Chapter 6
Lina lowered her eyes, voice soft and steady as she lied, “Mrs. Morris came to check on me. I told her I was fine and suggested she head
home.”
Mrs. Morris nodded along, feigning concern for a moment before quickly finding an excuse to leave.
Now it was just the two of them in the hospital room.
Bruno moved to her bedside, his voice stiff and awkward. “About earlier… The car accident happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to
react.”
Lina just murmured, “Mm. I know. It’s okay.”
Bruno blinked, caught off guard. “You’re not mad?“}
She shook her head. “I’m not.”
He searched her face, looking for any sign of anger or hurt, but her eyes were calm, almost empty–like water that refused to ripple.
He started to get frustrated. Reaching out, he tried to cup her face. “Don’t be like this, Lina, I-“}
“I’m really not upset.” Lina turned her head away, dodging his hand. Her voice was gentle but firm. “I want to rest. Ms. Hudson was injured too. You should go be with her.”
She closed her eyes and rolled onto her side.§
Lina could sense him lingering by her bed, standing there for a long moment before finally leaving and pulling the door shut behind him. For the next few days, Bruno came by every day.
He’d sit by her bed, working through paperwork, occasionally pausing to ask, “Does it hurt?” Lina always shook her head.
But whenever she woke up, the chair beside her was empty. All she could hear were the nurses whispering in the hallway-
“The guy in the VIP room next door is so sweet to Ms. Hudson. He stays with her all night.”
“I heard he’s the Morris Corporation heir. Rich, handsome, completely devoted.“}
Lina just closed her eyes and pretended not to hear.
When discharge day finally came, Bruno showed up to pick her up himself.
Lina, still limping on her not–yet–healed ankle, made her way to the car–only to freeze when she opened the door.
Kylie was already sitting in the passenger seat. She turned, giving Lina a sweet smile. “Hope you don’t mind if I tag along, Ms. Knotts. I get carsick unless I sit up front.“)
Bruno’s brow furrowed, as if he wanted to say something, but Lina beat him to it. “It’s fine,” she said quietly.
She climbed into the back seat, perfectly composed, watching the silhouettes of Bruno and Kylie up front as if she were just a passenger in someone else’s story.
Bruno glanced at her in the rearview mirror, hesitated, but in the end said nothing.
The car stopped in front of a lavish mansion. Only then did Lina realize he hadn’t brought her home–he’d brought her to a golden anniversary party for a respected elder in their social circle.}
“That’s Bruno, isn’t it? And he brought two women?”
“The one in the white dress must be Lina. I heard she grew up in the slums. Her family’s nothing special.”
“Kylie Hudson is a much better match for Bruno. Same background, same class.“)
The guests didn’t even bother to lower their voices. Lina stood quietly in a corner, expression unreadable, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.
Bruno spent the whole night by Kylie’s side–fetching drinks, draping his jacket over her shoulders, looking at her with eyes so gentle it hurt to watch.
“Ms. Knotts, let me introduce you to some friends.” Kylie appeared out of nowhere, linking her arm through Lina’s before she could say
- no.
Kylie pulled her over to a group of well–dressed socialites.
“This is Lina, Bruno’s… girlfriend,” Kylie said with a smile. Then, without missing a beat, she switched to fluent German and started chatting and laughing with the others.
The women paused for a split second, then all joined in, their laughter ringing out in a language Lina didn’t know.
She stood there, feeling like an island, completely cut off by a sea of words she couldn’t understand.
Ms. Knotts?” Kylie suddenly spoke up in English. “What do you think?”
09.59
“I’m sorry?” Lina blinked.
“Oh, right, I forgot–you don’t speak German.” Kylie gave her an apologetic look before turning back to the others. “Ms. Knotts never learned any foreign languages, don’t mind her.”
A few of the women giggled, the sound sharp and cold, like tiny needles pricking under Lina’s skin.
“It’s okay” Kylie added, patting Lina’s hand as if comforting a child. “You’ll catch up eventually.”
Lina dropped her gaze, digging her nails deep into her palm.
Surrounded by stares–some mocking, some pitying–she felt exposed, like a clown on display. Every breath burned, like swallowing shards of glass.
