3

Shaun never came back until my application to go abroad was approved. Apart from him, I had no relatives and no where to raise money. Although I was only four months away from adulthood, the trip abroad was imminent, with only three months left.

I was not able to get a loan on my own, so I could only look to him for help. However, he thought I was asking for help out of jealousy, and looking at the glaring red exclamation mark, it was hard for me to abandon my self-esteem and ask him for help.

Despite this, his monthly living expenses arrived as promised, rain or shine. I was angry and didn't spend a penny. I applied for a student loan, but it was still a drop in the bucket. So I found a part-time online tutoring job to make up for the lack of funds.

While teaching a foreign netizen who was learning Chinese, Shaun suddenly returned, accompanied by Frosty. Hearing the male voice, she chuckled and teased, "It seems that we came back at an inopportune time. Is Sophie talking to her boyfriend?"

Shaun approached with a sullen face, still smiling. Seeing the European and American man on the screen, his face became even more gloomy. Kevin smiled and greeted him, but he unplugged the power cord.

I was at a loss. Kevin sent me an anxious message, worried that my uncle would harm me. Before I could reply, my phone was taken away. Shaun stared at me with disgust:

"Is this your method? Trying to use this dubious man to irritate me?" I clenched my fists and wanted to tell him that I was going abroad and working part-time to earn money. However, facing his cold eyes, I instantly lost the courage to speak.

It is difficult to wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep, and it is even more difficult to convince a person who is prejudiced. So why should I say more?

I shut down the computer silently and admitted my mistake: "I'm sorry, it's my fault."

He was stunned, frowned, and hesitated to speak. Frosty smiled and took his arm, in an intimate manner: "Okay, okay, Sophie is not a child, and it is normal for her to make friends. Don't talk about her anymore."

She smiled gently, like an elder caring for the younger generation. My mother's face in my memory has been blurred by trauma, but I somehow feel that she is somewhat similar to my mother.

It was almost dinner time, and Frosty took out the ingredients from the refrigerator and started preparing the food, busying around. Shaun suddenly snorted: "Do you take it for granted to enjoy the care of others?"

The double meaning of his words reminded me of his careful care over the years.

“I… I don’t know what to do…” My voice was weak, but he became more dissatisfied.

"If you don't know, go ask. Although she will be your aunt in the future, she is not a nanny who cooks for you."

I responded and walked into the kitchen in silence. Just as I was about to ask, I saw that the gas stove that had not been used for many years had been lit. The blue flame instantly brought back painful memories.

Back then, my parents were killed in a gas explosion while cooking. I saw with my own eyes that the firefighters carried out two charred bodies. They said they were my parents.

When Shaun brought me home, he promised to protect me and never let me see fire again, nor did he require me to cook. So, the whole villa never had a fire, and daily cooking was all done with an induction cooker.

Until today, the long-lost gas stove was lit by Frosty.

The blue flames awakened painful memories, and my body reacted faster than my brain. I screamed and stepped back in panic, but accidentally knocked over the chopping board.

Frosty was startled by the scream and her hands loosened, splashing hot oil and scalding her arm.

"Ah——"

Shaun rushed over after hearing the noise, anxiously turned off the gas, and quickly went forward to check Frosty 's injury. A coin-sized blister appeared on her fair arm, and she was in so much pain that she burst into tears, but she still said sympathetically: "Don't blame Sophie , she didn't mean it."

Shaun paused and turned to me with a cold look: "Do you know that Frosty is a model? What on earth are you doing! If she gets a scar, don't blame me for not valuing our friendship."

Looking at the disgust and impatience in his eyes, I knew he had misunderstood me again. I wanted to say that I was afraid of fire, but he didn't give me a chance and directly pulled Frosty away, anxiously treating her wounds.

I tried to stand up, but found that my right leg was numb and I couldn't stand. I looked down and saw a wound of more than 20 centimeters on my right calf.

There was a kitchen knife on the chopping board that I accidentally knocked over, and it cut my leg when it fell.

The ground was covered in blood and flesh, but no one noticed. Even I felt the pain only at this moment.

I put my hand over the wound, but the blood kept pouring out and I couldn't stop it. I tried to call the emergency number with trembling hands, but I found that my phone was left in the living room.

I shouted helplessly: "Uncle, I'm hurt, my leg is hurt, can you take me to the hospital?"

No response...

He was clearly on the second floor and could clearly hear it.

He said Frosty was a model, but I am also a dancer. Can a dancer who loses a leg still dance?

Shaun 's previous promises and the helplessness at this moment were intertwined, and a huge hole was suddenly torn in my heart.

I cried bitterly and called him over and over again until my throat became hoarse. He then stood at the corridor on the second floor and looked down at me.

"Uncle, my leg was cut by a knife. Can you take me to the hospital? I'm so scared."

His face was stern: "You are afraid of cutting your own legs just to win favor? Stop playing tricks. I will always be your uncle."

He was warning me, but I was telling the truth.

In the past, he would be so distressed that he couldn't sleep just because I frowned. When I was fifteen, he still fed me. The nanny said he spoiled me too much, and he fired her directly. Why did the man who protected me so much think I was acting in my own drama when I cried and said my leg was injured?

Didn’t he say we were his most trusted family?

I looked at him with sobs in my eyes, tears already welling up in my eyes, and I couldn't stop them from flowing out. But he showed no pity, and turned around and took Frosty to the hospital.

The door was slammed shut.

The more blood I bleed, the colder I feel. If I delay any longer, I'm afraid I'll die from excessive blood loss.

I looked at the phone on the coffee table in the living room, supported my upper body and tried to crawl over.

A bright red blood color spread from the kitchen to the living room, the scene was horrifying and terrifying.

Just as I was about to lose consciousness, the phone was connected. But I was too weak to speak and my eyelids kept drooping.

Am I going to die?

It's better to die...

Mom and Dad, I miss you so much...