My Pain Came Back Once They Betrayed Me Chapter 03

My Pain Came Back Once They Betrayed Me Chapter 03

I lifted my head out of the slick, oily mess, my entire body shattered by humiliation. The four of them stood over me, and Zora peeked out from Mom’s arms to shoot me a taunting, triumphant smile.

A hollow, bitter laugh bubbled out of me. I bent forward, snatched a stray chunk of chicken sitting beside my foot, and took a bite.

Logan clenched his fists so tight his knuckles whitened, kicking the empty lunch box hard across the floor. “Stubborn to the very end!”

Mom’s hands shook with rage. “You’d rather eat garbage off the floor than apologize to your sister?”

“Mom, it’s fine,” Zora shook her head and burst into loud sobs in her mother’s arms.

I stayed hunched on the floor for what felt like an eternity, my head hanging heavy. Eventually, Dad tossed out one final cold remark before they all left. “We coddled you far too much.”

They filed out together, leaving me alone—wounded, covered in soup and grease, my stitches split open and bleeding.

I lost track of how long I lay there crumpled on the floor. A nurse doing rounds finally found me, helped me stand, and called a surgeon to restitch my torn injury.

Once the room was cleaned up and my wound redressed, I pulled out my phone and dialed a number overseas.

“Dr. Quinn, my rare disorder’s gone. I don’t know what triggered it, but I can feel pain just like everyone else now.”

“You mentioned wanting me to participate in your rare disease research trials before. I’m in.

I can fly out to meet you in three days.”

I hung up and sank back onto the hospital mattress. The wound throbbed relentlessly, and the nurse, noticing my sweat-soaked forehead and twisted expression, kindly brought me a glass of water and painkillers.

My eyes stung with fresh tears. I’d told them over and over I could feel pain again, yet the only person who’d bothered to care was a stranger in scrubs.

I spent three full days in that hospital. Not once did Logan, Mom, or Dad stop by to check on me.

I quietly packed all my luggage, ready to board a flight that night. Then I scrolled through social media and saw a new Instagram post from Mom.

It was a group photo: Mom, Dad, Logan, and Zora, all smiling side by side.

Her caption read: Our complete family.

Even after resolving to leave for good, those two words pierced my heart like a thousand needles.

Logan and I had been engaged six years prior.

Every year since then, the two of us had taken annual family portraits with my parents—and I’d always stood front and center in every single photo.

Now the yearly family shot didn’t have a single spot left for me.

I stared at my packed suitcase, tapped the like button on her post, and set my phone down.

Seconds later, Mom’s incoming call lit up my screen.

I answered, and her voice was softer than I’d heard it in months.

“Bella, don’t take that photo to heart. Once you’re discharged from the hospital in a few days, we’ll take a brand-new family portrait, okay?”

My fingers tightened around my phone. Ever since Zora came home, Mom hadn’t spoken to me with this much warmth.

A tiny flicker of hope stirred in my chest, but before I could reply, she kept talking.

“Bella, the research for Zora’s disorder hit a breakthrough. Could you do us a favor and let them draw some more of your blood? They only took one vial before, but this time they’ll need six hundred milliliters.”

The words died on my tongue. I knew exactly why she’d suddenly turned gentle—she needed something from me.

All softness vanished from my chest, and I trembled violently from rage.

“Why can’t they take blood from her instead? I nearly died from blood loss just days ago. Drawing six hundred more milliliters would kill me!”

“It’s just a little blood, not a death sentence.”

The hospital room door slammed open behind me.

I twisted around to see Logan standing there, two lab-coated doctors trailing in his wake.

His gaze locked onto my packed luggage, and he snatched my wrist in a bruising grip.

“Where are you going? Did you find out about Zora’s research breakthrough early and plan to run away? How selfish can you be? Zora can’t stand blood draws—every needle is agony for her. Can’t you spare a little kindness for once?”

I tried yanking my arm free, but Logan raised his hand and struck my face twice in quick succession.

Stunned into silence, he cupped my jaw, his tone sickly sweet and coaxing.

“Bella, this will likely be the last time. This blood sample will cure Zora’s illness for good. Don’t fight it—you can’t feel pain anyway, and we don’t want to hurt you worse.”

I glanced at the burly bodyguards posted in the doorway, let out a hollow laugh, and stopped resisting entirely.

Vitality drained from my body as bright red blood filled the collection bags, and I squeezed my eyes shut.