Shattered Glass

"Serena, you sure are smug, aren't you? What is with this poor, innocent act now?"

The piercing scream shattered the early morning quiet. Serena jolted awake. She forced her heavy eyelids open. Through the blurry haze of her severe fever, she found Chloe standing over the hospital bed, hands planted firmly on her hips. The dim morning light filtering through the blinds cast harsh shadows over Chloe's furious expression.

"Who do you think you are, Serena Sterling?" Chloe sneered, cursing at the top of her lungs. "You want me to apologize? You didn't accept my apology the last time, so there is no way in hell you are getting one today!"

Serena glanced at the analog clock on the wall. Half-past six. She had wrestled with her illness all night, finally slipping into a troubled sleep around two in the morning. Her body ached deep in her bones. Her throat felt like sandpaper. At the moment, they were the only two people inside the ward.

"As long as Damian is around, I am untouchable," Chloe declared. Her voice dripped with raw arrogance. "You cannot do a single thing to me."

Serena gritted her teeth and pushed herself up against the pillows. "What are you doing here?" Her voice came out frail and hoarse. Anyone standing further away would not have heard her over the pounding of her own heartbeat.

"Keep pretending!" Chloe pointed a sharp finger at her. "Did you honestly think running to Damian would scare me?"

The memory of Vivian forcing her to apologize twisted Chloe's features into an ugly scowl. Enraged by the mere thought of bowing her head to the woman she had tried to murder, Chloe snatched the heavy water glass resting on the nightstand. Without a second of hesitation, she tossed the freezing liquid straight at Serena.

The icy water struck Serena’s lethargic face. It soaked her hair and dripped down her fever-flushed cheeks, sending a harsh, painful shiver down her spine. The sudden chill bit into her heated skin.

"If they force me to apologize no matter what," Chloe hissed, her eyes gleaming with pure hatred, "I might as well have my fun first!"

Chloe raised her hand high and swung it down to strike Serena across the face.

Despite burning hot with a severe fever, survival instincts overpowered the illness. Serena shot her hand up and caught Chloe’s descending wrist mid-air. Her skin radiated an unnatural heat, but her unwavering grip locked around Chloe's arm like an iron vice. The two women locked eyes, a silent battle raging between them.

Shock flickered across Chloe's face. She had not imagined an ill person could possess this much strength. She wiggled and pulled, desperately trying to yank her arm free from the bruising hold.

Then, without a single warning, Serena simply let go.

The sudden release of tension threw Chloe off balance. She stumbled backward, arms flailing wildly, and crashed heavy against the hard floor. The glass slipped from her grasp and scattered across the ground.

*Crash!*

The deafening sound of breaking glass echoed out into the hall. Heavy footsteps instantly pounded toward the room. The door swung wide open, revealing Damian. His dark eyes scanned the room, narrowing into sharp slits the moment they landed on Chloe sprawled across the floor.

Vivian hurried in right behind him, followed closely by her assistant. Vivian took one look at Serena in the bed, then turned her focus to Chloe. "What is going on here? What happened?"

Spotting Damian, Chloe weaponized the situation immediately. She burst into hysterical, fake tears. "Vivian! Damian!" She pointed a trembling finger at the bed. "I came here to visit her and apologize, but she shoved me to the ground! I told you she was faking her illness. She just proved it. She is fine!"

Chloe sobbed loudly, wiping away non-existent tears. "How could a woman who supposedly almost drowned be strong enough to push me down like this?"

Vivian’s expression darkened. She turned her stern gaze to Serena. "Miss Sterling, my leg was injured last night, so I could not visit you sooner. By the time I heard about the drowning, it was too late to disturb you. Care to explain exactly how you ended up in that pool?"

Serena held Vivian's stare. Her voice came out cold and steady. "Your cousin pushed me—"

"Are you accusing me?" Chloe shrieked, slicing through her words. She scrambled to her feet. "Do you have any proof? I saw you jump into that water on purpose!"

Chloe spun toward Vivian and Damian, expertly twisting the narrative. "She just wanted to get in Damian's way! When he ignored her and left the party, she threw herself into the pool. She knew he was leaving and jumped in just to catch his attention. What a shame he didn't even care!"

Damian stepped further into the room. His jaw tightened. Heavy doubt clouded his dark eyes as he looked down at his wife. "Is that true, Serena?"

The question hit Serena like a physical blow. He was actually doubting her innocence. She parted her lips, ready to defend herself against the barrage of horrific accusations. Before a sound could leave her throat, Chloe cemented her vile lie.

"Think about it," Chloe urged, sweeping her gaze across the room to ensure everyone was listening. "Everyone here knows Serena is a champion swimmer. She has won multiple awards. How does an award-winning swimmer suddenly drown in a standard pool? It makes no sense!"

Vivian crossed her arms, scowling deeply at the bed. "Miss Sterling, why are you not saying anything?"

"Because she has been exposed," Chloe gloated. A smug smirk stretched across her face. "She is too guilty to say anything. She got caught in her own pathetic trap."

Instead of pleading her case or screaming in desperation, Serena let out a dark, intense laugh. The sound sent a sudden chill through the ward. The sarcasm dripped from every single note. She glared at the group, her dark eyes widening with pure ice as she looked at the people standing in her room.

"Get. Out."

Chloe laughed again, enjoying the silence. "What is wrong, Serena? You are usually so quick to debate. Cat got your tongue?"

Serena closed her eyes tight for a brief second. When they snapped open, they locked directly onto Damian with an unyielding, furious stare. Her patience snapped.

"Mister Sinclair," Serena asked, her voice laced with heavy venom. "Are you truly that disappointed I did not just drown and die last night? Is that why you brought these pathetic clowns into my hospital room to cause a scene?"

Damian stood silent, but she did not let up for a single second.

"Since I did not die in that pool, having them induce a heart attack seems like your chosen alternative," she mocked heavily. "Should I just jump off the building right now and disappear to make your life easier?"

Damian lowered his gaze. He finally noticed the damp strands of hair clinging to her forehead and the droplets sliding down her jaw. His brow furrowed. "Why are you drenched?"

Without missing a beat, Chloe launched into another rapid lie. "She splashed herself! She grabbed the glass, threw the water on her own face, and smashed it on the floor." Chloe gestured wildly at the broken shards near her feet. "See? She must have heard you coming and did it to frame me!"

Damian turned back to the bed. "Is she telling the truth?"

Serena simply smiled. She did not utter a single word to him. She slowly scanned the three of them with pure, resentful contempt, looking at them exactly as though watching a pack of dancing fools putting on a pathetic show.

"Get out," she repeated, her tone dropping to a dead calm.

Drunk on her own smugness, Chloe took an arrogant step forward. She bathed in her massive triumph, believing she had fully backed Serena into a corner. She was convinced of her victory.

"Why are you not saying anything now?" Chloe taunted, stepping closer to the bed. "You wanted an apology, didn't you? You claimed I pushed you in. Come on, Serena. Speak! Let us hear your voice!"

Patience vanished. Her breaking point had arrived. The sheer injustice of the moment shattered whatever restraint she had left.

Serena snatched another heavy glass cup resting on the table. Without a moment of hesitation, she whipped her arm back and hurled the solid object directly toward Chloe’s head.