I Stole My Brother’s Destiny Chapter 04

I Stole My Brother’s Destiny Chapter 04

Peter and Sarah were older, so I urged them to go home and rest. After some persuasion, I finally got them to agree.
They still weren’t comfortable leaving me alone, so they had Ben stay behind and told him to call right away if anything happened.

I felt a little guilty. “Sorry, Ben. You already made two trips for me, and now you’ve got to stay and look after me, too.”

He shook his head, his smile easy and warm.

“It’s nothing. My family couldn’t even afford to feed all of us back then. If Commander Howell hadn’t hired me as a driver, I’d probably still be hauling cargo down at the docks. I owe him everything. And you saved him. That puts me in your debt, too.”

With that, he picked up the empty cup from the table and went to refill it.

The moment he stepped out, the door to the room was kicked open.

Seeing me still lying there, Joe’s expression darkened. He strode over and grabbed my clothes, yanking me up.

“Are you deaf? Get up! If Felicity’s treatment gets delayed because of you, I’ll make you pay!”

Even though I already knew there was nothing left between us, hearing those words still sent a sharp ache through my chest.

Right after that came a surge of pure, unrelenting hatred.

“Let go… Cough…”

I was too weak. When I tried to pull away, I choked and started coughing hard.

Joe just stood over me, watching as I almost coughed my lungs out, then let out a cold laugh.

“Felicity said you’re good at faking this stuff. I didn’t believe her at first, but it looks like she was right. You’ve got quite the act, Maegan.”

He ignored the IV taped to the back of my hand and the sickly flush on my face. With one shove, he sent me tumbling off the hospital bed.

Pain shot through my hand as the needle tore loose, blood welling up instantly. My head spun, and I couldn’t even get back on my feet.

Joe didn’t spare me a second glance. He just fixed the sheets I had messed up and focused on getting the bed ready for his dear Felicity.

Then he walked to the door and helped her inside, careful and gentle, like she was something fragile.

Felicity looked a little messy, sure, but the so-called burn was nothing more than a small red patch on her hand.

She glanced at me and suddenly laughed.

“Mae, what happened to you? You look awful. Come on, get up. Stop acting this weak. If someone sees, they might think Joe’s bullying you.”

Joe snorted, his gaze cutting across me like a blade. “Still pretending? You’ve always been tough as hell. Who’s going to believe you’ve got a fever? Now get up!”

As he spoke, he nudged me with his foot, disgusted.

I didn’t even have the strength to react. I just stared at him.

Something in my eyes must’ve unsettled him. For a split second, he hesitated. He lifted his hand, looking as if he was about to help me up.

Felicity caught it immediately and cried out, “Joe, my hand really hurts!”

That was all it took. He snapped right back.

“Hah. Almost fell for it. Felicity matters a lot more than you.”

He didn’t look at me again. He turned to her, all concern and soft words.

Felicity shot me a smug smile.

All it took was a word from her, and Joe would come running.

She thought she would see hurt on my face, but all that remained was a blank, distant calm, as if I no longer cared about Joe at all.

The look on her face shifted, a little disappointed. Then her eyes flicked, and she turned back to me.

“The hospital’s completely full. How did you even get a bed? And using Commander Howell’s name to trick Joe into coming…”

She covered her mouth in mock surprise, as if she could hardly believe what she was suggesting.

“Did you get involved with some big shot as his mistress?”

Joe’s expression changed instantly. “Maegan, did you really do something that shameless?”

Before I could say anything, Felicity cut in. “Joe, I’m just guessing. Don’t misunderstand Mae. Maybe that driver, Ben, was just being nice and helped her put on a little show.”

The moment Ben’s name came up, Joe’s face darkened even more.

He was convinced I had done something unspeakable. His arm came up, and he swung hard, landing a full-force slap across my face.

The slap cracked through the room.

The world spun around me. My head was already burning, and now, it felt like it might split open. A ringing filled my ears.

Then, I coughed up blood.

Joe froze for half a second when he saw it, but the hesitation quickly vanished.

“So this is how you do it? Playing pitiful to hook some old man? Maegan, you’ve disgraced Mom. You have no shame! From now on, you’re no longer a Castro.”

He stared at me as if I had dragged the whole family through the mud, his gaze sharp enough to flay me alive.

Then the door opened.

An older voice, steady and sharp, cut through the room.

“Joe, the ‘old man’ you’re talking about wouldn’t happen to be me, would it?”