Chapter 8

The emergency room light stayed on through the night as I sat in the hospital corridor. Families from the Bakers, Lamberts, and Joneses had all gathered.

Ian's mother, Emily Sinclair, was furious. "If it weren't for you, Ian wouldn't be in this mess. You're nothing but trouble!"

I stared blankly at my blood-stained hands, her words echoing in my mind. If it were not for me, Ian would not have been in danger. Moreover, I could not understand why he was even at the wedding when he was supposed to be studying abroad.

Finally, the emergency room light went out.

When the doctor emerged, Emily rushed over and asked, "Doctor, how's Ian?"

The doctor's response was grim. "Ian is stable, but he's in a coma. If he wakes up, that's great, but if not, he could remain in a vegetative state."

Emily's widened in shock, and she collapsed into a chair, sobbing.

The doctor's words swirled in my head, bringing back memories of my mother's suicide years ago. I could still see her lying in a