Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

Eden never expected her words would set the nurse off like a spark to dry grass.

"Oh, you still think you're some untouchable princess, huh? Well, guess what- everyone knows now. Your dad is Henry. Do you even know who Henry is? He's the one who ruined my family! My father jumped to his death because of him. I've hated Henry my whole life!"

The nurse's eyes were red, her voice shaking with old pain. Twenty years ago, her dad had gone out to collect a debt, leaving her mom home alone with her and her little brother. He never came back. The story went that he'd tried to stand up to Henry, got trapped, and ended up taking his own life.

Her father was just one of hundreds who died like that-a nobody the world forgot. But she could never forget.

And now, staring at the daughter of the man who destroyed everything, she could barely keep herself from lashing out. The only reason she held it together was her family—they'd already lost too much because of Henry.

Another nurse tugged gently at her sleeve, her voice raw. "That's enough. Come on, let's go."

The angry nurse glared at Eden, then let out a cold laugh. "You got to live easy all these years. Lucky you, huh? But it looks like whoever was protecting you finally gave up. Serves you right. You'll be stuck in this hospital for a long time, and I'll make sure to curse you every day."

Eden just stared, lost. Henry? She had no idea who that was. She'd grown up in the Ferguson family, totally sheltered from all of this.

But now, a heavy, uneasy feeling crept into her chest. She'd been in the hospital for days, and not a single person had come to see her.

She glanced at her phone.

in the city-so why did it feel

off her bandages

While she waited, Eden scrolled through the group chat, reading everyone's

only known Dylan had taken her in, never

she was just lucky-her birth parents were gone, but she had

now, staring at all the hate in those messages, every word

gripped her

can't be real. Did Dylan

called Dylan over and over, her

hands

the automated voice:

bet

you're calling is unle

before, always been there for her,

She never thought he'd abandon her so completely,

really

after message, but none went