Chapter 4

Regina called Aaron for help right away.

A moment later, Aaron's voice came from outside the elevator, anxious and gentle as he soothed her.

"Regina, don't be scared. The rescue crew's almost here. I'll stay with you the whole time."

I was curled in the corner, the pain in my stomach unbearable, my whole body drained, no strength left even to speak.

With a screech of grinding metal, the elevator doors were pried open a gap just wide enough for one person.

A rescuer's voice came from above.

"There are two young ladies inside. The car could drop at any second, so we can only pull one of them out first."

Through the gap, I lifted my eyes and met Aaron's gaze.

Something conflicted flickered in them, and the next second he pointed, without hesitation, to Regina on the other side.

"Save her first."

One second after Regina was pulled out of the car, the elevator dropped again.

Weightlessness hit me all at once, and the violent impact turned everything black. I lost consciousness completely.

When I woke, I was lying in a hospital bed.

A sharp, boring pain ran through my left wrist, wrapped in thick bandages.

Not long after, Aaron walked briskly into the room, a trace of apology on his face.

"It was chaos in there. I didn't know the person trapped with Regina was you—"

He was lying. He had clearly seen me.

I braced myself against the edge of the bed to sit up, but Aaron stopped me at once.

"Lois, don't move around. You just had a skin graft. You need to rest."

My eyes snapped wide. "A skin graft?"

Aaron explained that when Regina was pulled out, her arm had been cut open badly, and he'd been afraid it would scar.

So he'd decided on his own, while I was unconscious, to take skin from my arm and graft it onto her.

Fury surged up, and I glared at him, my eyes going red.

My voice came out hoarse.

"Aaron, what exactly do I mean to you? Regina's afraid of a scar. You think I'm not?"

"What gives you the right to sacrifice me for her? Did you ever ask me?"

Aaron's brows drew together, his expression saying I was the one being unreasonable.

"Lois, show a little kindness. Regina has no family, no one in Harbor City. But you still have me."

"Even if you're left with a scar, I won't hold it against you."

It made me laugh.

Was I supposed to thank him for not holding it against me?

The surging anger slowly drained away, and all that was left inside me was cold.

I looked at him calmly, my voice level.

"I don't need that. Let's break up."

Aaron only looked unbothered.

He was certain I couldn't leave him, and there was a smugness in his tone.

"Lois, don't be dramatic. Since you brought up breaking up, then let's take some time to cool off."

He walked to the door of the room and paused.

"When you've thought it through, come find me."

With that, he left without looking back.

The nurse told me that in all the days I'd been unconscious, he'd been upstairs in the VIP room, staying with Regina.

I wasn't jealous, wasn't angry. There was only the tired, settled relief of something finally over.

He'd told me to come find him once I'd thought it through.

But he didn't know I would never come find him again.

That same day I checked out of the hospital.

And left Harbor City.