After her rebirth by Cici

Chapter 71

Despite the removal of obstacles to his marriage with Clara, Desmond found himself inexplicably uneasy, his joy not as boundless as he had expected. With a heavy heart, Desmond forced a smile. "Thanks, Maximilian."

But Maximilian's words only made his doubts grow. Was he stepping in for him or for Katniss? "Stay here until Katniss wakes up and apologize to her," Maximilian said, his voice low but firm. "Maximilian!" Desmond's fingers clenched. He didn't want to, but he was scared to argue, too.

Sure, he missed the call, but he wasn't the one who hurt Katniss. So why should he apologize?

Maximilian's sharp eyes bore into him. "You still think you're blameless? It's fine to cherish Clara, but what has Katniss done wrong? You couldn't stand up for yourself, so you took it out on a girl. Is this what the Boleyn family taught you?" Maximilian went on, "Your engagement is still on, yet you're messing around with your fiancée's sister. Do you have any idea how scandalous this looks for the Boleyn family?"

"I'll ask you again, where were you tonight?" Maximilian's gaze was intense.

Desmond's heart skipped a beat. If Maximilian found out he was with Clara, it would only make things worse for her.

Grinding his teeth, Desmond felt a wave of frustration. "I'll apologize to Katniss."

Katniss was badly hurt and didn't wake up until two days later.

Around five in the afternoon, the sunset poured through the hospital window, lighting up the room.

Katniss slowly opened her eyes, her fingers twitching. It felt like her insides had been rearranged, causing sharp, intense pain.

It reminded her of when she had cancer in her past life.

By the time she was diagnosed, it was already late-stage. Her whole family, including herself, had given up on treatment. Dylan, being a doctor, only gave her meds to ease the pain.

She endured night after night of agony, foolishly worrying about her family's concern.

waiting for her to die so they could use her organs

face was as pale

took a slow breath and let out the

Katniss stirring and

came in to check on her and told the Manners family, who had hurried over, "Be careful in the next few days. Make sure she gets enough nutrition and take good care of her. Protect her hands and

were everything. If the nerves got damaged, it could end

nodded over and

doctor gave some basic instructions and left with the intern

doctor left, Elodie sat down, her eyes red, carefully looking at Katniss in the hospital bed. Her face was still bruised, the marks standing out against her pale

on IV fluids, and she had lost a lot of

here soon," Elodie said, reaching out to hold Katniss's hand but stopping herself. "Why are you so stubborn? Just

a bit and ended up like this,"

stiffened. She opened her eyes and looked calmly at Elodie. "Only you all will be happy, not me. You are

intruding into a

her words, her emotions surging. "You are also my daughter, the one I gave birth to. Katniss, I want to care for you

were family. Every time Katniss was hurt, she comforted herself, reminding herself

and her four brothers

was they who repeatedly disappointed her, leading her

better off going our separate ways. You can't be fair, and I'm not gonna put up with this favoritism crap anymore."

They fell into silence.

had said, the Manners family

and couldn't come, and Nathan was still at

came, making the room feel

the doctor's diagnosis, and knowing that Katniss just needed to recuperate,