Chapter 4 A Night to Remember

Each day passed, my health slipping with the sands of time.

Ethan had berated me with biting sarcasm over the phone that day, and since then, he hadn't reached out.

The silence was a blessing. Alone in my tiny hideaway, I flipped through my calendar, savoring the quiet, tracking how little time I had left.

Suddenly, I received a message from Hannah.

She was inviting me to the exhibition party for Eternal Dawn. At the end of her message, she added a pointed line, 'Emilia, I'm sure Aunt Eleanor would want you to see her life's work come to life.'

I hesitated, but curiosity got the better of me. I had to see it for myself.

…

The grand hall was bright and brimming with noise. Clinking glasses, lively chatter, and laughter swirled in the air.

It was overwhelming, a stark contrast to the solitude I had become accustomed to.

My fingers clenched instinctively at my side.

Across the room, I spotted Ethan walking beside Hannah, introducing her with a smile to the guests. It felt surreal, almost like they were the true siblings.

Caught off guard, I stood frozen until his gaze shifted to me, and his expression darkened. That familiar disgust crept back into his eyes, so vivid and piercing.

Hannah noticed his reaction and followed his gaze, her face lighting up with her practiced smile as she began making her way toward me.

However, I turned sharply and headed out of the hall without a second thought.

I could already guess what she would say—her usual veiled mockery, twisting the knife over my inability to protect my mother's legacy. Today, I wasn't in the mood for her barbed remarks.

I found refuge on the second-floor balcony.

The wind was biting but refreshing, clearing the turmoil clouding my mind. Leaning against the rail, I let the cold air dispel my tension.

Just as my breathing steadied, someone suddenly wrapped their arms around me from behind, pulling me back into a tight embrace. The thick smell of cigarettes hit me, and a wave of nausea surged.

I wrenched myself free, ready to lash out, but then I saw Hannah standing there, watching with a sly smile.

"Emilia, this is my friend, Chad Fisher," she said, adjusting the skirt of her gleaming dress. She flashed me a quick wink. "He's a great guy. I'm sure you two will get along famously."

Chad's gaze trailed over me, lingering with a smirk. "Don't worry, Miss Perry," he said, his tone dripping with lust. "I'll treat you real nice."

Before I could react, he seized me and shoved me down onto the couch behind us. His hands gripped me tightly, his weight pressing against me.

Panic flared. I thrashed, desperate to break free.

"Get lost! Don't you dare touch me!"

Summoning all my strength, I rammed my knee into him.

He stumbled back with a curse, clutching himself in pain.

I scrambled up, my hand over my mouth as nausea overtook me, bile rising.

Seizing the moment, I snatched a fruit knife from a nearby table, my hands shaking as I held it in front of me. I swung it wildly, the blade cutting across their skin.

Blood bloomed, staining the room as my world blurred in a haze of red.