Chapter 9

In a messy room, Ethan sat in his wheelchair with hair covering his eyes. He saw a craft knife amidst broken glass on the floor and heard a voice in his head saying, 'Why hesitate? One cut and the pain will be gone. It'd only sting for a moment. Your parents already divorced and remarried. They have their own children now. They've abandoned you. Go on, end it!'

Ethan muttered to himself, 'Mom, Dad, if you didn't love each other, why did you marry? Why did you have me? You both have your own families now. What about me? What am I to you?'

A determined look crossed Ethan's face. He tried to get up from the wheelchair, but his legs didn't support him, causing him to fall to the floor. His hand got cut by the glass shards, and blood spilled, staining the wooden floor. He reached for the craft knife in the midst of the mess and revealed the sharp blade by sliding the button upward.

He thought that a quick cut across his wrist would set him free. As he placed the blade against his wrist, a jujube flew in through the window, landing right next to him. Then another jujube followed, each one bigger and redder than the previous, their color resembling the blood on the floor.

Ethan squinted against the harsh sunlight pouring in through the window. The next moment, a jujube hit him squarely on the head. Pain flared. The fruit fell to the floor, rolling off into a dark corner of the room.

Ethan had no words.

Just then, a calm and pleasant voice floated in from outside.

"These jujubes are from our tree. Enjoy them. Don't stay in there cooped up all day; it's unhealthy. If you ever want more, just let me know. If you're shy, toss something tasty from your house and we'll trade. Oh, I'm Madelyn. I'll come by and see you every day, okay?"

Perhaps Madelyn's voice had been too loud; it stirred the household staff within the mansion. Someone quickly walked out.

"Who's there? Who's talking in the yard?"

Madelyn shrugged and quickly retracted her feet from the wall, hiding among the tree branches. If she could, she wished to alter his future. Perhaps it was because she knew what it felt like to be abandoned by everyone—helpless and desperate.

As Madelyn's voice receded, Ethan's eyes, previously tight with distress, flickered.

'She'll come see me every day?'

Her words sparked a glimmer of hope within him.

The housekeeper looked around but found no one. Thinking it strange, she turned and left the yard.

Up in the tree, bugs were bothering Madelyn. She filled two bags with jujubes, then climbed down and headed back to the mansion. As she came back, Rosario saw wood splinters on Madelyn's clothes and brushed them off.

"Where were you running off to, all dirty? Go to your room and change clothes now. I'll wash them," Rosario said.

"It's okay, Rosario. Try these sweet jujubes I picked," Madelyn replied calmly, offering them to her.

Rosario saw the jujubes and shook her head. "You didn't care about the ones we picked earlier. Now you climbed up and picked them by yourself. Did you go up there alone?"

Madelyn nodded. "Yep! I used the ladder."

"Did you forgot the pain?" Rosario teased, poking Madelyn's forehead with her finger. "You shouldn't climb that tree anymore. If you get hurt again, I'll tell your father to cut it down."

Madelyn knew Rosario wouldn't really do that. "Rosario, I'm not a child anymore. I'll be careful."