Chapter 20 What Can I Get by Helping Her
James's voice was cold. "Catherine, I heard you've been having unpleasant encounters with Jason and Mike lately, and that you've been bullying Sabby."
It sounded like a question, but his tone dripped with certainty.
"I didn't."
I denied it outright. He wouldn't believe me anyway, so I didn't bother explaining.
I asked evenly, "Did you come here today just to interrogate me?"
Whether Jason had tattled or this was Michael and Sabrina's doing, I didn't care. Their rigid perception of me was already set in stone, wasn't it?
James's brow furrowed slightly, as if he hadn't expected me to speak to them this way.
Andrew remained relatively calm. He tried to smooth things over. "Cate, you've misunderstood. James and I just want to know the truth."
"The truth?"
I seized on those words. "Since when have you ever cared about the truth?"
James and Andrew fell silent.
Sabrina's tactics were clumsy. Out of countless incidents in the past, there'd been at least one or two times when I'd proven my innocence. Yet every single time, they'd only backed Sabrina.
Even when Sabrina was genuinely in the wrong, they never said a word against her. No matter what, it was always me who'd messed up.
James looked displeased. "Catherine, is this how you speak to your brothers?"
"How should I speak to you?"
I didn't back down. "James, get this straight—I've severed ties with the Rosewood family. To me, you're nothing but strangers now."
"You really won't acknowledge us?"
James shot back sharply.
"No!"
My tone was resolute.
The tension crackled between us. Andrew patted James's shoulder. "Stay calm."
James snorted coldly and turned away, refusing to look at me anymore—as if even glancing at me would somehow taint him.
I knew Andrew was reminding him not to forget their real purpose. After all, James had devoted all his studies to treating Sabrina. He'd never cared about me before. Now he was even less willing to waste words on me.
I knew all of this. So why did my chest feel so tight?
Before Andrew could state their purpose, I said it for them. "You're here to get me to come back and test medications for Sabrina, aren't you?"
Andrew had taken over the Rosewood Group after our parents' early deaths. The Rosewood family had remained standing all these years solely because of his support. And he'd grown accustomed to using those same corporate tactics on everyone around him—especially the carrot-and-stick approach.
That's how he'd manipulated me in my past life.
Andrew and James's expressions darkened. They hadn't expected me to be this difficult.
Seeing through their thoughts made me feel like I'd been plunged into ice water.
James said coldly, "Catherine, since you know Sabby's illness needs you, you shouldn't be throwing tantrums with us."
"People can't be this selfish."
His finger tapped the table, betraying intense emotional turbulence.
Andrew worried that such an aggressive approach would backfire. He quickly added, "Cate, if Sabby's condition hadn't worsened, we wouldn't have wanted to disturb you."
"Andrew, you just keep coddling her!"
James complained accusingly.
I felt like I'd just heard the world's biggest joke. I couldn't help laughing out loud.
Meeting their icy stares, I still had no intention of restraining myself.
"Did you two come here to put on a show?"
"You—!"
James slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.
In my memory, James had always been extremely emotionally stable—like some ancient relic from the research world, calm as still water no matter what happened. Except when it came to anything involving Sabrina.
Watching James fly into a rage over Sabrina, my heart clenched painfully. I was supposed to be his real sister. Yet all of James's favoritism went to Sabrina.
I took a deep breath and said calmly, "What do I get out of testing medications for Sabrina?"
James's brow furrowed tightly. "Catherine, where's your conscience?"
"Don't forget, Sabby's father—"
"I haven't forgotten!" I cut him off coldly. "The Rosewood family adopted her and treated her better than blood. I've been her human guinea pig for twenty years. Isn't that enough?"
"I don't owe her anything anymore, James."
"You can keep Sabrina on a pedestal at home for all I care, but right now, I'm not part of the Rosewood family."
My attitude was hard as stone—I refused to help no matter what they said.
James seemed genuinely desperate now. He roared at me, "Do you have any idea how critical Sabby's condition is right now? Her heart isn't getting enough blood supply. Multiple organs throughout her body are at risk of necrosis..."
I listened to James go on and on about Sabrina's current state. All I felt was satisfaction.
In my past life, because I'd cooperated with clinical trials, Sabrina had used medications without any worries. Her body had gradually recovered bit by bit. I, on the other hand, had been the opposite—my once-vibrant life force had slowly drained away.
My expression stayed cold. "What's that got to do with me?"
Andrew lost his patience too. "Cate, can you be reasonable? Sabby really needs you right now."
"Even if you don't owe Sabby anymore, don't you owe us—your brothers?"
"If it weren't for saving you back then, Sabby's father wouldn't have died."
His face was full of guilt, as if he wished he could've died in Sabrina's father's place.
Looking at him, I found it utterly absurd.
Living two lives, I'd never understood why Andrew carried such a heavy moral burden. He felt guilty toward Sabrina and wanted to compensate her. That was fine.
But why did he use his own sister as the compensation?
Did I deserve this?
The two of them kept going on and on. James used a mix of intimidation and persuasion. Andrew weaponized family ties and moral guilt.
For Sabrina's sake, they'd pulled out every trick in the book against their actual sister.
My thoughts drifted away. In my past life, around this time, Sabrina's health had shown signs of improvement. She'd begged the four brothers to take her out to have fun.
They'd left me behind—supposedly so I could 'rest properly.' I'd been left alone, watching them update their social media with photos that made them look like a complete family. I'd become the outsider.
All because of one life-saving favor, Sabrina had sucked my blood dry and stolen my family.
I'd often wondered—why hadn't I died in that car accident? If I had died, wouldn't I have been spared all this pain?
"Catherine, don't push it!"
Andrew finally showed his true colors.
I laughed coldly. "I already told you. I won't help."
"Catherine, you—"
James had barely gotten the words out when the conference room door was pushed open from outside.
Blake appeared in the doorway. He looked me over from head to toe, confirming I was okay before turning to Andrew and James.
"Mr. Rosewood, it's work hours right now."
"If you have business to discuss, please go to the top floor and coordinate with the person in charge. I'm taking Catherine with me."