Chapter 6
“Noah, Chloe seems to have a fever. You should take a look.”
Noah retracted his hand after hearing that. He rushed downstairs and saw Chloe’s flushed face, clearly indicating an abnormal temperature.“I’ll get the car. We need to get to the hospital right away.” Noah accompanied Caleb as they took Chloe to the hospital.
On the second floor, in the bedroom, I lay in bed, my face flushed and drenched in sweat. All night, my body felt weightless, plagued by nightmares.
The next morning, my phone buzzed incessantly with message notifications.
Waking up to the noise, I scowled and opened my phone, only to find a flood of private messages filled with insults.
I was no stranger to this kind of vitriol; after all, the incident from last night, where I pushed Chloe into the water, had been plastered all over the campus forum.
Chloe was quite popular at school, and now everyone was outraged, coming after me with their words.
A headache threatened to split my skull. I retaliated, unleashing a furious torrent of insults, using deeply offensive language.
The forum post exploded with thousands of replies, leaving the admin panicking, thinking the forum had been hacked. After sending my messages, I dossed my phone aside and lay back down.
I didn’t have to please the Welch family anymore, nor did I care about my reputation.
I was done living in such a stifling way.
Not long after, a servant knocked on my door.“Miss, you need to get up for school; you’ll be late.”
I paused. I suddenly remembered I actually had to go to school today!
I splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to wake up. To escape the Welch family, I needed to finish school and get into college, far
here.
away from
After changing into my uniform, I grabbed my backpack and headed downstairs. Just then, Noah and Caleb walked in from outside. Noah noticed my flushed face and instinctively reached out to touch my forehead.
But I stepped back, avoiding his hand, and turned to sit at the dining table. I needed a hearty meal to recover quickly and have the energy to ace my exams at University of California.
Noah’s hand hung awkwardly in the air before he let it drop.
Caleb snorted. “I told you she’s an ungrateful brat. And look at her, perfectly healthy! Unlike Chloe, who’s been delicate her whole life. She caught a cold after last night’s incident. Chloe gets sick; but Alice never does!”
Noah remained silent; acknowledging that I had always been healthy. He approached the dining table.“Chloe’s sick. You need to take good care of her at school until she recovers. Got it?” He felt I was growing increasingly rebellious. He couldn’t spoil me like before. Since I didn’t understand gratitude, he would make me learn it.
Caleb chimed in.“Alice, Chloe’s father saved your life, and you almost killed her. You must take care of her to atone for
your sins!”
I focused on my breakfast, forcing myself to eat despite my lack of appetite. Less than a hundred days until the college entrance exams, once it was over, I could leave the Welch family behind.
Caleb was dissatisfied with my indifferent attitude and snatched my chopsticks away.“I’m talking to you, can’t you
I looked up, my eyes clear and calm.
hear?”
Caleb continued commanding.“When Chloe takes her medicine, you need to fetch her hot water. At lunchtime, go to the cafeteria and get her food–make sure to hurry so it doesn’t get cold. She can’t go to the bathroom alone; you need to accompany her! Her father saved your life; this is what you owe her. Do you understand?”
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