Lila lowered her head and covered her mouth as she coughed violently.
Her back was thin and bent, as if she might cough up a lung.
Easton spoke unkindly, “Don’t think you can avoid punishment by pretending to be sick. I told you to take care of Sylvia at school, to get her water and lunch, but instead, you made a sick person get lunch for you! And then you tripped Sylvia on purpose. Have you lost your conscience?”
Lila suppressed her coughing. “I didn’t push her. She…”
“Are you trying to say Sylvia just fell on her own? Such a clumsy excuse-do you think I would believe that? Do you admit you did this deliberately?”
Lila’s eyes stung with tears as she straightened her back. “I don’t admit it.”
With a slap, a hand struck her face, immediately making it burn with pain.
But no matter how much her face hurt, it couldn’t compare to the injury her heart had suffered.
It hurt so much that she was numb.
“Easton, what are you doing hitting her?”
Max strode in and held back the furious Easton.
“Max, she did something so vicious and won’t even admit it. I don’t have such a heartless, unrepentant sister!”
Sylvia stood at the doorway, her hand wrapped in bandages, looking pitiful.
With reddened eyes, she said, “Easton, I already said it was my fault, not Lila’s.”
“Sylvia, you’re just too kind. That’s why you get bullied like this. I need to teach Lila a lesson today to prevent her from going down the wrong path!”
As Easton was about to strike again, Dr. Sean abruptly pulled back his chair, creating a jarring sound against the floor.
Lila looked over at the noise.
Dr. Sean stood expressionless, half-leaning against the desk, his gaze cold and clear. “Are you the student’s family members?”
Max nodded. “Yes, we’re her brothers.”
“She has a fever of 39 degrees, possibly with an infection, and needs further examination. She also has low blood sugar and is somewhat malnourished!”
Easton was stunned. “She’s really sick?”
He had thought Lila was just pretending to be ill to escape responsibility!
Dr. Sean replied calmly, “Then you should have your eyes checked. Is it so difficult to see that she’s obviously ill?”
The girl’s face was pale, clearly showing signs of illness-was it really that hard to tell she was sick?
Easton was at a loss for words. “What do you mean by that!”
Dr. Sean frowned, his voice cold. “I mean exactly what I said. Although she’s your adopted sister, since you’ve raised her, you should take responsibility.”
Lila heard the words “adopted sister” and a hint of mockery flashed in her eyes.
Max quickly explained, “She’s my biological sister, not adopted.”
Dr. Sean raised an eyebrow. “That would require a magnifying glass to see. If you hadn’t identified yourselves as family, I was ready to call the police about violence against a minor!”
Easton, seeing Lila’s swollen face, responded poorly, “What do you know? I’m disciplining her!”
Max was speechless.
He had assumed Lila was healthy and wouldn’t get sick like Sylvia did after falling into the water.
Easton looked at Dr. Sean with contempt. “You don’t know that Lila always pretends to be sick to avoid responsibility. This time she deliberately injured Sylvia. Sylvia’s father died saving her life. Sometimes I really want to cut open her heart to see if it’s black inside!”
Lila’s throat burned painfully. She wanted to defend herself but ultimately said nothing.
Even if she spoke, it would be useless. They wouldn’t believe her anyway.
Sylvia bit her lip. “It’s all my fault. I was clumsy and shouldn’t have tried to get Lila lunch while being stubborn.”
“Indeed, it is your fault,” Dr. Sean replied coldly. “If you’re sick and receiving IV treatment, you shouldn’t be in the classroom. Knowing you’re ill, you shouldn’t create trouble for others. Don’t act as if being weak gives you the right to do anything.”
Lila’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the sharp-tongued doctor.
He was actually defending her?
Did he believe her?
Lila’s eyes began to redden. Even a stranger understood this basic principle, but her brothers didn’t.
Or perhaps they understood but chose to favor Sylvia, refusing to acknowledge the truth.
Sylvia’s expression froze momentarily as she secretly gritted her teeth. What was this school doctor implying?
Couldn’t he see that she was sick yet still trying to get lunch for Lila?
Why wasn’t he moved by her kind-hearted actions? Why was he defending Lila instead?
This wasn’t right-this tactic had always worked for her before.
Unable to say a word, Sylvia could only lower her head with a pitiful expression.
Easton stepped forward to defend Sylvia. “Sylvia came to school despite being sick because the college entrance exam is less than a hundred days away, and she can’t miss her lessons. She meant well and wanted to improve her relationship with Lila, but unfortunately, some people don’t appreciate kindness.”
Lila found it all so ironic.
Just this morning when leaving home, Easton had instructed her to take good care of Sylvia, fetching tea and water for her. Wouldn’t doing those things distract from her studies too?
So he did realize there were less than a hundred days until the college entrance exam.
It was just that her exam wasn’t as important as Sylvia’s.
Max spoke up, “Easton, take Sylvia home to recover.”
“Max!”
“Are you going to disobey me now?”
Easton closed his mouth and left with Sylvia.
The infirmary became quiet again.
Max frowned. “Lila, if you don’t want to take care of Sylvia, that’s fine, but you must never do something like this again.”
Lila kept her head down. Her throat hurt too much now, and she didn’t want to say another word.
She pulled the blanket over her head.
She didn’t want to see them anymore.
“Lila, if you continue to act out like this, I won’t be able to protect you anymore.”
Max was becoming annoyed too.
He pulled the blanket away. “You’re coming home with me to discuss this!”
He needed to talk to Lila today.
Sylvia couldn’t continue to be hurt.
Dr. Sean grabbed Max’s arm, his gaze cold. “She can only leave after this IV is finished. Family members can wait outside!”
Dr. Sean’s gaze was proud and cold, carrying an unmistakable air of authority.
Lila looked up in surprise, watching him stand in front of Max, his tall figure imposing.
She noticed a scar on his wrist, ugly and crimson red, particularly eye-catching.
She had similar scars on her leg, left from the childhood car accident.
Had he also been in a car accident?
Max didn’t back down. “I’m her brother. I’m taking her home. We have doctors there.”
“If you have doctors at home, why did you let her fever go on for so long?”
Seeing Lila’s pale face, Max replied somewhat guiltily, “She never mentioned being sick.”
Besides, he had tried to check Lila’s temperature this morning, but she had avoided his hand.
Was that his fault?
Perhaps Lila was deliberately prolonging her illness to avoid responsibility.
Dr. Sean’s voice was displeased. “Sir, if you want to forcibly take her away, I will call the police about child abuse. According to the law, if a child suffers from domestic violence, she can apply for personal safety protection.”
“I’m her biological brother, her legal guardian!”
“But I just witnessed you hitting her-that’s violence. There’s surveillance footage as evidence. I believe the police will make a fair judgment!”
Dr. Sean remained composed but unyielding. “She doesn’t want to go with you now, and you have no right to force her.”
Lila’s heart trembled slightly as she secretly glanced at the man standing in front of her.