Chapter 3

Herbert's face twisted with unease.

Whenever a question was hard to answer, he just went quiet.

He nudged the mother with his hand, on the sly.

The mother forced out a bitter little smile.

"Zoe, it's not that we don't want to take you in, it's... the truth is we can barely keep our own heads above water. Otherwise we wouldn't have come looking for you in the first place."

I let out a soft sniffle.

"All I need is a bowl of food, Mom. Herbie. Are you really going to leave me to sink?"

"Just now you two said you missed me, said you wanted to see me every single day, said we'd all live as a family. How did you change your minds so fast?"

Once the mother saw there was nothing left to squeeze out of me, only the risk of me dragging them down,

she rushed to explain. "There's only one room fit to live in back home. Your brother and I already crowd in together. We eat meal-replacement porridge, not even a side dish. You wouldn't be able to stomach it."

"Even if you came back, there'd be nowhere for you to sleep. You're better off staying here. I'm sure someone as capable as you will land a new job in no time."

So this was enough to scare them off?

Weren't we one big loving family?

The moment I was the one needing help, they wanted no part of it?

I opened my mouth to keep pleading poverty, but before the words came out,

the mother was already waving Herbert over.

"Herbie, forget it. Your sister's having a hard time too. Same as us, she can barely keep herself afloat."

"Let's hurry home and stop bothering your sister. We don't want to weigh on her."

Herbert grabbed the wheelchair and bolted.

No matter how I tried to make them stay, they wouldn't.

Terrified I'd actually latch on to them.

Hmph. They really were laughable.

I shut the door and clapped my hands, satisfied.

There. Finally sent them off.

Not long after, Herbert's call came through.

I thought about it. If I was going to play the part, I'd play it to the end.

I tapped to answer.

Herbert's frantic voice spilled out.

"Zoe! A car just went out of control, Mom shoved me out of the way and got hit herself. We're at the hospital now and she still hasn't come to. I've never dealt with anything like this. Can you come be with me?"

Who'd have thought that after faking paralysis, the mother was now genuinely on the verge of it.

I had no idea what he wanted, calling me over.

Either way, my role was already set. Going to see them, playing along a little, that worked fine too.

I'd just reached the door of the ward.

And I heard the mother's voice inside.