Chapter 7
Struggling to move, I slowly turned my head and saw Javier holding Michelle tightly in his arms.
His voice was soft.
“It’s okay now, Michelle. I’m just glad you’re back. I’ve been waiting for this moment for three years.”
Any bit of hope I had left completely disappeared. They picked me up as the hornet flew closer, ready to land on me.
Even the camera zoomed in on the “stamen,” like it had to capture that exact moment.
Michelle finally seemed to remember I existed. “Javier, do you want to talk to Skylar?”
Without even glancing in my direction, he responded casually, “She’s the reason you left in the first place. Let her suf- fer a little. Don’t worry about her.
“Just don’t leave me again, Michelle.”
The hornet dove into me, sharp pain shooting through my body. For a second, I thought I’d finally die.
I told myself to hang on just a bit longer. It’d be over soon.
The hornet writhed inside me. I was drenched in cold sweat, barely breathing.
Suddenly, the ground trembled, and someone yelled, “It’s an earthquake!”
Everyone holding me ran. Javier grabbed Michelle, shielding her from falling debris. A rock cut her arm.
Worried, he held her close and lifted her off the ground.
“Call a doctor! Get her treated right away!”
Nobody even looked back at me. I lay there watching the two of them get into a car. I gave a broken smile and tried to get away, but my legs wouldn’t move because of the hornet. My hands were broken, and I had no strength, so I could only crawl.
Just as I was about to reach the exit, a heavy chunk of rubble crashed onto my back. The pain froze me in place.
I thought that was the end. But then, I heard footsteps nearby.
When I looked up, I saw Javier.
I didn’t expect him to come over. I tried to say something, but he completely ignored me and went straight for the tro- phy lying on the ground.
Then, Michelle called out, “Javier, did you get the rose trophy?”
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Chapter 7
“Yeah, I found it!” he shouted back, glancing down at me.
He saw that I wasn’t seriously hurt and looked relieved.
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“Michelle has returned, and your injury doesn’t seem that bad. If you can drag yourself out, I’ll forget everything that’s happened. From now on, you’ll be my real wife.”
After saying that, he turned around and left.
So that was it-he only came for the cold, lifeless trophy.
Once I realized that, I couldn’t help but laugh.
My life never mattered as much as Michelle’s opinion. I should’ve known that. When the building started crumbling again, I didn’t bother running.
My right hand was gone. My mother’s last wish would stay unfinished. Even if I lived, I’d just be a disgrace to my de- ceased family.
It was a real farewell.
I had repaid the Gomez family’s kindness in raising me.
