Chapter 7

"Julian!" Tessa cried, her hands trembling as they patted frantically at his back. "Are you hurt? Did it burn you? We have to get to the hospital right now!" Julian's brow tightened with pain, and sweat glistened at his temple, but he still tried to comfort her. "I'm fine. It's nothing. You came out to have fun, and I don't want to ruin your night." "No! We have to go to the hospital now!" she insisted, her voice breaking. Avery watched the display of gallant devotion, and a cold, airless weight pressed against her chest. She pushed to her feet, desperate to leave, because she couldn't breathe in this room another second. Julian suddenly caught her wrist. "Where are you going?" "Home," she said, yanking her hand free. "What? Do you want to come along?" Her tone dripped with sarcasm. Julian went quiet, his grip loosening. After a pause, he said flatly, "Go ahead." Avery let out a bitter laugh and walked away without looking back. The group tried to smooth things over. "Julian, Avery's just jealous. Go talk to her!" He frowned at the door, then shook his head. "Don't bother. She'll get over it." Avery went back to the apartment alone. Neither Julian nor Jace turned up that night. The quiet felt like borrowed time, but she still couldn't sleep. Near midnight, her phone broke the silence. Julian's name flashed on the screen. "Avery, come to Merinorth Hospital now!" he said urgently, then ended the call before she could answer. Avery was stunned for a second before pulling on her shoes and driving to the hospital. The moment Avery stepped into the emergency room, Julian grabbed her arm hard enough to hurt. "Tessa had an accident! She's bleeding out! She's RH-negative, and the blood bank's short! You're donating now!" Avery stared at him. "You called me to give her blood?" "What else? Do you think I'd just watch her die? Hurry!" Julian didn't wait for a reply. He dragged her down the corridor toward the phlebotomy room as if she weighed nothing. "I'm not doing this! Let go of me!" Panic and fury filled her voice, but he didn't slow down. He shoved her into the chair. The next second, a nurse swabbed her arm before sliding the needle in. The nurse checked the bag and said, "Mr. Mercer, we've already drawn a full liter. We can't take any more! It would put her in danger!" Julian stared at the red light above the operating room doors and snapped, "No! Tessa has a blood coagulation disorder! She needs more blood! Keep going!" The cold needle kept drawing her blood. Dizziness swept over Avery, and her whole body turned cold until her vision went black. She lost consciousness. When she woke, she was lying in a hospital bed with an IV dripping into her hand. Julian was sitting in the chair beside her. The first words out of his mouth weren't concern but sharp accusations. "I can't believe how vicious you are. You tampered with Tessa's brakes. Were you hoping she'd die?" Avery blinked, the charge not landing at first. "I didn't. I never even touched her car!" "Tessa said you were the only one near her car! You said you wanted to borrow something!" His eyes were as cold as a blade. "We have enough to prove it, so don't even try to lie to me!" Avery understood at once. Tessa had staged this to frame her, and Julian sided with her without a second thought. Avery opened her mouth and found nothing she could say that he would hear. He had already decided she was the one behind it.