Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Miles and Mallory were siblings who grew up with Ned. They were also close friends with Angeline, in a way.

And just as Miles said, Mallory was one of the very few people who still supported Angeline’s and Ned’s relationship after Angeline woke up from her coma.

Angeline gripped her covers tightly and shut her eyes, trying to suppress the anger rising in her. Her face went deathly pale. “Why didn’t she explain things to me herself?”

“Lory knows she made a grave mistake. She’s too ashamed to see you,” Miles said, drawing his lips in a thin line. He dragged up a chair and sat down next to Angeline’s hospital bed.

“I know what you’re worried about. You’re worried that Ned would think Lory was just covering up for you even if she tried explaining things to him.”

“What Ned thinks… doesn’t really matter anymore,” Angeline said in a faint voice. “I don’t care.”

When Angeline was still in love with Ned, naturally, she would care about what Ned thought of her. But now that she no longer cared about Ned, she also didn’t care about opinion anymore.

She didn’t care if he thought she was lowly or disgusting. None of is mattered anymore.

Ned’s hands clenched into fists without him realizing it. He didn’t know if the anger he felt was because Angeline said he wasn’t important to her anymore or because she didn’t care about him anymore.

He stood outside the ward, no longer meaning to enter.

Miles thought that Angeline made the police report because she wanted to prove her innocence to Ned. When he heard that she didn’t really care, he sighed in relief. He then tried to continue reasoning with her.

“Since you

don’t care about Ned’s opinion anymore, will you please withdraw the case?”

“I don’t care what Ned thinks of me, but it’s still not an excuse for Mallory to do such dirty- handed things in the name of it being for my own good. Which college or university would want to accept me with this scandal tacked onto my back?

“That’s the main reason why I need the public apology from Ned,” Angeline said as she closed her eyes and spoke weakly. “Miles Locke, since I’m still alive, that means life still has

+15 BONUS

to go on for me. How am I going to survive in society if I don’t even have a college diploma? How would I live my life?”

With such a huge fuss made over the scandal, Angeline knew that no college would ever want to accept her even if she got the highest scores in the entrance exams.

And if she couldn’t get accepted into a college, she wouldn’t be able to complete her diploma or her degree. How was she supposed to get a job after that, then?

She wasn’t born into a wealthy family who had a family business she could fall back onto She was just another regular person on earth.

And on this earth, she had no parents, no relatives, and no friends. She didn’t have anyone else to rely on besides herself.

Miles understood what she meant. He was going to have to pick up after the mess his little sister made.

“Angie, I’ll compensate you. Would that be alright?” Miles asked. “You can work for my family’s business. I’ll let you sign a lifelong employment contract if you want. You can work at whichever branch in the world that you want–Jermeny, Rippan, the whole of Yurope … and you’ll get to determine your salary.

“Of course, this is just my suggestion. Whether or not you decide to take me up on my offer or dismiss the case against Mallory, I’ll still get her to explain everything to Ned. We’ll clear up the misunderstanding between you both!”

“I don’t care if Ned misunderstood me. I also don’t need you to compensate me by planning out my life for me! I just want to finish my degree and get that public apology from Ned. I’ll dismiss the case if he agrees to the public apology …”

Before Angeline could finish her sentence, Ned opened the door and entered with a frown on his face.

Angeline turned her head toward the door.

She was wearing a hospital gown on her weak, frail body. Her long hair fell around her shoulders and on the pillow propping her up from behind. Without the turtleneck shirt and scarf covering her neck, the wounds on Angeline’s forehead, chin, and neck were plain and obvious for all to see.

And because she was suppressing her anger, Angeline looked a lot paler and worse than she did yesterday.