Chapter 16

I fought the urge to lash out. "I'm not at fault. I won't pay a single penny." Sharon sneered. "If you hurt someone, you must bear the consequences. Your lack of responsibility disgusts me." "And what about Javin? Didn't he hit me back?" I asked. Faced with my question, Sharon merely glanced at me dismissively. "Javin is different from you. How can you compare yourself to him? He was acting in self-defense!" It felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over me, leaving me frozen in place. All around, people were watching like this was entertaining. No one cared about the truth. They only cared if they could humiliate me. "Kaelan, if you cover the medical expenses, I won't make a big deal out of this," Javin chimed in, pretending to be understanding. "It's not happening." If I paid the medical bills, I would be admitting to a crime I didn't commit. "Javin is already giving you a way out. You should know what's best for you." She glared at me angrily. "You'd better pay up if you don't want your mother to be kicked out of the hospital." My throat tightened at the thought of Mom. I wanted to give in, but it felt so unjust. "If you want me to pay, we need to get a medical examination. If Javin's injuries are lighter than mine, I want his apology. I don't want the money." Sharon's eyes were full of mockery, as if laughing at my audacity. "Fine, but your injuries are nowhere near even a tenth of Javin's." As we returned to the hospital together, we conveniently passed by the surveillance room. Seeing this, I stopped in my tracks. "Since we're here, why don't we check who threw the first punch?" Sharon hesitated, but Javin quickly shut it down, a trace of panic in his voice. "We're here for the medical exam. Don't even try to distract us with something else." Sharon suddenly snapped back to reality. "Don't think you can stall for time!" I didn't respond. After all, everything I said was wrong to them. Sharon had clearly lost her sense of reason. Even if she saw the surveillance footage, she wouldn't say anything. Instead, she'd likely find more reasons to throw dirt on me. I would only end up humiliating myself. When the results of the medical exam came out, Sharon frowned at the report in her hand. The outcome was as I expected: my injuries were worse. I coldly asked, "How about an apology now?" The proof was right there in black and white. No matter how much Javin tried to argue, it would be futile. Javin's face turned pale as he looked to Sharon for help. "Sharon, I might have been too rough while defending myself, but I'm not apologizing to a murderer." For a moment, a distant look flashed through Sharon's eyes, as though she was seeing someone else through Javin. She snapped out of it and pulled a wad of cash from her bag before throwing it at my feet. "Javin might have gone a bit too far defending himself, but even if your injuries are worse, you brought it on yourself. This amount is more than enough for your medical bills." With that, Sharon led him away without a second thought, ignoring her earlier promise. Her every word and action were to defend Javin. Javin shot me a smug glance, silently mouthing, "Loser, you'll never surpass me." I stood there numbly, staring at the money on the ground. It stung my eyes. I was reminded of my inferior status in this relationship. My ten years of love had amounted to nothing. In silence, I returned to my mother's hospital room. After helping her settle down to sleep, I sat by her side and began writing code. All the humiliation I was facing stemmed from my weakness. I had to make money as soon as possible. I wanted to grow stronger and ensure that I would no longer be at the mercy of others!