Chapter 22 : Take The Medicine
Nigel took a deep breath, trying to stay patient. “Yes, the medicine is yours, but Sherrie’s condition got worse because of you. Even if she doesn’t blame you, you should at least feel some remorse.”
Sherrie bit her lip and looked pitiful. “Forget it, Nigel. Maybe Allison needs it more than I do. I can wait…”
When she said that, Nigel’s expression darkened. “Wait? For how long? Do you think your body can afford to wait? You heard Ronan earlier. This medicine is rare!”
“You’re always thinking about others,” he sneered, casting an annoyed glance at Allison. “But do you think some people even appreciate it?”
Allison didn’t argue or defend herself. She just waited for Nigel to finish, then calmly said, “I already told you. I have compression injuries. This medicine is for my treatment. I can’t give it away.”
Nigel let out a mocking laugh, as if she had said something ridiculous. “You eat well, sleep well, and have enough energy to argue with the whole family. Do you look like someone who needs treatment?”
Allison opened her mouth to speak, but Nigel interrupted her by waving his hand. “Don’t start another sad story about your time in the mental hospital. I checked it already. They only gave you a standard treatment. Stop using cheap tricks to make us feel guilty.”
“Guilty?” Allison let out a bitter laugh and turned to Ruth. “Do you even know what guilt feels like? You accused me of hurting Sherrie and sentenced me to ‘atonement’ by dumping me in a psychiatric hospital for three years. Haven’t I paid enough?”
Ruth averted her eyes, unable to look into Allison’s eyes. She knew the truth.
Allison had been innocent all along.
Caught in the heavy silence, Ruth suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Allison. She grabbed Allison’s clothes, tears streaming down her face. “Blame me! It’s all my fault! Just don’t take it out on your sister, okay? I’ll kneel, I’ll beg if that’s what you want!”
She knelt so suddenly that even Nigel was stunned. Sherrie quickly followed, throwing herself into Ruth’s arms.
“Mom, please get up! Don’t kneel! I won’t take the medicine! I’d rather die than watch you lower yourself like this!” She hurled the box of medicine at Allison. “I don’t want it anymore!”
The two of them held each other, crying as if they were the most pitiful people in the world.
Nigel’s vision blurred with tears, and his chest tightened until he felt like he might explode. In his rage, he grabbed Allison by the collar and lifted her off the ground.
Her feet barely touched the floor. Her breath caught in her throat, and her face turned red from the pressure. Even so, she refused to look away. She refused to back down. She gave Nigel an intense look, as if saying, I will not apologize. I am not wrong. No matter the pain. Even if it kills me. I am not wrong.
Nigel clenched his jaw, and his teeth ground hard. “How could you make Mom and Sherrie kneel for you?! They didn’t owe you anything!”
Allison struggled against his grip, trying to loosen his hand around her neck, but he refused to let her speak.
Ronan finally intervened and pulled Nigel’s hand away. “Let go. Are you trying to strangle her?”
With a hard shove, Nigel threw Allison onto the couch. She hit it hard, and pain shot through her body so sharply it felt like she was being torn apart from the inside. She grabbed her chest, struggling to breathe.
Nigel hesitated when he saw how pale she was, but before he could react, Ronan was already helping Sherrie and Ruth.
Seeing Ruth crying too hard and barely able to stand, Nigel had no choice but to focus on comforting her instead.
Allison pushed herself up with a cold expression on her face as she stared at them. Her voice was eerily calm. “Fine. Take the medicine. But I suggest you have it tested first. If anything goes wrong, don’t blame me for poisoning her.”
Sherrie rolled her eyes but said nothing.
Nigel ignored the jab. He had gotten what he wanted.
Allison was in too much pain to care anymore. No one would protect her, so she swallowed the blood rising in her throat, fixed herself, and forced her aching body toward her room.
She didn’t want to show weakness.
Tears were only worth shedding for people who really cared.
As for them? Even if she cried, they would only say her tears were fake.
Ha.
She lifted her head and stared at the ceiling, her lips curved in a cold, empty smile.
Everyone was celebrating Sherrie’s recovery, but only Ronan glanced her way.
Watching her frail figure retreat, a strange feeling rose in his chest. He then instinctively called out, “Allison?”
She stopped.
Before he even realized why, he said, “When I manage to get the medicine, I’ll replace the one Sherrie took.”
Allison said nothing and walked away.
If he could really get the medicine, he wouldn’t have taken hers in the first place. Did he even believe what he said? They all loved making promises. Tomorrow, someday, in the future…
Good thing Sherrie helped her see things clearly. Otherwise, she might have wasted her whole life giving to the Rogers family.
Now she saw everything for what it was. Completely. Any remaining ties to the Rogers family were cut off in her heart.
Siblinghood? Shared burdens? Mutual interests? Supporting each other?
Those lofty principles their father had always preached to the three siblings were something she would no longer follow.
She would still carry the surname Rogers, but she would no longer be the same Rogers they were.
From now on, she would stand at the center of her own world and live for no one but herself.
The living room was filled with laughter and joy.
Nigel went to pour himself a glass of water while Ruth opened the medicine box. When she picked up a pill, she frowned. “Why are there two missing?”
Ronan’s eyes shifted. Had Allison taken them?
Ruth didn’t think too much about it. She only felt a stab of pain over the missing pills. “I just hope this small amount is enough to cure your illness… Never mind. I’ll go beg Allison later and ask her to get you two more boxes.”
Nigel scoffed. “As a member of the Rogers family, Allison is supposed to contribute. Mom, don’t spoil her.”
Watching Sherrie swallow the pill, Nigel turned back and saw Ronan heading toward Allison’s room. His hand shot out, grabbing Ronan’s shoulder in warning. “You still owe Sherrie an explanation.”
Was the Lopez family going to continue with their marriage alliance with the Rogers family or not? And if they did, which sister would it be?