Chapter 7
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Alice bowed her head, covering her mouth as she coughed violently. Her thin back hunched over, as if she might cough up her lungs.
Caleb’s tone was harsh.“Don’t think you can fake illness to avoid consequences! You were supposed to take care of Chloe, get her water and food. But instead, you let her, a patient, get you lunch! And not only do you show no gratitude, but you also deliberately tripped Chloe. Have you lost your conscience?”
Alice stifled the cough.“I didn’t push her. She…”
“Are you trying to say that Chloe fell because she couldn’t stand? Do you think I’m going to buy such a pathetic excuse? Do you admit to doing it on purpose?”
Alice’s eyes stung. She straightened up.“I don’t admit it.”
With a sharp crack, a slap landed on Alice’s face, instantly igniting a fiery pain. But no matter how much her face hurt, it couldn’t compare to the wound in her heart. The pain left her numb.
“Caleb, what are you doing?”
Noah strode in and pulled Caleb away.
“Noah, she did something terrible and still won’t admit it. I don’t have a sister this cruel and unrepentant!”
Chloe stood in the doorway, her hand wrapped in bandages, looking pitiful. With red–rimmed eyes, she spoke up:“Caleb, I said it was my fault. It has nothing to do with Alice.”
“Chloe, you’re too kind. I have to teach Alice a lesson!”
Just as Caleb prepared to strike again, Jack abruptly pulled out a chair. The screech of metal on the floor cut through the tension.
Alice looked up.
Jack stood there, expressionless, leaning against the table. His eyes were cold and sharp.” family members of the student?”
Noah nodded.“Yes, we’re her brothers.”
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“She has a 102.4–degree fever, suspected infection, and needs further examination. Plus, she’s hypoglycemic and somewhat malnourished!”
Caleb was taken aback.“She’s really sick?” He’d thought Alice was faking it to avoid responsibility!
Jack’s voice was calm but firm.“Perhaps you should get your eyes checked. It’s quite obvious.” The girl’s pale face and sickly appearance were hard to miss, weren’t they?
Caleb sputtered, “What do you mean by that?!”
Jack frowned, his tone icy.“I mean it literally. Even though she’s your adopted sister, if you take her in, you have to take responsibility.”
Upon hearing the word “adopted sister,” Alice’s eyes flashed with sarcasm.
Noah quickly explained, “She’s my biological sister, not adopted.”
Jack raised an eyebrow.“You’d need a magnifying glass to see that. If you hadn’t identified yourselves as family, I’d have called the police for child abuse!”
22:13
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< Chapter 7
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Seeing Alice’s swollen face, Caleb’s tone turned sour:“You don’t understand. I was teaching her a lesson!”
Noah was speechless. He’d assumed Alice was healthy, unlike Chloe, who got sick after falling into the pool.
Caleb looked at Jack with disdain.“You don’t know her. Alice always fakes illness to avoid responsibility. This time, she even deliberately hurt Chloe. Chloe’s father died saving her. Sometimes I want to rip open her heart and see if it’s black!”
Alice’s throat burned painfully. She wanted to argue but ended up saying nothing. Even if she spoke up, it wouldn’t matter; they wouldn’t believe her anyway. Chloe bit her lip.“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to class while sick. I shouldn’t have tried to get Alice lunch.”
“It is your fault,” Jack said coldly.“You shouldn’t have gone to class while getting an IV drip, and shouldn’t have bothered others while sick. Stop acting like your weakness gives you a right.”
