I hadn’t slept in over 24 hours. Add that slap to the mix and my head was swimming. Her words barely registered. My heart, long dead, just felt… numb.
“I even saw him kiss Professor Crawford,” Seth added casually, like he was commenting on the weather—but every word hit like a dagger.
I clenched my teeth, holding myself back. I truly tried to stay grounded, but something finally snapped. Without thinking, I grabbed the nearest chair and slammed it crashing down toward Seth’s head.
Everything went still.
“Professor Luna... Help me…”
Blood rushed to my eyes as I stared at Luna, her arms wrapped protectively around Seth, glaring at me like I was a monster.
Everyone else in the room huddled together, eyes wide with horror. They looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
“Cyrus, you’ve completely lost it!”
I sat motionless in the living room, numb and hollow, until Luna came back and stood over me.
“You think you can just sit at home after attacking someone? Seth says either you serve him while he recovers—or he presses charges.”
I stared at the blood still drying on the floor. My throat tightened.
“Let him,” I said flatly. “I don’t care if they sentence me to death.”
That pushed Luna over the edge. She dragged me out of the house and shoved me into the car, taking me straight to Seth’s hospital room.
And so began the next few days—me, playing caretaker to the man I hated most.
“This apple tastes like crap. Go buy new ones.”
“I want lotus cream broth—only from Maison Verdant and it better be slow-cooked for two hours.”
“What’s wrong with you? Can’t even slice a damn pear properly?”
I lost count on the slaps landing on my cheeks. I didn’t flinch every time. I didn’t fight back.
I had no idea when days like this would finally end.
After stepping out to get some water that night, I returned to my brother’s hospital room. I was surprised, knowing Seth was standing inside.
It was the only place I had left for a bit of peace.
“So this is where you disappear to at night?” Seth sneered. “Didn’t realize you had a helpless wreck waiting for you here.” He scrunched his face in disgust, pointing at the bed. “Ugh, gross. He pissed himself.”
“If I were him, I’d rather be dead.”
My brother’s eyes were wide open, face flushed red with shame as he let out muffled, broken sobs.