoming more and more unreasonable!”

Mom’s voice carried a rare hint of worry. “Maybe we should go and see her. Angry as we are, she’s still our own flesh and blood.”

Dad scoffed coldly in silent agreement.

Mom sighed helplessly. She pulled out her phone to contact everyone she could reach.

She called every number from the hospital until she reached the rescue team on duty that day and finally found my whereabouts.

“Hello? I need to ask about Carol Lane, who was with us that day. Where did she go?”

“Carol Lane? She’s dead. She was stabbed through the chest and died instantly. There was nothing we could do. You’re a family. Why did you wait so long to contact us?”