15
I didn’t know where I found the strength, but I lunged at Julian and bit down hard on his ear.
He let out a blood–curdling scream and began pounding on my head with his fists. The bodyguards quickly joined in, kicking and punching me relentlessly.
The searing pain coursing through my body made me feel like I was going to die. But I refused to let go. My mind was consumed with the image of that shattered jade pendant.
face.
I bit harder, tearing his ear off. Then, with trembling anger, I chewed it and spat the bloody fragments onto his
The bodyguards knocked me to the ground and kept beating me until my vision blurred.
Amid the chaos, I faintly heard Julian’s furious voice, “Get me to the hospital! Don’t forget my ear!”
They left, and I lay in a pool of my own blood, gasping for air.
As dawn broke, I managed to stand up, limping away from the wrecked room.
I had reached the end of my rope–with this city, with these people. I wanted to go home.
I wanted to be with Aunt Zamara, the woman who was more of a mother to me than my biological parents ever
were.
But my body was too weak. Not long after I started walking, I collapsed against a wall.
Desperate, I called the only person I could trust–my friend, Sebastian Ross.
He arrived within fifteen minutes, driving like a madman, his face etched with worry.
Sebastian and I had met by chance six months ago. After finishing a night shift at the convenience store, I accidentally ran a red light in my exhausted haze. His car had hit me, though luckily, I wasn’t seriously hurt.
Despite my reassurance that I was fine, he insisted on taking me to the hospital. After confirming I had no major injuries, we exchanged contacts and became friends.
Over time, I shared my struggles with him. He always listened patiently, even though he rarely talked about himself, and I never pried.
Normally, I wouldn’t have bothered him for help. But today I had no choice.
When he saw me, he immediately carried me to his car and sped toward the hospital.
As I lay in the back seat, I noticed the veins bulging on the back of his hands as he gripped the steering wheel. He was furious, though he said nothing.
After some basic treatment at the hospital, I insisted on leaving. I couldn’t afford the medical bills, and I didn’t want Sebastian to spend money on me.
He asked me what I planned to do next.
“I want to leave San Francisco,” I said after a moment. “I want to go back to my hometown. I want to see Aunt Zamara.”
I intended to take the bus, but Sebastian refused and insisted on driving me himself.
C
When we arrived, Aunt Zamara was giving someone a bath at her small shop. The moment she saw me at the door, she dropped her towel and ran over, pulling me into a hug.
“Yanna, why are you back? You’re hurt! Does it hurt?” Her voice was choked with emotion as she looked at me. “You’ve gotten so thin. Did they treat you badly?”
I forced a smile, and replied, “I’m fine. I just fell on my way here.”
“Aunt Zamara, I don’t want to go back. Can I stay here with you?”
Her eyes filled with tears as she held me tightly. “Of course you can. This will always be your home. We’ll always be family.”
C
10:30 AM
A Fake Poverty that My Parent Build for Me
Twenty years of living together, twenty years of care–she knew me too well. She could see through my lies, but she didn’t press me, afraid of hurting me further.
Sebastian opened his mouth to speak, but I shook my head slightly, silently asking him not to say anything.
If he told her the truth, Aunt Zamara’s heart would break.
That evening, she made noodles for dinner–a simple, humble meal compared to the lavish feasts at the Sanders family’s table.
But for the first time in what felt like forever, I ate in peace. And it tasted better than anything I had ever had.
