Chapter 8 I woke up in the hospital the next afternoon. The moment I opened my eyes, Julian was standing by the doctor, being scolded, "Don't you know the patient is allergic to osmanthus? How can you be such a family member?" Julian turned to me, his eyes filled with remorse. "Eleanor... I'm sorry. I truly am." Sorry that he forgot I was allergic to osmanthus? Or sorry that he had forced me to apologize to Violet? I didn't understand. Julian reached out, wanting to hug me. I dodged. His body stiffened. He thought I was still sulking. "Eleanor, you're still upset with me, aren't you?" he asked cautiously. I shook my head and repeated once more, "Julian, we...' I met his eyes, steady and serious. "We're even now." By "even," I meant he no longer needed to worry about past debts or continue taking care of me, this so-called dead weight. All the past erased. A clean slate. "I want to leave the Hawthorne household." Julian froze for a moment, then forced a smile. "What are you talking about, Eleanor? That's nonsense." "What would you do without me? Who would take care of you?" I wanted to argue. I could take care of myself. As if he could read my thoughts, he peeled an apple for me. "Stop joking, Eleanor. You can't even travel alone." Julian's tone was resolute. "Without me, you wouldn't last a week on your own." He was so confident-so confident that he dismissed my words about leaving. I fell silent. The days I spent recuperating were boring, unbearably so. I found myself counting the leaves on the trees outside the window. As I counted, I though-If I left the Hawthorne household, where could I go? Before I could decide, a young man was wheeled in on the bed next to mine. His skin was pale- Chapter 8 57.14% unhealthily so. He noticed me staring, and put on a fierce scowl. "What are you looking at?" This person had a terrible temper. Startled, I shrank back and pulled the blanket over my head. Chapter 8 57.14%