Chapter 307

Emily pushed open the hospital room door to find Chloe applying lipstick in front of the mirror.

"Chloe?" she called tentatively.

The reflection whipped around, leaving a scarlet streak across her cheek.

"What are you doing here?" Chloe snapped her compact shut, eyes narrowing.

Emily set the fruit basket on the bedside table. "I heard you were hospitalized—"

"Heard?" Chloe's laugh was brittle. "From who? Everyone gossiping about my abortion?"

Emily froze. "I only knew you were unwell—"

"Stop pretending!" Chloe flung the blanket aside. "Just admit you came to gloat!"

The IV needle jerked, sending blood snaking up the tube.

Emily rushed forward. "Calm down—"

"Get out!" Chloe slapped her hand away. "You were always the fake nice girl in our dorm, whispering behind my back!"

"I never—"

"Come to kick me while I'm down?" Chloe's voice turned shrill. "Newsflash—I'll always be better than some subway-riding pauper like you!"

Emily's face drained of color.

The readmission forms in her bag suddenly felt foolish.

"My mistake." She grabbed her purse. "May you get... exactly what you deserve."

"Wait!" Chloe hurled a pillow. "Who do you think you are? Lecturing me?"

The thud echoed as Emily walked out.

Collapsing onto the bed, Chloe dug her nails into her palms.

The ringing phone made her lunge for it. "Nathan?"

"Useless girl!" Her mother's voice screeched over mahjong tiles. "Send money now!"

Chloe's fingers trembled. "Mom—"

"Don't lie! Your brother said you're sleeping with some tycoon in Boston!"

"I'm not—"

"Liar!" Linda Lombardi shrieked. "After all I've done, you owe me!"

Chloe bit her lip until copper bloomed, mingling with smeared lipstick.

"No money." She suddenly smiled. "Unless... you want to collect my corpse?"

Silence.

Then came the eruption of curses.

Chloe ended the call and smashed the phone against the wall.

The screen shattered like her life.