Chapter 2

At some point, Gianna drifted into unconsciousness. When she was half-awake, she had a dream. She dreamed of middle school, the time when her article was published in a medical journal. Excited, she had brought the magazine home, eager to share it. But no one in her family understood it. They glanced at it briefly before tossing it aside. Only her mother, Naomi Goodwin, had read it carefully. Finally, she stroked Gianna's head with loving eyes and praised her. Curious, Gianna had asked, "Mom, do you understand medical journals?" Noami had shaken her head, yet her voice was as gentle as the first spring water as she said, "I don't understand what you wrote, but I recognize your name at the top." The moment from that afternoon stayed with her for a long, long time. Now, her articles had appeared in major journals over and over again. But the one who used to stroke her head and praise her was gone. "Mom..." When Gianna woke up, traces of dried tears clung to the corners of her eyes. The first thing she saw was a young man with a worried expression. This young man was Adam Holt, a junior of hers who was currently interning at the hospital. "Gianna, don't you think your family members are too cruel? The paramedics told me you were on the brink of death, and they were still having dinner, completely ignoring you." "You've been unconscious for two days, and not a single person came to check on you." Gianna remained expressionless as she listened to his angry accusations. Her complete lack of reaction made Adam's heart ache. No grief was greater than a heart that had turned cold. This must be what that felt like. "Gianna, I bought you some soup. Try to eat a little." Before Gianna could refuse, Adam had already scooped up a spoonful of chicken noodle soup and brought it to her lips. With no choice, she opened her mouth and swallowed. Then, Adam's figure slowly overlapped with someone from her memories. When Naomi had just passed away, Gianna had clung to her portrait like someone possessed. She refused to eat, drink, or go to school. In a fit of rage, Christopher had beaten her mercilessly with a belt, leaving her covered in bruises. Even Gabriel had been so terrified that he crouched in a corner, too afraid to make a sound. It was Ezra who had rushed into the Ramsey residence, shielding her with his small body. He even took her home and fed her with his own hands. Back then, Ezra had been the light in her dark world. She had never imagined that the person who once swore to stay by her side forever would one day fall in love with someone else. "Gianna, who is he?" A cold voice snapped her back to reality. Ezra stood at the hospital room door, his face dark with anger. After falling for Maya, he had already made up his mind to end things with Gianna. Yet now, an inexplicable pain stabbed through his chest when he saw Adam gently feeding her soup. It felt as if something that should have belonged to him had been forcefully taken away. Adam was about to explain, but before he could say a word, Ezra stormed forward and slapped the bowl out of his hands. The porcelain shattered upon impact, sending shards flying. Gianna couldn't dodge in time, and a long, deep cut appeared on her arm. In an instant, blood began pouring down. A sharp wave of pain immediately made her shudder. Even so, Ezra never spared her a single glance. His dark eyes remained locked onto Adam as he coldly commanded, "Get out." His tone was as if Gianna were nothing more than his possession—something no one else was allowed to touch. But just then, his phone rang. His expression changed drastically the moment he answered it. "Maya is blaming herself a lot for what happened to you. Her depression acted up, and she attempted suicide by overdosing on pills. I need to go be with her while they pump her stomach. I'll check on you later, okay?" There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice. It wasn't a question. He was simply notifying her that he was leaving. Gianna clutched her bleeding arm, staring at his indifferent face. Then, she let out a bitter, hollow laugh while saying, "Sure." What was there to be sad about? In just eight days, Ezra didn't have to put on this act anymore.