Chapter 3

When the ambulance pulled up downstairs, Marcus was still leaning against the table.

The paramedics lifted him onto a stretcher, and Molly climbed in after him, never once looking back.

I called a separate car and rushed to First City Hospital with the four plastic bags.

Bob, Quinn, and Wendy were already in the emergency corridor.

Molly stood at the door of the emergency room, clutching Marcus's coat.

Wendy came straight at me and knocked the bag out of my hand.

Clothes and books scattered across the floor.

"Julia Fox, you actually dared to show up? You ungrateful snake. If anything happens to my brother, I'll skin you alive!"

I bent down to gather the clothes.

Bob stepped on one of the white shirts.

"Marcus nearly died for you back then, and this is how you repay him—shoving him toward his grave?"

I pinched a corner of the shirt.

"Move your foot."

"First tell us why you pushed him."

"He grabbed me. I wanted to leave."

"You know he has an old injury."

I looked up at Bob.

"So because he has an old injury, I'm supposed to be his dog for the rest of my life and let him walk all over me?"

Quinn blocked my way.

"Marcus dragged you out of the gutter, put clothes on your back and food in your mouth. So you had to swallow a little grievance—what's the big deal?"

"He handed my wedding gown, my position, and my home over to Molly. That's not enough?"

Quinn said nothing.

Wendy crossed her arms.

"Those things were my brother's to begin with. He can give them to whoever he wants."

She nudged one of the books aside with the tip of her shoe.

"You're an orphan. Without my brother's help, would you be where you are today?"

I yanked the white shirt out from under Bob's foot and stuffed it back into the bag.

The emergency room doors opened, and the doctor pulled down his mask.

"No fracture. The old injury got aggravated. A few days of rest and he'll be fine."

Molly thanked the doctor over and over.

Wendy glanced toward the emergency room first, then turned to me.

"Lucky for you."

I went on gathering the scattered clothes.

Molly walked up to me and pressed the sole of her shoe onto the hem of my skirt.

"Julia, what if I step back? As long as you don't hurt Marcus, I'll disappear right now."

"Just apologize to him and I'll move out."

"Let go of my skirt first."

The sound of a wheelchair came from inside the emergency room. A nurse rolled Marcus out into the corridor.

His eyes dropped to the hem pinned under Molly's shoe.

"What's going on here?"

Molly pulled her foot back at once.

"It's nothing. Julia didn't mean it. Don't blame her."

Bob pointed at me.

"She still won't admit she was wrong, even here at the hospital. Molly kept trying to talk her around, but it was no use."

Marcus gripped both sides of the wheelchair.

"Julia Fox. Kneel."

The only sound left in the corridor was the wheels dragging against the floor.

"Say that again."

"I saved you with my own life. Even if I made you kneel here until you died, you'd still owe me. Kneel and apologize to Molly, or the wedding is postponed indefinitely."

I raised my right hand and slid off the engagement ring.

Marcus leaned forward.

"What do you think you're doing?"

I set the ring on his lap. It rolled down the blanket to the floor and came to a stop by Molly's shoe.

"There's no need to postpone the wedding."

I looked at Marcus.

"Cancel it outright."

He grabbed the armrest of the wheelchair.

"Don't use the wedding to threaten me."

"I'm not threatening you."

"Pick up the ring."

I picked up the last bag.

"It's your ring. Deal with it yourself."

Molly bent down and reached for it. Marcus stopped her instantly.

"Don't touch it."

She drew her hand back.

Marcus stared at me across the crowd.

"If you walk out that door today, then even if you come crawling back on your knees begging me, don't ever expect to return!"

I turned and walked toward the doors.

Bob called out behind me, "Marcus, let her go. She doesn't even have a home. By tomorrow she'll come back begging on her own."

My steps paused for half a beat in front of the glass door.

The door reflected the four black bags stuffed with old clothes, and everyone standing beside the wheelchair.

I pushed the door open and booked a single's apartment on the rental app.