Chapter 7

When Cassandra came to, she found herself in the hospital. Her bed was empty, with no one by her side. The wounds on her body burned with sharp, stinging pain. Outside the door, she heard nurses whispering, "That guy is so handsome. He's so sweet to his girlfriend." "Right? She only twisted her ankle, and he's acting like it's the end of the world. Her parents are here too, hovering nonstop. "And look at this woman. She's covered in injuries, but nobody's even come to see her." Cassandra tore out the IV needle, braced a hand against the wall, and inched her way into the hallway step by step. Just as she expected, Ronan, Howard, and Elaine were all fussing over Marissa in the VIP ward. Ronan adjusted the height of Marissa's hospital bed, checking repeatedly to make sure she was comfortable. Howard poured Marissa water and even blew on it to cool it before handing it to her. Marissa pouted, whining softly, and Elaine immediately raised her handkerchief to gently dab the moisture from the corner of Marissa's lips. The scene was so warm that Cassandra's breathing caught. Tears flooded her eyes. It was strange. She had already decided to let go, but it still hurt, like thousands of needles stabbing into her at once, leaving her barely able to breathe. "Cassandra, don't cry," she told herself. She lifted her head, forcing back the tears threatening to fall. She knew no one would care about her. She returned to her room. Not long after, Ronan walked in. "Does it still hurt?" he asked. There were dark shadows under his eyes, and he looked worn out. His gaze never left her, as if he were a little nervous. In the past, Cassandra would have cried and made a scene, demanding to know why he had saved Marissa first. This time, she said nothing. She turned her face away, refusing to look at him. She was so quiet it didn't feel like her at all. Ronan frowned, seeming to assume the pain was too much for her to answer, and he didn't press further. Over the next few days, he pushed work aside and stayed at the hospital to take care of her. But something was off. Cassandra, who used to chatter nonstop around him, stayed silent the whole time. She went through her treatments, ate, and slept without speaking. She was waiting for the day she could leave. Three days before she was supposed to leave, she went out onto the balcony to get some air. She didn't know how long she stood there before she faintly heard Marissa on the phone. "Oh, don't worry. They're treating me like a princess right now. They won't figure it out. The real Marissa died a long time ago." Cassandra froze for a split second, and then it hit her all at once. Her expression changed instantly. She hurried out, only to meet Marissa's smug grin. When Marissa saw her, a flicker of guilt flashed in her eyes. "Why are you here?" Cassandra's eyes went red with rage. "You're a damn impostor!" "So what?" A vicious glint flashed in Marissa's eyes. "Since you found out, let's make this interesting." Before Cassandra could react, Marissa suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs, "Cassandra, I just came to check on you! Even if you're upset, you can't hit me! Ah!" The words had barely left her mouth when she let out another shriek and tumbled straight down the stairs. She hit the hospital corridor hard. People gasped, and every head snapped toward Cassandra. Cassandra went rigid. She turned her head and met Howard and Elaine's furious stares. "I..." She didn't even get the next word out. "Marissa!" Ronan rushed over and scooped Marissa into his arms. When he looked at Cassandra, his eyes were cold as ice. Cassandra could only watch as he carried Marissa away in long, fast strides. At the same time, Howard and Elaine pointed at her and roared, "Cassandra! You're out of your mind!" The murmurs around her were like poisoned blades. "How could Cassandra be that ruthless, laying hands on her own sister?" "She's completely out of control. Mr. and Mrs. Hart should discipline her properly and fix that temper of hers!" "Exactly! Teach her a lesson! Make her admit she was wrong!" Howard immediately ordered someone to bring a whip. "Hold her down!" "Let go of me!" Cassandra fought desperately, shouting until her voice went hoarse. "That woman isn't my sister! She's a fake!"