Chapter 28 Refuse to Rescue
Genesis's POV
"No!"
I screamed in anguish in my dream and suddenly opened my eyes.
I gasped for breath, sitting powerlessly on the bed. My back was soaked with cold sweat.
That terror of being discovered left me unable to recover for a long time.
Susan walked into the room then. Seeing me drenched in sweat, she sighed and reached to touch my forehead. "Thank God, you're finally awake! You've been burning with fever for a whole day and night. No matter how we called, you wouldn't wake up. You kept crying!"
She carefully wiped away my sweat, frowning. "Genesis? Are you okay? Do you need me to get the doctor to check on you again?"
Only then did I snap out of that panicked emotion. I shook my head to show I was fine.
Everything in the dream felt too real. I even thought for a moment that I hadn't grown up yet. That I'd become that helpless little girl again with nowhere to run.
Susan breathed a sigh of relief and continued changing the dressing on my wounds.
I stared at her hands for a while, then suddenly gestured: \[Did anyone come to see me?\]
"No." Susan sighed. "Why are the Martinez family members so cold-blooded? They've gained so many benefits because of you, yet they won't even come see you once! You're part of this family too!"
I lowered my eyes, not really listening to her complaints.
I clearly remembered that during my unconscious state last night, someone had wiped away my tears and asked why I was crying.
That voice was very gentle. In my most fearful moment, those large hands and that voice called me back from terror.
Comparing Susan's hands, they weren't the same.
I'd thought someone had come to visit me, but Susan said no one had...
I recalled the voice I'd heard in my haze. It sounded very much like Eli's voice.
But how was that possible?
If Eli had really entered my room, he wouldn't care whether I cried or not. He'd only bully me! He might even deliberately make me cry just to hear what sounds this little mute would make, just like at the factory.
It definitely wasn't him!
I touched my forehead and finally attributed this to being too deep in my dream. I'd mistaken my father's comforting touch for reality.
Thinking of my parents in the dream, my mood dropped again.
If I hadn't been scared awake, maybe I really could have seen the face of the leader in my dream clearly! That way, I'd have new clues!
But no matter how hard I tried afterward, I couldn't dream the same dream again. I didn't see Eli either.
This made me more certain that the person that night definitely wasn't Eli.
A week later, my body finally recovered enough for me to return to school.
Without Sofia, everyone's life seemed unchanged. The only difference was that people treated me with more courtesy. No one was foolish enough to bother me anymore.
Maria even pretended not to know me, keeping her distance.
I was used to this isolation. I found a seat and sat down without caring.
The first class was world history. When Forth saw me enter, his expression immediately changed. He walked to my side. "Come out with me for a moment."
I hesitated for an instant. Thinking of his previous help, I still followed him out.
Forth's POV:
I pulled Genesis to the storage room. Looking at the quiet girl before me, just like before, I no longer dared treat her as that fragile, pitiful girl.
"You decided to use me from the day you agreed to help me with tutoring?" I stared into Genesis's eyes and asked.
I'd genuinely considered her a friend and genuinely wanted to help her.
But when I saw the severely injured Genesis in the volleyball gym that day, I sensed something was wrong.
The school board's inspection time had been set long ago. My role as student representative for the campus tour guide had also been decided early. During that period, Genesis would always casually ask me about the route and timing of this inspection.
At first I thought she was just curious. Until I saw her that day, I realized everything had been calculated by her from the start.
She'd planned all along to let the school board see Sofia's true nature. Only this way could she really make things blow up.
Genesis nodded and took out her phone to type.
I'd expected her to apologize to me. But what I didn't expect was that she simply admitted to it frankly.
\[I did all this to protect myself. Though I used you, I don't regret it.\]
I saw her dark brown eyes filled with determination and couldn't help being curious. "Aren't you afraid I'll tell the principal? If he knew all this was designed by you, he might change his decision."
I wanted to see panic in Genesis's eyes, but she remained calm: \[You won't. If I didn't stop Sofia, maybe someday she would have killed me. I had to do this.\]
Seeing her serious, confident expression, I smiled helplessly. "Actually, even if you'd told me the truth from the start, I would have helped you."
Genesis pressed her lips together, clearly not believing me.
I had to explain: "Maybe you don't know, but bullying within the football team is even worse than in school. When I first entered school and was recruited to the team as quarterback, many people targeted me."
Genesis was obviously surprised: \[I never saw you being bullied.\]
I smiled. "They deliberately isolated me then, put nails in my cleats. Their methods were countless. What I did was put all the nails they placed right back, letting each of them taste the pain of having their feet pierced by nails."
I reached out to ruffle Genesis's hair, saying gently, "I'm not the Virgin Mary. I won't equally forgive everyone. In fact, I'd rather they all taste equal pain."
Genesis smiled.
Her smile was especially brilliant in the sunlight, making my tense mood relax considerably.
She took out her phone to thank me: \[Thank you for not telling the teachers about my plan.\]
I used the sign language I'd learned these past two days to gesture: \[You're welcome.\]
Seeing her wide eyes, I laughed out loud. "Actually, getting rid of Sofia was good for me too. She harassed me plenty before, and once she even..."
Realizing something was wrong, I quickly stopped talking.
\[What?\] Genesis asked curiously, her dark brown eyes full of amusement.
Rarely seeing her so relaxed, I couldn't bear to spoil her mood. I said helplessly, "She once rushed into the locker room to strip my clothes off. Luckily my teammates discovered and saved me."
Genesis laughed silently. My heart stirred as I extended a hand toward her. "Since we have a shared secret now, we're good friends from now on, right?"
Genesis reached out her hand and gripped mine tightly.