Chapter 3

3.

Arthur lay in his hospital bed, tears silently streaming down his face.

He gripped my hand so hard his knuckles turned white. His lips moved, but no sound came out.

I felt like a giant stone was sitting on my chest, making it impossible to breathe.

I hated Vivienne for her cruelty. Part of me wanted to just walk away and leave her to her mess.

But I couldn't look at Arthur's broken expression and do nothing.

I had to find Vivienne. She had to face what she had done.

I burst into her office, and the scene inside made me freeze.

Vivienne was sitting on Caleb's lap. She was wearing nothing but his oversized dress shirt, half-unbuttoned.

Their clothes were wrinkled, their hair a mess. The air in the room was thick with the scent of their recent activities.

When she saw me, she didn't even look embarrassed. She just smirked.

I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood, trying to hold back the scream of agony in my heart.

My eyes welled up despite my best efforts to stay strong.

"Oh, look who it is. Back to play the tragic hero again?"

"Are you working this hard just to get your credit cards back?"

She slowly stood up, stepping away from Caleb. She walked right up to me.

She lit a long, thin cigarette and blew the smoke directly into my face.

I started coughing. She knew I hated the smell of smoke. She used to never do this.

I forced myself to stay calm through the anger.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Those are your parents. Why won't you just go see them?"

"You're a professional liar, Silas. Why should I believe a word you say? It's just another one of your pathetic guilt trips to get my money."

I pulled out the critical condition notice and slapped it onto her desk. "Read the name on that paper!"

She didn't even glance at it. Instead, she stepped on the paper with her heel and slapped me across the face.

"Nice acting. You're even using props now."

"If you put this much effort into pleasing me like Caleb does, you'd have all the money you want."

"You're using the wrong strategy, honey."

I couldn't stand the sight of her anymore. I turned to leave.

"Caleb, tie him up!"

Caleb grinned and lunged at me. He grabbed my arms and slammed me onto the floor.

I fought back, but he was stronger and I was already exhausted.

"Vivienne, are you out of your mind? What are you doing?"

She walked over, and the sharp tip of her stiletto ground into my cheek.

"Where do you think you're going? Don't you want your money?"

"This isn't like you. You used to be so good at manipulating people for cash. Why the sudden pride?"

My face burned with shame and pain. The humiliation felt like it was poisoning my blood.

"Let me go! If you don't want to save your parents, fine, but stop bringing up the past!"

I spat the words out through gritted teeth.

"You still won't admit it? And now you're cursing my parents too?"

She pressed harder. The thin heel felt like it was going to pierce through my skin.

I struggled to breathe as the pressure intensified.

Caleb joined in, kicking me hard in the stomach.

I let out a choked cry and curled into a ball, my stomach churning with nausea.

Vivienne just watched with cold, unfeeling eyes.

"Babe, why are we keeping him here?" Caleb asked, his hands wandering over her body.

Vivienne giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering in his ear.

"Keep him here so he can see how a real man handles me."

"If I let him out, he'll just find another way to annoy me with his fake drama."

I lay there like a discarded dog, listening to their disgusting flirting.

My heart went completely cold.

Arthur and Martha were dying in a hospital, and I was trapped here in this nightmare.

I started to regret everything. I shouldn't have brought them here.

If they were back in their small town, they would at least be safe and warm.

Arthur's bills weren't paid. The hospital was going to move him to a hallway bed.

It was freezing outside. How could his old body survive that?

The pain in my abdomen came in waves, and I felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

Suddenly, Vivienne's phone rang.

She groaned in annoyance and answered it on speaker.

"Vivienne…"

A weak, desperate voice came through the speakers.

Vivienne froze. "Dad? Why are you calling from a random number?"