“You’re really gonna yell at me first? Anika, you should be on your knees thanking me that Nivianne is fine. If something happened to her, do you even realize how serious that would be? You almost killed someone! You think you’re the victim here? Reflect on yourself! I’m not coming back again.”
He slammed the door so hard the walls shook. I let out a bitter laugh and closed my eyes. I was too tired to waste more breath on him.
.....
The day I got discharged, I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want him to know where I went. Instead of heading home, I walked down the quiet corridor to check on my brother and my father. My brother’s bones were shattered, and my father hadn’t opened his eyes in months. The brain aneurysm had left him trapped in silence, barely clinging to life. They shared a small ward, and every time I pushed that door open, I prayed for a miracle.
But this time something felt wrong. I froze at the doorway. A figure was standing at the bed, back to me, shoulders stiff. The more I stared, the more my stomach sank. I knew that body.
“Nivianne! What the hell are you doing!”