A laugh escaped me—dry, bitter, almost painful. “Indulging me?” I shot back. “Thorne, did you even bother to find out what actually happened?”
He clearly hadn’t expected resistance. His expression darkened at once. “You know exactly what you did,” he said coldly. “I’m not here to argue. I’m here to tell you how this will be handled. Because of your outburst, Lilith’s reputation has been destroyed. When you’re discharged, you’ll host a formal banquet and publicly apologize to her. You’ll admit that the rumors were caused by your misunderstanding and clear her name. As for your father—his condition will be explained as a standard surgical risk associated with brain aneurysms.”
For a second, I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. Then I saw his face. He was serious.
“Have you lost your mind?” My voice trembled. “My father is lying like that because of her mistake, and you want me to protect her reputation?”
His gaze turned steely. “Enough. This isn’t a discussion. This is what will happen. And don’t forget—your father is still barely holding on, and your brother is wasting away in prison.”
My blood ran cold. It was always the same. Whenever I tried to resist, he tightened the chains around my neck. My father. My brother. I had nowhere to run. I swallowed the anger burning my throat and closed my eyes.
“Fine,” I said quietly. “I’ll do it. But you release my brother first.”
He paused, only briefly, then nodded. “One month,” he said. “That’s all the time you have.”
I agreed.
---
When the day arrived, his driver came for me. At the venue, Thorne entered with Lilith hooked on his arm, his hand never leaving hers. He didn’t need to say a word—one look from his eyes was enough to remind me of my place.
I curled my fingers into fists and stepped onto the stage, forcing my expression into something calm.
“I’m here today to apologize to Dr. Lilith Lockhart,” I said steadily. “The statements I previously made online were based on a misunderstanding. I regret the harm they caused.”
The hall erupted instantly.
“How shameless—smearing a doctor like that.”
“So it was all fake? I knew she was just seeking attention.”
“Poor Dr. Lockhart, enduring such malicious rumors.”
“Imagine humiliating yourself like this just to beg forgiveness.”
“No wonder Thorne replaced her.”