Chapter 11
Seeing Tessa cry, Owen’s heart ached. “Who told you that?
Whether Aria’s here or not, you’ll always be our sister. That
won’t ever change. Don’t listen to nonsense–you’ll always be the
Whitmore family‘ little princess.”
Tessa shook her head, her expression still wounded. “But I’m
scared. I’m sick, and I might not have much time left. Just
thinking about you all carrying on happily while I’m gone,
buried somewhere cold, it breaks my heart.”
She closed her eyes painfully. “I know it’s selfish, but I envy Aria
so much. She has you all and she’s healthy!”
She tore herself from Owen’s grip and fled upstairs. Owen
chased after her, his brow furrowed with worry. “Stop saying
that. I will find a way to heal you. You’re not dying.”
Chloe, looking equally anxious, rushed over too. She wrapped a
comforting arm around Tessa. “Owen’s right. Listen to your
doctors, Tessa. You’ll get through this.”
So it was true, Aria thought bitterly. The squeaky wheel got the
grease.
She took one last bite of salmon. Sweet glaze coated the fish, but
Chapter 11
all she tasted was sourness.
Lucas suddenly whirled around, glaring at Aria. “How can you
just sit there eating while Tessa’s crying her eyes out? Have you
got no heart?”
Aria lifted her gaze, cool and detached. “What would you have
me do, Lucas? Should I starve myself and weep daily just
because Tessa’s sick? Would that prove I have a conscience?”
‘In my previous life, she recalled, ‘they called me childish when I
fought Tessa. Now that I’m quiet, they say I’m heartless. It
figured. To those determined to hate you, even breathing is a
crime.
Lucas froze. He’d lashed out without thinking. He had no real
answer.
Owen, ever the voice of reason, stepped in. “Tessa gets too
worked up around you right now, Aria. Go back to your room!”
The dismissal was expected, yet a sharp pang still shot through
Aria’s chest. They only cared that skipping meals might worsen
Tessa’s condition.
But she was the one truly ill. Tessa was faking it all. Henry
claimed Owen was a brilliant doctor, yet he couldn’t spot such
an obvious act. What a fraud.
Chapter 11
Aria said nothing. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, walked
to the calendar, and picked up the red marker beside it. With
steady precision, she circled the number 8.
Another day was gone, twenty–two days left.
She glanced back at the family huddled around Tessa. Once,
she’d craved that kind of love, dreamed they might offer it to her
too. But not anymore. Family meant nothing to her now.
There was no point in hurting.
Back in her room, Aria rested briefly before grabbing her
pajamas and heading to the bathroom.The moment she turned on the shower, a wave of nausea and splitting pain slammed
into her.
Every cell screamed as if devoured by swarming insects–a living hell. She crumpled onto the cold tiles, her face deathly pale, lips bitten bloody. Wave after wave of agony crashed over her until,
finally, darkness swallowed her.
She woke sometime later, still alone on the bathroom floor. No
one had come. No one cared.
Weakly, she hauled herself up using the sink and stared into the mirror. Her lips were colorless, collarbones sharp against gaunt skin, her face a ghostly white. Dazed, she stumbled out, crawled
Chapter 11
into bed, and pulled the covers tight.
‘Why does it hurt this much?‘ she wondered.
Just as her eyes drifted shut, the desk phone rang. An unknown
number. Aria hesitated, then answered.
A deep, resonant voice filled the line–Bennett’s. “Be at Yealchinn
Hospital, outpatient clinic, third floor, at nine tomorrow
morning. Someone will escort you to Griffin.” His tone was calm
yet brooked no argument.
Lost in her thoughts, Aria only managed a faint, “Huh?”
“Don’t be late.” The line went dead.
Staring at the darkened screen, realization dawned. Monday.
Bennett had arranged the specialist consultation.
So, besides Juliet and Grandma, he–a man she’d met twice-
wanted her alive, too.
‘Should I go?‘ she wondered. Living longer just meant enduring
more pain. But Bennett had gone to the trouble. Refusing would
be rude. ‘Fine. Just this once!
She called Juliet to ask for help excusing her from class.
