CHAPTER 69: UNTIL SHE FELL INTO A COMA

Seeing her frozen in place, Arthur thought he’d finally gotten through to her and sighed in relief.

But Thea’s next words made him freeze instead.

"So what if Thornfield sent him? Never once has he asked me about Montrose Corporation. Never once has he asked about you, or Mother, or Dad, or Julian! Bradley has never once asked me for information about any of it!"

Her usually soft voice rose with each word.

"We met by coincidence! He didn’t approach me, and he most certainly didn’t target me! He’s always been supportive of me, in everything I do! Unlike all of you!"

Her voice cracked, but she kept going.

"You always say you love me, that you care about me, but you always left me alone! Not once have you asked what I want!"

She took a trembling breath, tears glinting in her eyes.

"Ask yourself this, Arthur! Have you ever asked me what I want for my birthday? Even once? You always assumed I’d want accessories, or cute clothes, or— or— or little trinkets! No! I don’t want those!"

"I want you all to listen to me!"

The last words tore out of her throat like a scream.

Arthur staggered backward, stunned. He had never imagined his soft-spoken little sister could explode like this.

"I want you to include me! I don’t want to be left alone in the house while everyone’s busy doing their own things! I don’t have things to do!"

With Thea’s scream, the house vibrated. Arthur, always on alert, noticed that the tremor was too strong, too sharp to be normal. His mind jumped—an earthquake?

He immediately pulled Thea into his arms, trying to drag her out, but she tore free from his hold.

"Don’t touch me!" she screamed.

Everything around her shuddered, as if responding to her frustration.

"Thea—"

Arthur tried to persuade her to move away from the premises, but he was watching the walls, the ceiling, the movement of the room—

not her.

She saw it instantly.

"Why?! Why do you never see me?!"

Her voice cracked, and before Arthur could reach her again, Thea turned and ran.

"Thea!" Arthur ran after her.

Thea ran blindly. She didn’t see where she was going, she just ran, trying to get away from Arthur, from her old world.

"Thea! Stop! It’s dangerous!"

Arthur’s yell finally reached her.

Thea looked around and saw the cliff ahead. If she didn’t stop, she would’ve gone straight over the edge.

She turned, facing Arthur. Tears streamed down her face.

"Stop! Don’t come near me! Just stop!"

Her voice cracked, breaking into uncontrollable sobs.

Arthur felt as though something had wrapped around his heart and squeezed. He was panting, not from chasing her, but because he couldn’t comprehend why she was breaking down so completely.

He stopped a few steps away, both palms raised toward her.

"It’s okay, Thea. It’s okay. I’m sorry I scared you. I’m sorry. It’s not your fault,"

Arthur’s voice was gentle, careful, afraid that anything louder might drive her closer to the edge.

But beneath his calm, panic simmered. He was terrified she’d fall.

He kept soothing Thea, inching forward a little at a time. He prayed she wouldn’t notice — but his prayer went unanswered.

Thea looked at him through tear-blurred eyes and saw that Arthur was only a few steps away from grabbing her.

"No!"

She screamed and took a step back.

"Thea..."

Arthur’s voice cracked. He took a small step backward, trying to show her he meant no harm.

"No," she whispered, then louder, "Get away from me!!"

CRACK!

The ground beneath Thea gave way, crumbling faster than any normal landslide.

Arthur lunged forward, reaching for her hand, but missed by inches.

Thea screamed as she fell.

The last thing Arthur saw were her eyes, wide, glistening, accusing.

He couldn’t even scream her name.

He could only watch as his sister disappeared below.

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THUD!

Theo feels it. He jolts awake, or tries to. His eyes won’t open. They feel heavy, glued shut.

What’s going on?

Noises drift in and out, muffled, distant, like he’s underwater.

Leila’s voice, full of concern:

"She’s having a fever. It’s quite high."

Scrambling footsteps.

"What happened to her? Arthur? Do you know?"

Leila again — sharper this time, panicked.

Theo drifts in and out of consciousness.

Is the fever from the fall? Am I still dreaming? Or is this real?

He doesn’t know. He only knows that something — or someone — is keeping him from waking up.

Thea... is that you? Are you not finished showing me what happened?

Theo lets himself be led by his subconscious, and soon, he drifts back into a deep sleep.

-------------------------

Thea’s ankle throbbed. She stirred awake and immediately felt feverish.

"She’s awake!"

A man’s voice — excited, yet restrained, afraid of startling her.

I’m not dead yet?

She opened her eyes slowly, half-hoping to see Bradley. But when her gaze focused, her faint smile froze.

Disappointment flickered across her face, plain and sharp.

Arthur noticed, and took a small step back, smiling bitterly.

Leila and Maurice both exhaled in relief.

The doctor explained that Thea was lucky; she’d only suffered a mild hairline fracture to her ankle, nothing more serious. If he’d known how high that cliff had been, he wouldn’t have believed it.

Only Arthur knew the truth. He didn’t say a word. He was just grateful his little sister was alive.

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Thea stayed in the hospital for five days, under Arthur’s constant watch. She hadn’t rejected him outright, but she hadn’t accepted him either.

She refused to meet his eyes and always turned away whenever he looked at her.

Julian also stayed by her side. Her attitude toward him was a little different, softer, though distant. She believed Julian had been forced by Arthur to work in the lab. Before that, he’d always played with her.

Although he didn’t show it, Arthur was afraid that things between him and Thea were too broken to mend.

But he refused to give up.

Everything he did, he did for his family, and Thea was family.

He rearranged his schedule so he could have breakfast and dinner at home.

His parents and Julian agreed; they all promised to make time for breakfast together.

------------------------------

When Thea was finally discharged, Leila fussed over her like a mother hen and refused to leave her side.

That day, Thea was in a foul mood.

Bradley still hadn’t contacted her, not even a single text message.

She blamed Arthur, convinced he had blocked Bradley’s number somehow.

That night, after an awkward dinner, Thea pretended to return to her room, only to sneak out toward Julian’s lab.

She wanted to ask him how to unblock a number.

Inside, she saw Julian working with several others, all busy and focused.

A pang of envy struck her.

Julian had something important to do, a purpose.

He was contributing to the family, while she could only make them worry. She was the one who needed to be "babysat."

Suddenly, her tears spilled.

She touched her cheeks, startled to find herself crying.

Frantically, she tried to wipe them away, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

Her chest ached, her breathing hitched. She was losing control.

Then, without warning, the table beside her burst into flames.

Thea froze in horror, then bolted, terrified they would blame her.

The fire alarms shrieked through the building.

Everyone inside the lab panicked, rushing to extinguish the flames, not noticing a white-haired girl slipping out the door.

It wasn’t until later, when Julian and Arthur reviewed the security footage, that they saw Thea standing next to the table the moment it ignited.

Arthur stared at the screen, half refusing to believe it, half unable to ignore what he saw.

"Look," Julian said quietly. "The important thing is to find her first. Then we’ll talk to her. Slowly, Art."

Arthur nodded.

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Thea ran away again.

She left the estate and took a taxi to Bradley’s house, the small wooden home where she’d spent five days of what she thought was bliss.

The lights were on. Her heart leapt, he was home.

Pouting, she was already planning to playfully scold him for not visiting her in the hospital.

But just as she raised her hand to knock, a voice from inside froze her.

"I’m really sorry, sir! But she was here, for five days! If that bastard Arthur hadn’t come and taken his sister, she’d still be here!"

It was Bradley’s voice.

But it was nothing like the voice that had whispered sweetly to her.

This one was desperate, harsh, ugly.

"Give me another chance, sir! Please! She’s already in love with me — I can definitely get her to steal some of Julian’s notes from their latest project!"

"I’ve spent months catering to that spoiled brat’s every need. She’s really into me, sir. Just give me another chance!"

It was as if lightning had struck her.

Thea stumbled backward, vision blurring, ears ringing.

"Hang on, sir. I think someone’s outside."

Bradley moved toward the door.

Terrified he’d see her, Thea ran.

She didn’t know where to go.

Bradley’s betrayal, Arthur’s words, the fire in the lab — every moment replayed in her head, looping endlessly.

She felt completely alone.

Abandoned.

Cast aside.

Used.

A hollow laugh escaped her lips, then another, and another, until it twisted into hysterical laughter.

And then—

Silence.