Chapter 2
Keira found herself in the hospital when she opened her eyes again. Two nurses were changing her bandages. They sighed in relief when they saw her awake.
One said, “Thank God you’re finally awake. You’ve been out for two days. How do you feel?
“Your sister fainted the other day out of shock when bringing you to the hospital, so your parents and brother-in-law are caring for her in the ward next door. Should I ask them to come over?”
Keira’s lashes fluttered slightly, and she shook her head. “It’s fine. They won’t want to see me, and I feel the same.”
A trace of pity flashed in the nurses’ eyes. Then, they turned to leave the ward.
“They’re actual sisters. This one ended up in the ICU due to severe blood loss, yet her family didn’t even ask about her. They only cared about the older sister, who was just scared. They didn’t drop by to see how this one was doing at all.”
“I heard that her brother-in-law is Slater Group’s CEO. I suppose it’s normal for her parents to neglect her since her sister will marry into such an affluent family. Her brother-in-law is really devoted, though. He hasn’t left her sister’s side, and he made sure to feed her all her meals.
“He even asked a retired psychologist to drop by to speak to her so she isn’t traumatized. You should’ve seen the gifts he prepared to comfort her. They haven’t stopped coming…”
The two nurses whispered among themselves, but Keira heard every single word. From beginning to end, her face remained devoid of emotion. She was already used to things being this way.
That afternoon, the doctor called Keira for a follow-up. She didn’t have anyone to accompany her, so she had no choice but to drag her weak body out of bed.
As she passed by the ward next door, she saw her parents and Vincent surrounding Kimberly and showering her with concern. Frank tucked her blanket around her, and Melinda fed her some grapes.
She smiled sweetly and said, “You guys haven’t left my side to see how Keira is doing, Mom and Dad. I’m full now, so you can take the rest of this fish dish to her. She’s so badly injured that she needs something nutritious to give her a boost.”
“Oh, don’t worry about her. She’ll survive wherever she is. Your mother put her heart and soul into this dish. It would be a waste giving it to Keira,” Frank said without hesitation. Melinda nodded in agreement.
Vincent tucked Kimberly’s hair behind her ear, the tenderness in his eyes practically spilling over. “Kimmy, the doctor said you fainted because you were too worried. Keira has always been cold-blooded, and she’s never cared about your relationship with her. She even dared fantasize about taking me away from you! Why bother about her?”
Keira smiled self-deprecatingly when she heard his harsh words. She was allergic to seafood and couldn’t have any of it, but it was Kimberly’s favorite. And so, they had to have seafood for every meal at home.
Keira couldn’t have any of it, so she usually stuck to vegetables and fruits. Each time, Frank and Melinda would berate her for being a picky eater.
Kimberly acted like she cared about Keira before outsiders. However, when they were alone, her mockery of Keira never stopped. Sometimes, she would even get physical. Worse still, she would act like Keira was the one who’d bullied her after giving the latter a beating.
Frank and Melinda never bothered finding out what had really happened. Once, they punished Keira by making her kneel in the rain for a whole night.
From then on, Keira had made sure to keep her distance from Kimberly. She gave Kimberly whatever she wanted, no matter what it was.
In her past life, Vincent was the only thing she’d tried to fight for, yet she’d met a horrible end as a result. In this life, she simply wanted to live her own life peacefully. She didn’t want to fight for anything or love anyone anymore.
Keira went to her follow-up appointment alone. She then retrieved her medication after getting the prescription. The pharmacy was in a different block, and she needed to walk through the hospital’s garden to get there.
Someone stopped her as she passed a pond. She looked up to see Kimberly standing there. The latter said sarcastically, “Well, well, well. I didn’t think you’d be out of bed so soon! I guess that means you weren’t that badly injured, after all.
“Listen up, trash. Mom and Dad are on my side, so there’s no point telling Vincent you were the one by his side all those years and that you’re the one he actually likes. Don’t waste your time!”
Keira remained calm in the face of her provocation. “Don’t worry. I won’t harbor any feelings for Vincent from now on, and I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Kimberly was used to Keira never fighting back when bullied, and her expression grew smug. “Give me? Do I need you to give me anything? I’ve gotten everything I’ve wanted since I was young. You’re only worthy of getting the trash I cast aside! You’ll never be better than me!”
