Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
And then his words cut her deeper still. “That pendant… did I really give it to you? Or did you take it from someone else-maybe even steal it?”
“Simon, what are you saying?”
Already collapsed in filth and humiliation, her world spun black at his question. Dizzy, she half-slumped to the ground, unable to hold herself up.
The truth was unbearable: that pendant had come from Lily’s dorm room.
She told herself she had taken it, not stolen it. She never liked to think of herself as a thief.
But for Simon to suspect her of theft-it crushed what little pride she had left.
She was too proud to cry easily. But now hatred and injustice overwhelmed her, and tears spilled freely down her cheeks.
“You think I’m a thief?”
“I was the one who stayed with you in the rubble. I was the one who encouraged you, who comforted you, who gave you strength to hold on. I truly cared for you. How can you doubt me like this?”
“Yes, I’ve made mistakes. I regret them more than anything.”
“But does that mean I deserve to die for them?”
“Simon, if you really see me as a disgusting thief, if even you don’t want me anymore, then what’s the point of living?”
“I might as well die right now!”
Simon felt like he was losing his mind.
Elsa had the pendant he had given Lizzy. She knew details about those two desperate days when they clung to each other for survival, details only Lizzy should know. By reason, he shouldn’t doubt her.
Yet, bewitched by a gnawing unease, he couldn’t shake the sense that Lily was the one who truly felt like Lizzy.
His heart was in chaos. He didn’t even notice Elsa staggering to her feet and rushing toward the wall.
She moved slowly, deliberately. Hoping-no, expecting-that Simon would stop her, pull her back, admit his mistake, and coax her gently.
But as her body neared the wall, he didn’t move. He just stood there, unmoving, lifeless.
The crowd didn’t scatter.
They all knew Elsa wouldn’t actually kill herself. She had recently been diagnosed with late- stage stomach cancer. Every drop of her blood was precious. She wouldn’t willingly smash her head open.
Not a single person stepped forward to stop her.
“Simon, if my death can make you happy, if it can erase your doubts, then I’m willing to die!”
Simon remained frozen, like his soul had left his body.
He didn’t care if she lived or died.
With no other choice, Elsa lowered her head and flung herself toward the wall.
She was an expert at using self-harm to win sympathy.
Before, even her clumsy tricks had been enough-John and Simon would rush to her side, shield her, comfort her, and turn their wrath on Lily.
She believed even now, even if Simon wasn’t as gentle as before, her desperate act would move him. Surely he would still feel heartache. Surely the watching crowd would soften, believing she had been wronged.
But when her forehead split and she crumpled to the floor, Simon didn’t so much as glance her way.
He just stared blankly into the distance, as if she didn’t exist at all.
And the voices of the crowd cut sharper than knives, stabbing at her pride, chilling her to the core.
“Elsa’s suicide attempt is such a farce. With that little force, how could she possibly kill herself?”
“She’s clearly using the same old trick-trying to make Mr. Bale soften toward her. Mr. Bale, don’t fall for it! Elsa is rotten to the core!”
“Exactly! If someone truly wanted to die, would they scream so loudly and only give themselves a little bump?”
“She’s nothing but a faker. I can’t believe I ever liked her… I must’ve been blinded by the filth she carries!”
The more she heard them mocking her, the more Elsa’s fury consumed her.
The rage boiled up, burst out of control-until she spat a mouthful of blood and collapsed violently to the ground. Motionless.
“Ah! Elsa’s vomiting blood! Could she actually be dying of some disease?”
“Disease? Don’t be ridiculous. The internet’s already full of proof that her so-called stomach cancer was all fake. That blood’s probably staged too!”
“Exactly! I heard she’s been faking illness this whole time. She’s a better actress than a trash can is at holding garbage!”
As Elsa slipped into unconsciousness, their words pounded in her ears-mocking her, denying her.
Anger stabbed her heart one last time before everything went dark.
“Lizzy…”
Only after she had been lying still for a long while did Simon finally realize she had fainted.
But even then, he couldn’t bring himself to touch her. She was filthy, stinking, utterly disgraceful. He wouldn’t put his hands on her.
He quickly dialed emergency services. Only when the ambulance arrived did paramedics lift Elsa from the ground.
She had lost a dangerous amount of blood, her condition critical.
At the hospital, she was rushed straight into the emergency room.
Simon knew she had faked illness before. He assumed she was only lightly injured and would be out soon.
But nearly four hours passed before the doors opened at last.
“How is Lizzy?”
Jared let out a long, heavy sigh. “Her condition is very serious.”
“She truly has late-stage stomach cancer. If she rests and takes care, she might have up to a year. But if she suffers more injuries or severe emotional shock, at best she has half a year left.”
“What did you say?”
Simon thought he had misheard.
After all, his cousin had shown irrefutable proof that Elsa had been faking illness.
Could it be true? Could she really be dying now?
Jared saw his confusion and explained, “She was admitted to our hospital before. I was present when the doctor told her the diagnosis. She was utterly shocked when she heard it.”
That was enough to make it clear.
Yes, the evidence from before had been genuine-Elsa had faked her illness.
But fate had mocked her. In pretending to be sick to separate John and Lily, she had invited the real disease into her body.
It was karma.
Simon realized, with startling clarity, that he felt no grief at all knowing her days were numbered.
She had disappointed him too deeply.
Yet, she had once been the girl who kept him alive through the darkest hours. No matter her sins, debt ends with death. In her final days, he would at least see that she was cared for.
Backstage, Lily changed out of her heavy costume, then chatted with Adeline for a bit about their upcoming program. Finally, she left with James.
“Lily!”
The call stopped her cold as they reached the parking lot.
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