I turned to leave, every step feeling heavier than the last. But before I could reach the door, Amber’s expression changed. Her eyes flicked up—cold, calculating—and in a sudden motion, she pushed me hard.
I didn’t even have time to scream.
My foot slipped against the edge of the top stair. The world tilted, spinning, crashing—paint, floor, air, light, everything blending into a blur.
Then—darkness.
The white walls of the hospital felt colder than usual, almost suffocating. When I woke up, my leg was in a cast, and my heart felt just as broken.
I thought I’d have time to breathe, to heal. But peace never lasts long in this family.
The door burst open, and my father stormed in, his voice like thunder. “What the hell is happening to you, Emerald?”
I tried to sit up, but pain shot through my leg. “Dad—”
“Did you just send the police to our house to arrest your stepsister?” he barked. His glare was heavy enough to crush me. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“She tried to kill me,” I said, voice trembling but firm. “She pushed me down the stairs, Dad. I could have died.”