Chapter 5
Chapter 5
I woke up in a hospital, staring at the white ceiling, smelling that familiar antiseptic smell.
For a second, I was confused, like I was back in
that car accident.
But no, I definitely couldn’t afford a private
room like this back then.
“Riley, you’re awake.”
I turned my head and there was Liam. He
looked like he hadn’t slept in days, his eyes all
red, and his face was a mix of stuff I couldn’t
even read.
く
8:39
“You had to do all that just for some quick
cash? Doctors said you had a stomach ulcer,
Riley!”
I blinked, “How much is the bill?”
67
Liam looked pissed, “I took care of it already!”
Then, he looked guilty, “I went overboard. I
didn’t know you were so fragile.”
I didn’t care about his apology. “Does that ten
grand you promised still stand?”
Liam almost choked. “Money, money, money!
Can you think about anything else? You and
Piper have the same father, so how is it that
she’s so much less materialistic than you?”
Yeah, Piper wasn’t materialistic. Only people
who were flat broke cared about money. Did
she really need money? She certainly didn’t.
She was the princess in the Williams and
<
I gave him a sarcastic smile, and he shut up
fast. He probably remembered the kind of crap I
had to deal with back home. His voice softened
a little. “Riley, I get that you’re angry, but
you’re all family. Your parents and Piper don’t
mean to hurt you.”
“I’ll still give you the money, you can buy your
family a gift, and maybe things will be better.”
Liam’s words made me feel sick, but I didn’t
refuse. I had earned that money with my own
health and self–respect. It was mine to use as I
pleased. I didn’t need to tell him my plans.
He probably thought I was listening. He reached
out like he wanted to pat my head like he used
to do. That’s when this shocked voice came
from the doorway.
“Liam? You and Riley? What’s going on?”
Piper’s soft voice made it sound like she’d been
<
hit by a truck. Liam rushed to her side, “Piper,
it’s not what it looks like. I just brought her to
the hospital.”
Piper bit her lip, looking like she was about to
cry, “Oh Riley, you’re mad that I’ve been seeing
Liam. I know you guys have been besties since
forever, but… but I’m so sorry, I’ll give him
back.” She cried and ran away, like she was in a
bad rom–com.
Liam glared at me, “Riley, I will never love
someone like you! So quit dreaming about me.”
His comment made my stomach hurt even
worse. “Jerk,” was all I could think.
Liam’s eyes popped out. “What did you call
me?”
“Yeah, I called you a jerk,” I said. “Can you go,
and send me the cash? You’re giving me a
stomachache here.”
<
Liam was shaking but the way I was ignoring
him made him uneasy. He opened his mouth to
say something else, but I cut him off. “Your
princess ran away! Go chase after her! Don’t
just stand there, like a statue.”
Liam glared at me one last time and left.
The room got quiet. I saw the notification about
the ten thousand bucks. It was over. It was
going to be over soon.
Chapter 6
I started working my tail off.
Liam saw me working as a bartender at some
night club.
It was the only work that paid enough, I had to
work during the day.
And at night, I could get paid every week.
The customers were gross, but I could deal with
that.
I was counting the days until I could pay my
parents back.
To Liam, my job was just another example of
my bad choices.
:38
<
He came with some friends, and his eyes
zeroed in on me.
He grabbed my arm, and a whole tray of drinks
shattered on the floor.
“Riley! What is wrong with you? Piper has been worried sick since you stormed out! And you have to work at a place like this! Don’t you have any shame? What about her?”
I just stared at the mess on the floor. There
went my tip for the night.
Liam was furious.
The manager ran over and bowed his head.
“Mr. Williams, I didn’t know this is your friend.” The manager then pushed me forward, “Apologize to him right now!”
Mr. Williams.
What a joke. He was looking down at me as if I
was trash, I couldn’t connect the boy that
wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and
this spoiled jerk.
く
He was hopelessly in love with Piper.
Just like my parents.
Sometimes, I really think that Piper was the
main character.
And I am the villain.
Everyone that cares about me will care about
her more, and I can’t change that.
Liam continued his rampage of insults and then
grabbed a menu,
“Forget it, her apology isn’t worth anything. I
know she wants to be a bartender, right? Riley,
if you can finish these ten bottles, I will give you
100,000 dollars.”
I didn’t say anything, I just grabbed a bottle of
liquor.
He wanted to see me make a fool of myself.
He knew how hard life had been since they put
me on a strict budget. I had to go days without
eating sometimes to make rent.
And he know that my stomach was messed in
<
And he knew that my stomach was messed up,
even worse than Piper.
At first, he was there for me, he was ready to
take on the world with me, he gave me his lucky
charm to help me when I was at my lowest. But
then what did he say? He said “Just suck it up.
You owe Piper for what you did to her“.
“I’ve spent more time with her, and she isn’t as
bad as you paint her to be.”
“Riley, she is your sister, there isn’t any need to
treat her like your enemy.”
After the first and second bottles, Liam just
watched me with a smirk on his face.
But after the third, fourth, and fifth, his face
just became darker.
Like a robot, I drank the eighth bottle and Liam
finally snapped.
He grabbed the bottle from my hand and threw
it at the wall, shattering it.
<
He was really mad. Why was he angry? He was
the one that wanted me to do this.
His lips moved as he asked me “Riley, are you
killing yourself for money?”
And that was the last thing I remember before
collapsing.
