Chapter 5
373words
Landon's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, his expression stunned.
He didn't seem to hear clearly, asking again:
"What did you say?"
I looked at him, repeating word for word:
"My mom died. Just now—her heart stopped. They couldn't save her."
My voice was too calm—calm to the point where even I found it strange.
No hysteria, no accusations, not even tears.
Landon's expression changed visibly, draining of color.
"Impossible..."
He shook his head fiercely, denial in his voice:
"I arranged it! I just had the team pull back temporarily to put pressure on you—I had people monitoring the situation! How could this..."
"Monitoring the situation?"
I finally reacted, the corner of my mouth twitching slightly in a smile uglier than crying.
"Watching how my mom, waiting for doctors that never came, heard all those rumors about her daughter, and her heart stopped bit by bit?"
"No... Chloe, I didn't..."
He stammered, his eyes showing real panic for the first time.
He tried to hug me, but I pushed him away coldly.
Not with much force, but with a resolute chill.
Summer stood up too, the smug provocation on her face gone, replaced by a trace of unease.
She probably hadn't expected things to escalate like this.
"Landon, this... this isn't our fault—it's because her aunt's body was weak..."
"Shut up!"
Landon whipped around, his bloodshot eyes glaring at her fiercely, making Summer flinch back a step.
He ignored her, turning back to grip my wrist tightly—it hurt my bones.
"Come on—to the hospital! Right now! It must be a mistake!"
"I don't believe Mom's just gone like that."
"I clearly arranged for them."
I let him pull me, stumbling to my feet.
My face still burned from the slaps I'd given myself.
The floor was cold, my knees ached, but none of it compared to the pain in my chest.
On the way to the hospital, Landon drove like he was flying.
He kept making calls, his voice frantic and urgent, questioning the hospital staff, questioning the head of the medical team he'd pulled away.
They seemed to explain something on the other end, but his face grew darker, until he finally smashed the steering wheel hard.
The car was deathly silent.
