Chapter 11
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The police quickly confirmed that what my mom had said was true. For Dominick, who was already in a daze, the truth hit him like a death blow.
Since learning the facts, he seemed to have lost all his spirit. Day or night, no matter what the police asked, he only stared blankly and repeated, “I want to see Peyton. I need to see Peyton… I miss her. I just need to hold her, and she won’t hurt anymore. It’s always been like this when she was sick…”
No one believed Dominick truly wanted to see me. Not the police, not anyone. They all thought he was putting on an act— playing the part of a grieving, regretful man, trying to worm his way out of the punishment he deserved.
Even Madison, when she finally saw Dominick, dropped the act altogether. “Yeah, Peyton was the one who carried you down the mountain. I just happened to pass by and figured I’d play the role of your savior for kicks.” She smirked. “Back then, I only did it because she liked you, and I thought it’d be fun to snatch her man. Too bad you weren’t even a challenge.”
The Madison standing there now wasn’t the same woman as before. She was cruel and vicious. “If my family hadn’t gone broke, and if you weren’t still halfway loaded, I wouldn’t even bother coming back. I went out of my way to provoke Peyton, faked being pushed down the stairs, and sure, I got a few bruises. It hurt, too. But it was worth it.”
» Chapter 11
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For the first time in a while, something flickered in Dominick’s dull eyes–a cold, icy hatred. But it was too late.
Madison sneered at him, “Enjoy the rest of your life rotting in prison.” Hearing this, Dominick snapped. For a moment, the rage pouring off him was so intense that I could almost feel the heat from where I stood.
Watching the two of them tear each other apart, I wanted to laugh. But then I thought of my mom–still crying for me–and I just couldn’t.
Luckily, the hospital staff encouraged her to share our story online. With their help, she learned some basic tech skills.
She recorded a video explaining everything about me, Dominick, and Madison. The hospital staff, some neighbors, and even a few of her former colleagues came forward to back her up.
Because there were so many layers to the story, it instantly blew up, becoming a nationwide hot topic. People rallied online, demanding severe punishment for Dominick, and Madison didn’t escape the court of public opinion either.
As for me,
the girl lying unnoticed in the ICU just days before- I suddenly became a symbol of sympathy overnight. Strangers online sent flowers and gifts, organized donations, and did everything they could to ease my mom’s financial burden.
I used to think that once Dominick and Madison were punished, I’d finally be able to let go of my resentment. And when I let go
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of that, maybe I could finally free myself from all those machines.
But then, as I looked at these strangers showering me with love and encouragement, as I watched my mother tirelessly caring for me day and night, I realized–I couldn’t let go after all.
It hit me then–I wasn’t entirely blameless for how things turned out. My mistake was tying my happiness and future to a single man, getting caught up in trivial, fleeting love. I’d been so fixated on him that I’d forgotten to cherish the deeper, more meaningful love that had always been right in front of me.
I stopped thinking about Dominick rotting in the prison. Instead, I spent my days and nights by my mother’s side, sharing her quiet vigil over my motionless body in the ICU.
I told myself that once I had gathered enough strength, I’d return to that body. And when that day came, I’d open my eyes and try—really try—to love this world again.
This time, I wouldn’t let myself down. I wouldn’t let my mother down, either. Dying had been far too easy. But living—that was my way of proving I had courage and strength.
I wasn’t going to take the coward’s way out and become an unfilial daughter. And so, with the help of kind strangers, countless efforts, and a society that refused to give up on me, something miraculous happened.
On a bright morning, exactly one month later, my soul quietly disappeared. In its place, the girl lying on the hospital bed
Chapter 11
slowly opened her eyes.
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On the same day I woke up, another piece of news sent shockwaves through the entire community–Dominick had escaped. While being transferred, he attacked an officer, fled in a violent frenzy, and went to only one place–Madison’s house.
When the police finally tracked their way to Madison’s house, what awaited them were two still–warm bodies. Dominick had strangled Madison to death and, afterward, taken his own life by slitting his wrists.
At the scene, the police found a note Dominick had left behind. It read only one line: [Peyton, I’ve given you my life. Please never forgive me.]
When the police informed me of what had happened, I simply smiled, a quiet sense of relief washing over me. I would never love Dominick again, but I wouldn’t hate him either. He was gone–completely erased from my world. I knew that only by truly letting go of the past could I embrace the future fully.
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