I yanked my hand away from his, my eyes cold, like I was seeing him for the first time.

"Liam Walker, your family didn't die. It's not your leg that's messed up. You have no right to tell me to forgive her!"

"It wasn't her who planted the bomb, but if it wasn't for her, none of this would have happened!"

Liam had saved me when the criminals kidnapped me.

He was seventeen, fighting the criminals, and ended up in the ICU for a week.

Just because he saved my life, it didn't mean I had to excuse everything.

Liam's face darkened. My eyes hurt him.

“Lily, Ashley has paid for what she’s done. Why can’t you forgive her?"

"Do you want her dead?"

I squeezed the blanket, fighting back tears.

Liam was losing patience.

"Lily, it was five years ago. You should be over it!"

“Ashley has already paid for what she’s done, why can’t you be nice and move on?"

"Do you want her to die?"

I looked at Liam, feeling a horrible sense of disconnect.

He saw me holding my brother's body, sobbing.

To make Ashley pay, he hired the best lawyer, and sent her to prison for five years.

And now, he wanted me to let it go.

I gave a sad smile.

“Even if Ashley killed herself, it wouldn't be enough. She killed more than just my brother, she killed many police officers too.”

"Liam, do you know how many cops died because of her? Thirty-one!"

My eyes burned. "Someone like her should burn in hell!"

Liam clenched his fist, struggling to stay calm.

Just like back then, when he tried to strangle Ashley.

Liam took a deep breath.

"I know you're hurting, but Ashley is in a worse place. Her parents and her brother never loved her, and you, at least your family loves you."

“Ashley hurt your family and she already apologized to you, and now you need to apologize to her. What happened to your family is your fault!"

I looked up at him in disbelief.

After what happened six years ago, people blamed me for letting her into our lives.

I was diagnosed with depression.

When I cut my wrists, Liam took the blade, letting his hands bleed.

He hugged me, saying it wasn't my fault. He'd protect me from now on.

But now, he was like them, saying it was my fault, that I deserved it.

My heart broke. I felt something warm running down my legs and realized I was bleeding.

The white sheets were stained red, but Liam didn't notice.

He kept ranting.

Until I clutched my stomach, pale. "Hospital... take me to the hospital."

Liam frowned.

"Are you faking now?"

Just then, Liam saw the blood on the bed.

He paused, then lifted the blanket, relieved.

"What a dramatic, it's just the bandage on your leg."

I was bleeding, but my bandage was open so he thought it was from my leg.

"Wait here, I'll get a doctor."

As Liam left, Ashley saw the blood and stumbled.

Liam caught her, worried. "What's wrong?"

Ashley leaned against him, weak. "Since what happened six years ago, I'm scared of blood. It makes me dizzy. My therapist says it's PTSD."

She cried, and passed out.

"Ashley, wake up! Don't scare me!"

Liam held Ashley, his voice full of panic.

Liam was usually so calm. Six years ago, he hadn't even joined special forces, but he’d gone into the drug den alone to save me.

Only six years later, he was carrying Ashley out of the room.

I lay in bed, clutching my stomach.

In the emergency room, the nurse called my emergency contact.

She tried seven times, but no one answered. On the seventh try, Liam sent a text.

"Think about what you did."

Then he turned off his phone.

I told the doctor, "Don't try to save it. Just take it out."

Coming out of surgery, I touched my now flat stomach and booked a flight to Colorado.