---- I pushed him away. I didn't want his concern. Still, I couldn't stop it. I coughed again. More blood spilled from my mouth. My body curled inward, shaking uncontrollably. Even my mother looked terrified now. "T-I only slapped her... I didn't mean to-" she stammered, her voice cracking. She turned to me, suddenly unsure. "Nadia... what's wrong? Let's... let's get you to the Infirmary, okay?" My father came over too. "Quickly-help her up!" Even little Jack ran to my side. "Mommy, you're bleeding so much-are you gonna die?" "Don't talk nonsense!" my mother snapped, though ---- her voice shook. And then- Karen stepped out of the shadows. She held up a blood bag. With a sneer, she said, "Miss Nadia, how could you use a blood bag to scare Madam like this?" A blood bag? What the hell was she talking about? Before I could think, my mother snatched it from Karen's hands-and exploded. "You vile little snake! Trying to trick us with fake blood? Make us feel guilty? Playing the victim now?" I laughed. It wasn't a joyful laugh. It was empty. Hollow. The kind of laugh that comes when there's nothing