Chapter 158 Chapter 158

Chapter 158 Chapter 158

Amelia’s POV

Santa Maria Hospital.
This was where we were now.

Ryan and I hurriedly ran through the hospital corridor toward the ICU where Father was being treated. The sharp scent of medicine stung my senses, while the sound of rolling hospital beds mixed with hurried footsteps and paramedics rushing back and forth made my chest feel even tighter.

Dark thoughts slowly crept into my mind, bringing a fear I could no longer hide.

The moment we arrived in front of the ICU, Felix, who had been waiting there all this time—immediately stood up and approached us.
“Amelia,” he called softly.

I looked at his exhausted face filled with worry.
“How is Father?” I asked, still breathing heavily.

“He’s still in the ICU,” Felix replied quietly. “The doctor said we have to wait a few more hours to make sure his condition is truly stable. He improved yesterday, but this morning his condition suddenly dropped again.”

My chest felt heavier hearing Felix’s explanation.

“Let go of me!”
A loud voice from behind Felix made me turn around.

“Let me go! I want to talk to her!”
My older sister, Kiara, struggled to free herself from her husband Kevin’s grip.

The moment she broke free, Kiara stormed toward me with eyes full of hatred.
“Father is in critical condition,” she snapped sharply. “And it’s all because of you!”
Her finger pointed straight at my face.

“Because of you, Father’s company is on the verge of bankruptcy! You caused the problem, but we’re the ones who have to suffer for it!”

I stared at her flatly, even though anger was already boiling inside my chest.
What did she just say? I’m the one who caused this? Doesn’t she own a mirror?

How could she shamelessly accuse me as if she herself had never done anything wrong?

“Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?” I replied calmly, though my tone sounded sharp.

Very different from the old Amelia.
Back then, to avoid conflict, I would always choose silence. Swallowing every unfair treatment they gave me.

But not anymore.
This time and from now on, I would never keep giving in.

“What do you mean by that?” Kiara shot back, lifting her chin arrogantly.

“If you hadn’t gotten pregnant out of wedlock, none of this would’ve happened either,” I said calmly without the slightest hesitation.

Kiara’s face instantly flushed red.

“You cursed child!”

She shouted while clenching her fists tightly.

I let out a cynical chuckle.
That sentence again. The same insult she had used to hurt me since childhood.

“But at least I’m not the daughter who humiliated her father by getting pregnant before marriage and forcing her younger sister to marry her own fiancé instead,” I fired back mercilessly.

Four years ago, Kiara was the one who was supposed to marry Kai.
But a month before the wedding, she was caught pregnant with her ex-boyfriend’s child.

And me...
I was forced to take her place.

“How dare you!”

Kiara raised her hand, about to slap me.
But before her palm could reach my face, Ryan quickly grabbed her wrist.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” Ryan said coldly while roughly pushing her hand away.

“This has nothing to do with you!” She snapped at Ryan.

Kiara’s glare turned even sharper.

“You murderer’s son! You two really are perfect for each other! A cursed child and the son of a murderer!”

My fists immediately clenched hearing her insult.

I hated it the most when she started dragging other people into our arguments.

“Can’t you act like an adult?” I sneered irritably. “You sound like an elementary school kid losing an argument. The moment you can’t win, you start insulting people’s parents.”

“Kiara, enough! Calm down, this is a hospital!” Kevin quickly pulled his wife back toward her seat.

“She started it first!” Kiara protested while pointing at me.

“Even an idiot can tell who started it first,” I shot back without backing down.

“Amelia, enough,” Felix warned firmly. “This is not the time to fight.”

I let out a long breath.

“Fine,” I answered in the end.

From the past until now, I had never been able to disobey Felix.

“Keysa Amelia.”
A familiar voice made me turn around.
A man stood a few steps away from us, smiling widely while giving me two thumbs up.

“You were amazing.”
I narrowed my eyes for a few seconds before finally recognizing him.

“Rendra?” I asked to make sure.

“Oh my God, thank goodness you still remember me, Key,” he replied dramatically before immediately hugging me.

I laughed softly while patting his back.
“Of course I do.”

“I miss you,” he whispered, making me chuckle.
But my laughter slowly faded when my eyes accidentally met a pair of dark eyes belonging to Kai.

He stood not far from us.
His gaze was fixed directly on Rendra, who was still hugging me.

For some reason, that look made my chest tighten painfully.

I quickly pulled away from Rendra’s embrace and looked elsewhere.

“Ryan, sit here,” I called quickly.
Ryan immediately sat beside me without saying much, while Rendra looked at me in confusion.

“Who’s he?” Rendra asked while glancing at Ryan.

“My friend,” I answered shortly.

“Oh,” he replied quietly.
Rendra eventually sat beside Felix, while Kai chose to sit in a different row of chairs.
But I could still feel his gaze fixed on me the entire time.

•••

An hour ago, the doctor said Father had passed the critical stage.

Now all we had to do was wait for his condition to stabilize completely so he could be moved to a regular room.

We had been waiting for almost two hours since I arrived at the hospital.

Kyara went home earlier after hearing that Father’s condition had improved. Her daughter, Dara, kept crying for her at home until the babysitter called several times.

As for me...

Honestly, I wanted to leave this place immediately.

I felt like my presence would only worsen Father’s condition.

“Mr. Harry’s family.”

A nurse came out of the ICU while calling us.
Raka and I immediately stood up and approached her.

“The patient is awake and wants to see Amelia,” the nurse said.

My chest instantly felt heavy.

•••
Father looked at me sadly from the hospital bed.
His face was pale. His body looked much weaker compared to the last time I saw him.

“Amelia...” he called weakly.

“Yes,” I answered softly while standing beside his bed.

“Please help Father...”

I closed my eyes for a moment.
I already knew what he was going to say.

“That company... is Father’s life’s work,” he said with difficulty. “And also the future of you and Kyara.”

I laughed bitterly inside.
My future?

The one who had always worked at Harry Food was Kevin, not me.
I had never truly been considered part of that company.

“Please help Father one last time,” he continued weakly. “Go back to Kai. He loves you, Amelia.....”

My chest tightened painfully.
Tears fell from my eyes just like that.
I came here hoping Father would ask how I was doing.

Ask whether I was okay.
Or at least say that he missed me.

But apparently...
Even lying on a hospital bed, all he could think about was still the company and Kyara.

“Are you sacrificing me again?” I asked softly while looking at him.

Father’s gaze wavered.
“This is Father’s last request,” he said quietly. “After this, Father won’t ask anything from you anymore.”

I let out a long breath.
My heart felt too exhausted to be disappointed anymore.

“Fine,” I answered in the end. “This is the last time.”
I looked directly into Father’s eyes.

“I will never obey Father’s wishes again after this.”

After saying that, I immediately turned around and walked out of the room.

My steps felt heavy. But this time, I didn’t cry.
Because maybe...
My heart was simply too tired to break again.
I’ll do it.
But after this... I won’t care about any of you anymore.

I bit my lip hard, holding back the suffocating ache filling my chest.
And for the first time in my life...
I truly wanted to stop hoping for anything from my own family.