Chapter 4

Annie's POV

When I woke up, I was in the hospital.

A sharp pain shot through my palm. Looking down, I saw my entire hand wrapped in bandages.

My throat felt like it had been scorched by fire—every breath hurt.

Before I could process what was happening, the door burst open.

Mom and Bruce rushed in.

"Are you insane?! You tried to burn Anna alive?!"

Bruce slapped me hard across the face.

The force knocked me against the headboard, my ears ringing.

"I didn't—"

"Shut up!" Bruce raised his hand again, but Frank stopped him.

"Annie." His voice was ice-cold. "Anna said you were jealous of her living at home and tried to burn her to death. Is that true?"

"No..." I struggled to sit up straight. "She tried to kill me. She drugged my drink and set the fire to kill me—"

"You're still lying!" Bruce exploded with rage, pointing at my bandaged hand. "Then what about Anna's hand?! You nailed her hand to the table with a knife! She almost died in that fire!"

"Because she was trying to kill me!" I shook my head frantically. "I was just trying to escape—"

"Enough!" Frank cut me off. "You're still trying to frame Anna? After what you did to her, the doctor said she might lose the use of that hand!"

My whole body trembled as tears streamed down my face.

"You don't believe me... You never believe me..."

"Why should we believe you?" Bruce sneered. "You killed Dad, and now you tried to kill Anna—Annie, what's wrong with you?"

"It wasn't me!" I screamed. "Dad's death wasn't my fault! It was Anna—"

Another slap, harder than the last.

My head hit the nightstand, my ears roaring.

"You dare blame Anna?!" Bruce raised his hand again.

"Stop it!"

Frank rushed in and grabbed Bruce's arm.

"She just escaped from a fire! Are you trying to kill her?!"

Bruce angrily shook off his hand. "Frank, wake up! She tried to kill Anna! And you're still protecting her?!"

"I said, get out!" Frank's tone was icy.

Bruce wanted to say more but was pulled toward the door.

"Let's go." Bruce shot me one last vicious look. "Frank, think about whether she's worth it."

The room emptied, leaving just me and Frank.

I leaned back against the pillow, my heart completely hollow.

Frank approached, reaching for my hand, but I pulled away.

"Annie..." He sighed. "I know things have been hard for you lately, but Anna's in bad shape. Her hand is seriously injured, the doctor said—"

"So what?" I interrupted him, my voice hoarse and broken. "So I should have burned to death in there?"

"That's not what I meant." Frank frowned.

"But why did you do that to her hand? Do you know how dangerous—"

"She drugged my drink." I stared at the ceiling.

"She set the fire to burn me alive. I stabbed her hand just to escape."

"Annie, I know you two have issues, but—"

"You don't know anything." I turned to look at him, my eyes empty. "You don't know anything at all."

Frank was silent for a few seconds. "Annie—"

"Enough." I cut him off. "I'm tired. Please leave."

Frank stood by the bed, watching me for a long time.

I never looked at him again, just stared at the ceiling, dead and hollow.

Frank had never seen me so cold, so distant.

Unease crept over him, but eventually he turned and left.

That afternoon, without telling anyone, I checked myself out of the hospital and headed straight to the airport.

In the taxi, I leaned back in my seat and pulled out my phone.

The screen showed dozens of missed calls and messages, all from Frank:

[Annie, are you awake?]

[I'm bringing you soup, be there soon.]

I looked at the messages but didn't reply.

Then I opened the audio file.

Last night at dinner, when Anna sent Frank to the hospital to pick up medication, I had pressed record on my phone.

Every word was clearly recorded—Anna admitting to killing Dad, framing me, drugging me, setting the fire, and the truth about her impersonating Frank's childhood savior.

I sent the recording to them.

Message sent.

After that, I turned off my phone, snapped the SIM card in half, and tossed it in the trash.

From this moment on, Annie of the Harrison family was dead.

The airport announcement called for boarding.

I stood up, pulled my suitcase, and walked toward the gate without looking back.