Chapter 4

A mocking glint flashed in Gianna's eyes. Her heart was already dead. She had long since stopped expecting anything from Ezra. She merely calmly uttered two words in response. "Got it." Gabriel stared at her in disbelief. "Ezra took such good care of you all those years, and that's all you have to say? Gigi, ever since Mom passed away, you've been acting so strange. "Maya nearly died because of you this time, and you haven't even shown a shred of concern for her. "I get it now. You blame Maya for stealing the family's attention from you. Deep down, you probably wish she were dead, don't you? "She's already suffered so much, and yet you're still jealous of her. When did you become so vicious?" Hearing this, Gianna suddenly felt like laughing. If Maya had really wanted to die, then how did she manage to control the dosage so precisely—just enough for the Ramsey family to find her in time? Maya had been using these underhanded tricks for years, slowly but surely stealing all of their love away from her. She was used to it by now. Besides, even if she explained, it would change nothing. Just like what was happening right now. She hadn't even said a word, yet accusations were already being thrown at her, one after another. Even silence was a crime. Just as she was about to step out, Gabriel's voice, which was cold as ice, stopped her in her tracks. "Do you wanna know something? I wish it had been you who donated blood to me that day, not Maya." "You're my real sister, but you hid away like a coward when I was in life-threatening danger. I hate you." With a loud slam of the door, Gabriel walked out without looking back. Half a year ago, Gabriel had been hit by a car driven by a drunk driver. He suffered massive blood loss and was in critical condition. The hospital's blood supply was running low, and there was still a shortage of nearly 50 ounces. Christopher and Gianna had both stepped up to donate. But Christopher barely managed 10 ounces before he started shouting that he couldn't take it and demanded the doctor remove the needle. Gianna, on the other hand, had already lost consciousness by the time they drew 30 ounces. Thinking of her brother lying in that hospital bed, Gianna gritted her teeth and forced herself to endure. She let the doctors draw the full 40 ounces of blood needed from her body. When she woke up, she found herself in an unfamiliar, worn-out hospital room. There was no one by her side. She later learned that Christopher, in an effort to strengthen the bond between his son and the newly adopted scholarship student, had told everyone that it was Maya who had donated blood to save Gabriel. After being discharged, Gianna dragged herself to find Gabriel and explain the truth. But all she got in return was a slap across the face. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he shouted at her, demanding to know why she had been nowhere to be found in his most desperate moment. Why had Maya been the one to donate so much blood for him, nearly losing her life in the process? Swallowing her pain, Gianna told him to check the hospital's transfusion records. That was all it would take to see the truth, but he never checked. To this day, he still refused to. Instead, he blindly believed that 20% of the blood in his veins belonged to Maya. In his mind, his real sister was nothing but a heartless monster who had stood by and done nothing. No matter what she did, and no matter what she said, he would always see her as cruel and selfish. Well, it didn't matter anymore. She was done explaining. She was done with all of it. Gianna sat on the couch in the empty house, staring into the void. There was no warmth here, and there was certainly no trace of home. Outside the window, the wind howled like a ghost's wail. She closed her eyes and pressed her hands over her ears. However, she couldn't escape it. The crushing weight of the suffocating air pressed down on her, threatening to break her completely. No one in this house cared about her and needed her. So, she might as well disappear forever.