Chapter 3

Hazel was caught off guard. She hadn't even touched the steering wheel. How could this have happened? Instinctively, she wanted to explain. "I didn't…" But before she could finish, Freddy struck her hard across the face. Blood filled her mouth. Her head rang with pain. The rosary beads in Freddy's hand had scratched a bloody line across her neck. She had never seen him raise a hand to anyone before. This was the first time. For a second, Freddy seemed stunned, too. There was even a flicker of guilt in his eyes. But the next moment, Macy tugged at his sleeve. That trace of remorse vanished completely. He pulled Macy tightly into his arms before he roughly yanked the rosary beads off Hazel's wrist. His expression was as cold as ice. "You don't deserve to wear this. If anything happens to Macy, I won't let you off!" The words stabbed Hazel's heart like a knife. Her face went pale. She tried to explain herself again, but Freddy was already walking away with Macy in his arms. He didn't even spare her a glance. All he left her was a heartless silhouette disappearing into the distance. Behind his shoulder, Macy, who'd just been lying weak in his arms, held up the rosary beads he'd handed her. Hidden from view, she flashed a smug smile and mouthed the words, "If you're going to let go, then do it properly." It had all been a setup. The blood at Macy's mouth wasn't blood at all. It was just ketchup she'd prepared in advance. It was such a clumsy trick. Freddy was usually so sharp. Yet he didn't see it through because he cared too much. Did he love Macy so much that he wouldn't even hear Hazel out? Hazel felt a wave of anguish rise in her chest. Her nose stung. A second later, she collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness. … When she regained consciousness, the first thing she saw was the cold ceiling of the hospital. "You've got multiple injuries all over, a fractured left leg, and severe damage to your right ear. But this kind of ear trauma doesn't look like it came from a car crash." The doctor stood on her right side. Although Hazel was trying her best to listen, she could only catch the gist of what he was saying. She glanced down at her wrist. The rosary beads were gone, leaving only a red mark behind. She blinked in a daze. Was she really hurt that badly? No wonder it had hurt so much getting out of the car. "Will my leg fully recover? Will I still be able to dance?" In her past life, she had been the lead dancer. But after Freddy imprisoned her and broke her legs, her career was destroyed. In this lifetime, she still wanted to stand and dance. Thankfully, the doctor glanced at her and spoke up. "As long as you recover properly, there shouldn't be any lasting issues." Hazel finally let out a breath of relief. The soundproofing in the ward wasn't great. Even through the wall to her left, she could clearly hear Macy's sweet voice in the next ward. "Fred, don't be mad, okay? I'm fine now. I'm sure Hazel didn't mean to…" And almost instantly, Freddy's cold voice cut through the air. "Whether she meant to or not, she dared to hit you. I'll make sure she pays for it." His voice soon softened again. "Macy, you're just too kind. Let me handle this. You just focus on recovering. The doctor said you're extremely anemic, and your blood type is rare. I've already sent someone to the blood bank to find a match." Hazel clutched her chest and struggled to breathe. Her smile was bitter. So whenever Macy was in the picture, Freddy could be this cruel to her. Then Macy spoke again. Her voice was light and seemingly innocent. "I think Hazel has the same blood type as mine…" It was just a passing comment. However, Hazel's phone started buzzing three seconds later. She froze. A few seconds passed before she picked it up and held it to her left ear. The voice on the phone matched the one coming through the wall. Freddy's tone was curt. "Come to the hospital now. Macy needs a transfusion. You owe her this." She had already braced herself for this, but hearing it with her own ears still hurt immensely. Before she could even respond, the doctor beside her was unable to hold back anymore. He snapped, "What's wrong with you? She is already badly injured. Do you have any idea how close she was to dying? And now you want her to donate blood? Are you insane?"