A cold hand rested on my forehead. I blinked, my vision clearing to reveal Adam hovering over me. Worry was etched into his features—but the moment our eyes met, it vanished. An icy mask slammed down over his face.
I had foolishly thought the accident might have sparked a flicker of guilt. I was wrong.
He straightened, looking down at me with sneering contempt. "You're lucky to be alive. If I hadn't spotted you, you wouldn't have lasted the night." He shook his head, disgust dripping from every word. "I never expected this from you, Layla. Staging a suicide attempt just to play the victim? You'd really go that far to dodge responsibility?"
His gaze darkened. "You gambled with your life just to spite Lola. Now the internet is tearing her apart. Are you satisfied?"
I stared at him in disbelief, my fingernails digging into my palms until the skin broke. The physical agony radiating through my battered body paled against the sting of his words.
"You think I drove off a bridge for sympathy?" I rasped, throat raw. "You think I did this because you cheated?"
"Stop playing the martyr." Adam's temper flared. "The only victim here is Lola." He closed his eyes, inhaling sharply to suppress his rage. "I'm starting a livestream. You're going to apologize to her. Publicly. Now."
The injustice boiled over, eclipsing the pain. I snatched the phone from the bedside table and hurled it with every ounce of strength I had left.
"I will never apologize!"
The device struck his forehead with a sickening thud. Blood trickled down his temple.
Adam cursed, wiping the blood away. "Fine. Have it your way."
He stormed out, slamming the door so hard the room shook.
I curled into a ball, hugging my bruised body as sobs tore through my chest. I cried until my heart felt like it was shredding itself apart.
Before I could even wipe my face, the door burst open again.
Tiffany ran in. My daughter.
But instead of rushing to hug me, she flung the leftover cake she was holding at my face. Cream and crumbs splattered across my cheeks, stinging my eyes.
"You're a bad person! You bullied Aunt Lola!" She screamed, her small face twisted in anger. "I'm never calling you Mom again!"
I looked at her through a blur of tears, heart shattering. "Tiffany..."