"How is Ryan? What happened? Why did he have an attack?"
James glared at me, his eyes red and wild. "Where the hell have you been?"
"I—"
His hand connected with my face before I could finish. Snap.
The force threw my head sideways. A metallic taste filled my mouth as blood trickled from my lip, but I bit down to stifle the urge to fight back.
James grabbed my shoulders, shaking me violently. "I called you ages ago! Why are you only showing up now? Did you do this on purpose, Alice?"
He shoved me back. "You know the only reason Mom and Dad paid for your college was because Ryan has asthma! We let you study medicine for him! And now, when he needs you, you're useless! All that money, wasted on a piece of trash like you!"
I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and kept my expression pitiful. "Brother, I didn't... You told me to take the bus to the county to buy fireworks. I was already on the bus when you called."
I sniffled loudly, wiping my eyes. "I got off halfway and ran back as fast as I could..."
Vivian cut me off, her voice shrill. "Shut up! Your crying is giving me a headache. Ryan is fighting for his life in there. If anything happens to him, I'll settle the score with you later!"