Chapter 4

4: 4

The will to live drove me to keep searching for a way out.

Finally, in a corner, I found a window-breaking hammer and a fire extinguisher.

I smashed his rear window with everything I had, then fought to beat back the flames.

At last I opened a path out.

But my breathing was too ragged, and I had no protection at all.

A second after I stumbled out of the garage, I collapsed unconscious.

Just before my eyes closed, I thought I saw Nelson's frantic figure.

Had he come back to save me?

I laughed at myself for being so unrealistic.

Every bit of him was fixed on Sally.

Why would he ever come back for me?

My strength gone completely, I sank into darkness and shut my eyes.

……

When I opened them again, the first thing I saw was Shirley's worried face.

I forced out a hoarse whisper and handed her the memory card I'd been clutching so tightly.

“I broke the car window with a hammer and pulled out this memory card. Pull up the footage from that day right now and see what actually happened.”

Shirley nodded hard and told me to lie still and not move.

“The doctor says you have no external injuries, but your lungs took in too much smoke, so they're keeping you for observation. Rest these next few days. I'll handle the whole investigation.”

With her here, I nodded and let myself relax.

My phone had no messages. Of course Nelson hadn't thought of me.

I finished drafting the message to call off the engagement, planning to find the right moment to send it to the group chat with both our families.

The elders on both sides were run off their feet over our wedding.

And I didn't have the courage to tell them I'd already decided to leave Nelson.

I had the wording ready and hadn't sent it yet.

Then Nelson knocked on my hospital room door, Sally with him.

There was something awkward on his face as he carried a bag of health supplements to my bedside.

The girl's eyes were red as a rabbit's, and she apologized in a small voice.

“I'm sorry, Madeline. Mr. Finley left you behind because he had to save me, so please don't blame him. If you want to blame someone, blame me.”

I nodded, unimpressed.

“No need. The one he cares about is you, not me. Even if you didn't say it, he still wouldn't see me.”

Nelson flared up at once.

“Madeline, what's that supposed to mean? Sally lowers herself to apologize to you, and this is your attitude?”

I froze for a moment and looked at Sally's face.

Her eyes were plainly full of smugness and provocation.

Innocent, where?

I couldn't be bothered to argue. I just pointed at the door.

“Stop coming here to bother me. Whatever's between you two has nothing to do with me. Don't put on this act in front of me.”

That set Nelson off completely.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me clean off the bed onto the floor.

“Apologize to Sally. Did you hear me!”

I lifted my head and glared straight at him.

“Never!”

His face went as ugly as it could get, and he actually raised his hand to teach me a lesson.

The instant the slap was about to land,

Shirley rushed in and berated him, her voice hard with righteousness.

“What gives you the right to hit Maddie? I already have the evidence. You faked the proof that Maddie was assaulted!”

Terror shot into Nelson's eyes.

“How is that possible?”