Chapter 23 No Need
Remembering that day, Helen and Ronan's faces turned grim. Helen, usually so cheerful, clenched her jaw, eyes blazing with anger.
That night, Helen saw it was almost nine, and I still wasn't home. She called my phone, but it was on the living room sofa. Daniel's phone was off.
Helen said the storm was too bad, and she was really worried. She had to knock on the Pitt family's door to ask about me.
When Helen saw what was happening, she freaked out. Daniel, who had taken me out, was on the sofa with one arm around Zoe, feeding her fruit with the other.
Helen asked Daniel where I was, and he looked confused, "Jane hasn't come back yet? We split up on the street."
After finding out where we had separated, Ronan and Helen rushed out to find me, not even grabbing an umbrella.
The streets were empty, just the storm raging on.
Ronan and Helen knocked on the doors of the street-side shops, asking if anyone had seen me.
But the wind and rain were so bad that many shops had closed early, leaving few people to ask.
Later, a pet shop owner mentioned an ambulance had come by not long ago because someone had fallen into a manhole. He wasn't sure if it was me.
By the time Helen and Ronan reached the hospital, I was already lying in the emergency room with an IV, with a kind old man by my side.
After hearing Ronan and Helen's story, I smiled faintly, sadness flowing like a gentle stream.
"I can't believe Daniel was so unreliable!" Helen's face turned red with anger, her eyes bloodshot.
I comforted her, "Helen, don't be mad. It's not Daniel's fault. We're not family, and it's normal for him to leave with his girlfriend. If anyone's to blame, it's me for going out with him. It won't happen again."
Ronan and Helen looked at me with concern. Helen started crying again, murmuring, "Silly girl."
After finally calming my parents down, someone knocked on the hospital room door.
As expected, Hugh and Emma came in with bags, a nervous Daniel following. Zoe didn't come.
"Helen, is Jane awake? This is all Daniel's fault. I brought him here for Jane to deal with. Whether she wants to slap him or chew him out, I’m fine with it. If she lets him off easy, I won't accept it."
Seeing me awake, Emma gently touched my face, eyes full of guilt and remorse.
I had grown up in front of her, and over the years, she had treated me almost like her own daughter.
Emma placed the items on the windowsill, taking them out one by one, "Jane, I made your favorite oatmeal and egg tarts, fresh out of the oven, with extra sugar just the way you like."
Helen walked over to stop Emma, putting the items back into the bags, "No need, we have everything here. Thank you for coming. We'll take care of Jane ourselves, so you can go back."
Emma noticed Helen's coldness and her eyes reddened with sadness, "Helen, please don't be like this. I just made something for Jane, don't shut me out."
Emma put down the items and brought Daniel over to me, "Apologize to Jane right now."
Daniel's face looked troubled, his eyes avoiding mine. Stumbling as Emma pushed him forward, he said, "Jane, I'm sorry, I didn't know..."
"No need, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm fine, you can go."
Daniel invited me out and then left me on the street. What good is an apology now?
If it weren't for the kind old man, I'd be dead. Daniel's apology can't change that.
If I had known having a meal with Daniel would lead to this, I would never have gone. The fault lies with my own lack of resolve.
So, this is my fault. I don't need Daniel's apology after he left me to face life and death alone.
Sensing my coldness, Daniel moved closer, reaching out to check my forehead. I turned my head to avoid his hand and stopped him from speaking, "I'm tired and need to rest. Please leave and don't come back."
Maybe my coldness made Daniel uncomfortable. His guilty eyes showed a hint of hurt, "Jane, you never treated me like this before."
I smiled faintly, squinting against the bright sunlight, "The past is over. I've already apologized for my mistakes. There's no need to bring it up again."
For over ten years, I had treated Daniel like he was perfect, never this coldly.
I turned my head and closed my eyes, not looking at anyone.
The room was silent, with only the sound of a few people breathing.
"Ronan, Jane was seriously injured this time, almost losing her life. It's all Daniel's fault. We're here to sincerely apologize, you..."
The usually gentle and refined Ronan rudely interrupted Hugh, his voice cold and unusually angry, "Hugh, Jane said she doesn't blame Daniel, so you don't need to worry. Jane is lucky to have survived the fall. The doctor said she needs rest, so I won't see you out."
"Exactly, we'll take care of our daughter ourselves. We can't accept Daniel's apology, and we won't let Jane be alone with him again. Jane needs to sleep, so you should go and not come back." Helen had never been so cold to Emma before; it was all for me.
"Jane." Emma stood at the foot of my bed, calling me softly.
I opened my eyes and smiled at her, "Mrs. Pitt, I'm really fine."
Hugh knew my parents were angry, and saying more would be useless. He glared at Daniel and led the way out.
Emma told me to take care and said she would visit again, but Helen and I refused.
Daniel was the last to leave. He stood by the door, looking at me for a long time, as if he had a lot to say.
I pretended not to see and playfully asked Helen to peel a peach for me.
My connection with Daniel ended the moment I fell into that manhole.
From now on, we would just be neighbors. I would keep my distance from him but wouldn't hate him.
After all, Daniel didn't really do anything wrong; he just didn't like me.
Daniel invited me for barbecue, but I chose to go with him.
It was normal for Daniel to leave with Zoe and leave me on the street.
The fault lay in the severe storm that day, the uncovered manhole, and my own carelessness in falling in.
That's all.
I've liked Daniel for many years, and it won't be easy to take back my feelings. But my rational mind would always remind me to stay away from him and forget him.
This injury was much worse than the last fall. Besides extensive abrasions, I had a wound on my back that required sixteen stitches. The wound had been soaked in the dirty water for too long, leading to various degrees of infection.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
