Peter's gaze dropped to my clothes again.

He hadn't looked closely before. He only noticed how thin they were.

Now that he really took a good look, he saw they weren't just thin. They didn't even fit me. The sleeves were too short, the hem barely reaching where it should.

His expression darkened.

He had thought pretty highly of Joe, thinking the latter was young, capable, and promising. But what the hell was this?

"This is ridiculous. Leaving his post is bad enough, but over a jacket? How much could that even cost? He's got money for fireworks, but not enough to get you something to wear? Come on. You're coming back with me. I've got a granddaughter about your age. You can change into something warm first. Don't catch a cold."

I couldn't really refuse, so I followed him back to the compound.

Once Peter's wife, Sarah Howell, heard what happened, her face softened with sympathy. She brought me a set of thick clothes and made me a steaming bowl of chicken soup.

But I had been out in the cold too long, and I had never exactly been well-fed growing up.

My head felt heavy, my face burning. When they checked my temperature, it was already at 102.2°F.

Peter looked even more uneasy. He immediately called for the driver.

"Ben, get the car. We're heading to the hospital. And go find that damn kid, Joe. Tell him his sister's sick."

Ben Newton nodded quickly and drove us over.

By then, I was barely conscious. Even the doctor looked startled when he saw me and couldn't help snapping at Peter.

"Why didn't you bring her in sooner? Does her family even care?"

Peter, who usually carried himself like steel, could only give an awkward smile and ask the doctor to take good care of me.

Half asleep, I caught pieces of his conversation with Sarah.

"This kid's been through a lot. She saved my life. We should look out for her from now on."

"I was thinking the same. She's about the same age as my granddaughter, Thea, but look at her! She's as skinny as a stick. You can tell she's not treated well at home. Your guard eats like a grown man, but he's so cold to his own sister."

"I didn't expect him to be like this, either. And he's even left his post. If it weren't for Maegan, I might not have made it out of that river."

There was a trace of fear in Peter's voice, and whatever good impression he had of Joe was fading fast.

When Ben came back alone, Peter's face turned dark. He nearly slammed the glass in his hand onto the table.

"Where is he? Where the hell did he go?"

Ben glanced at me on the bed, something like pity in his eyes. He hesitated.

"Mr. Castro didn't come. Said he's busy."

Peter's brows drew tight. "Busy with what? He can't even spare a minute?"

I struggled to sit up, my voice low. "He's probably with Felicity."

"This is unbelievable! You're burning up like this, and he's out there having fun? Ben, did you tell him how serious it is?"

Ben let out a sigh, clearly uncomfortable. He didn't know how to repeat what had been said.

Peter caught on right away, and his voice turned sharp. "Say it. What the hell did he say?"

Ben replied, "He said… Unless Ms. Maegan is dead, don't bother him."

For a second, Peter just stared, as if he couldn't believe what he had heard.

Don't bother him unless she was dead? What kind of brother would say something like that?

Peter turned to look at me. My face was pale and flushed with fever, but my expression was completely blank, as if I had already gotten used to it.

Something in both his and Sarah's expressions softened.

Peter let out a cold huff and slammed his hand against the table.

"Hah! Very well. Go again. Tell him I'm the one calling him this time. If he won't come for his sister, let's see if he ignores me, too."

Ben had no choice but to head out again.

The room fell quiet.

After a long time, Sarah spoke gently.

"Mae… Can I call you that? What exactly is going on between you and Joe?"

Honestly, I didn't even know the answer to that myself.

When my mother was still alive, Joe wasn't like this.

He was the one who spoiled me the most. If I had asked for the moon, he probably would've tried to find a way to get it for me. Everyone knew he doted on his little sister like his life depended on it.

But everything changed after our mother died.

At her funeral, my father brought back a girl about my age and said she was his foster daughter.

He had a long talk with Joe that day. After that, it was like Joe became a different person.

He never looked at me the same again. He made me give up my room for Felicity. Even the little things he used to give me, all those random trinkets, he took them back and handed them to her.

Back then, I was hurt and confused. I kept wondering what I had done wrong to deserve that kind of treatment.

But after the way I died last time, beaten down by his own hands, I stopped caring.

My brother who loved me was already gone.

All I needed to remember was that Joe was only Felicity's brother now.

I brushed Sarah's question off with a few vague answers.

Another half hour passed. Ben still hadn't come back.

Instead, the hospital room door was kicked open.

The one who walked in was my father, William Castro. He frowned when he saw me lying in the bed, irritation written all over his face.

"What are you trying to pull this time? Joe called me and told me you're pretending to be sick. You even dragged his commander into it just to trick him. Do you have any idea how much that man values Joe? Joe's future depends on him! Why can't you be half as sensible as Felicity?"

He sounded like he was scolding me out of disappointment.

But hearing him tear me down like that, I almost laughed.

Joe really was an idiot.

Did he seriously not stop to think about it? I was just a high school senior. How could I possibly get Peter's driver to go along with some lie like this?

Twice, no less.

William's words clearly pissed Peter and Sarah off, too.

"You're her father. How can you not care about her at all? She's running a 102-degree fever!"

You would think that would make him take it seriously.

Instead, he let out a mocking chuckle, eyes full of disdain.

"Oh, keep the act going! Isn't this just about fighting with Felicity for attention? Tricks like this are all you're good at. You're just like your mother. If she had been a little more generous…"

He cut himself off when he met my eyes.

For a second, guilt flickered across his face.

My chest tightened. Something felt off.

My mother had died from illness. Back then, Joe was working, and I was still in school. My father had been the one taking care of her the whole time.

He always said he had taken good care of her.

When she passed, she looked frail, but I had just assumed it was the illness.

But what did he mean just now? What was that about being more generous?

I didn't dare think too deeply about it. I just made a quiet decision to look into it later.

Peter and Sarah were already furious. They had William thrown out of the room. Even standing outside, he kept cursing under his breath.

Ben came back just then and ran straight into him. One punch, and William slunk off without another word.

This time, when Ben walked in alone again, Peter didn't look surprised. His face was as dark as thunder.

"Well, that Joe's got quite the attitude." Ben sighed, helpless. "I told him over and over that it was your order, but he just wouldn't believe it. And his foster sister…"

He hesitated, then repeated what Felicity had said.

"She said, Mae must've gotten mixed up with some shady people to come up with a story like this to fool Joe."

He even copied her tone, soft and affected.

I wasn't surprised. That was exactly how Felicity always talked back home. William and Joe always believed her.

Peter and Sarah fell silent for a long time. The pity in their eyes only deepened.

"Mae, I didn't expect things to be like this in your family." Peter let out a sigh. "Don't worry. You saved my life. If they won't take care of you, then from now on, you're my god-granddaughter. As long as I'm around, no one's going to push you around again."

Sarah gently ran her hand through my hair, her voice soft, telling me not to be afraid.

It had been so long since anyone treated me with that kind of care. My eyes stung before I could stop it.

"Thank you."

"What's there to thank us for? From now on, you're part of this family, too."

Right then, Joe burst into the room.

He looked furious. His face and clothes were smeared with soot, a patch of his hair singed off. He looked like a mess.

The second he walked in, he barked at me.

"Maegan, if you're not dead, get out here! Felicity got burned. There aren't enough beds. Give her yours!"