When I came to, the air reeked of disinfectant.
Two nurses stood by the door, chatting. "Mr. Vance is so sweet to his sister-in-law. And the boy is such a good kid."
They rolled their eyes in my direction. Their voices dropped to a murmur pitched just loud enough for me to hear.
"The woman in that bed? I heard she's a quack who got her own daughter killed. She deserves to rot."
"Mr. Vance is too soft-hearted. Someone like her should be locked up for life."
I fumbled for my phone and typed out a message.
Dad, the ten-year pact is up. I lost the bet. I'll be home soon.
I endured a week in the hospital before I was finally discharged.
Meanwhile, Pamela was out enjoying herself, with Leon by her side.
When I saw Pamela's social media posts, I felt nothing. Not a flicker.
There was a time when Leon's tenderness toward Pamela would have sent me into a jealous frenzy. I'd scream. I'd cry. I'd lose myself completely.
Leon only ever had one response: "My brother died young. His widow has no one. Can't you just be a little more understanding?"
We'd fight. We'd argue. It always ended the same way.
His scales had never tipped in my favor. Not once.
I dragged my hollowed-out body to the front door and heard Hayden throwing a tantrum inside.
"I don't want that awful woman at my parent-teacher conference! She'll embarrass me!"
The moment he saw me, Hayden kicked a soccer ball straight at me.
I couldn't dodge in time. The ball slammed into my arm, and I sucked in a sharp breath through my teeth.
"Idiot! Can't even catch a ball!"
I looked down at my hands, hanging limp and useless at my sides. A bitter ache spread through my chest.
These hands had once been called the Golden Hands. Inside the psychiatric facility, every finger had been broken. I would never hold a scalpel again.
Something strange flickered across Leon's face as he watched my expression crumble.
"Hayden! That's rude!" he snapped, though the reprimand barely had any teeth.
Hayden pouted and tugged at Pamela's arm, whining. "But I want Mama Pamela to go! If that awful woman shows up, I'll die of embarrassment!"
Leon's expression softened immediately. "Fine. They'll both go. How's that?"
I stood rooted in place, pale-faced, swaying on unsteady legs.
Leon took it as defiance.