bChapter /bb237 /b

    Maxine kept her eyes down as she quietly sipped her oatmeal. Sebastian couldn’t tell what she was thinkingb, /bbut he bcouldn’t /bshake the feeling bthat /bbthe /batmosphere had suddenly grown tense.

    After a long silence, Maxine finally spoke up, “Thank you for your help these days. I’ll contact Cleo tomorrow to take care of me.”

    Sebastian’s hand froze mid–motion, an inexplicable pang of guilt suddenly washing over him.

    During Maxine’s hospitalization, Cleo dide to visit several times, but her visits were always brief. Each time, Sebastian iwould /ifind some bexcuse /bbto /busher her out, iming it was time for Maxine’s medical examination.

    He had been toofortable these past few days that he almost forgot Maxine’s awake now. If Cleo came to visit, she might tell her everything.

    Lost in thought, hepletely forgot to respond to Maxine.

    “Sebastian, what’s on your mind?” Maxine looked at him.

    Sebastian suddenly snapped back to reality, looking at her with a conflicted expression. “Can’t you juste home, Maxine?”

    Maxine’s expression remained unchanged as she lowered her head to sip some oatmeal. “Which home? The home I had is gone.”

    Sebastian’s heart ached as he saw her calm, almost indifferent expression. He sat by her bedside, looking at her with utter seriousnessb. /bb“/bbI /bknow bI /bwas wrong before,” Sebastian said, “I shouldn’t have trusted Kathleen so easily. I swear, I never had any feelings for her, none at ball/b.”

    He spoke earnestly, but Maxine’s face remained impassive. “I know. You exined this to me ages ago.”

    Her tone was t, as if she were discussing the most mundane thing, yet an inexplicable unease surged within Sebastian.

    Sebastian couldn’t help but reach out and grasp Maxine’s shoulder. She froze mid–sip, her spoon poised at her lips. “What’s wrongb?/bb” /bshe asked.

    Sebastian pressed his lips together, hesitating for a moment before speaking softly, “Maxine, do you still remember how you risked your life to pull me out of that wrecked car?”

    “What’s wrong?” Maxine looked at him.

    He said, “Maxine, I… when I came to after the crash, Kathleen was right there with me. And… and she told me she was the one who pulled me out of the

    wreckage.”

    Maxine never imagined that being sidelined all these years stemmed from that ident, how she’d risked her life to save Sebastian, only to have someone else inexplicably take credit for it.

    She lowered her gaze, then couldn’t help but let out a bitterugh.

    Sebastian anxiously gripped her hand. “Maxine…”

    Maxine was too exhausted to dwell on this any longer. Even if she’d told Sebastian back then that she was the one who saved himb, /bhe never would’ve believed her anyway.

    “Just go,” Maxine said tly.

    “Maxine…” Sebastian said anxiously, his voice tight with worry.

    Maxine cut him off, her tone turning sharp. “Just leave me alone. I need to cool offb.” /b

    The hospital room fell silent once more. Maxine raised her hand, gazing bat /bthe exposed scarb, /bbthe /bbandage that bhad /bonce bcovered /bbit /bbhad /bbe /bloose bduring /bher desperate escape in the mountainsb, /band she hadn’t had ba /bchance to rece it yet.

    b08:55 /bbSat/bb, /bb28 /bbJun /bW

    bIt /bbwas /bba /bbscar /bbthat /bstretched across her palm, a constant reminder of what had happened ball /bthose years bago/b.

    b‘/bbSo /bthis is where bit /ball beganb, /bthat damned car ident,‘ Maxine thought bitterly.

    bSuddenly/bb, /bsheughed, a hollow, bitterugh that sent waves of pain through her woundsb, /bcutting through even the numbing effects of banesthesia/b.

    After a long moment, she covered her face with her hands, and soft sobs filled the room.

    Sebastian remained outside the hospital room for two full hours. It wasn’t until the nurse came for rounds that he finally followed her in. bBy /bthenb, /bbMaxine /bhád regained herposure.

    He watched as Maxine asked the nurse to redress the wound on her hand, his breath catching at the sight of that gruesome injury.

    He knew he no longer had any right to beg Maxine for forgiveness.

    bAD /b