Chapter 2622


    Victoria lingered hesitantly outside the emergency room where her father was being treated. Her heart


    was heavy with uncertainty, hot knowing whether she deserved to stand vigil by her dad’s side.


    When she spotted Mara, seated on a chair by the door like a sentinel, a wave of intimidation washed


    over her, causing her to freeze in her tracks.


    Balfour frowned upon seeing Victoria’s tentative steps. It was her father inside, after all. There was no


    reason for her hesitation. With a firm grip, he escorted her to the threshold of the emergency room.


    To Mara, however, their close proximity was nothing but a ring disy of affection. She was


    convinced that Victoria, with her cunning ways, was seizing even this grave moment to unt her


    rtionship.


    Mara’s eyes zed with fury as she watched their hands entwined. She fire, so intense was her desire


    to tear Victoria apart could almost spit


    “Mara, I… I want to wait for dad with you,” Victoria stammered, her confidence crumbling in the


    presence of her domineering younger sister. She even attempted a feeble smile, a pitiful gesture to


    appease Mara, who sat aloof and unapproachable.


    Mara spared her no more than a fleeting nce, her voice dripping with disdain. “Of course, you can


    wait. Who am I to say no? Feel free to join, but could you, perhaps, maintain a shred of dignity? Stop


    clinging to some boy. Have you forgotten what dad always told us?”


    Like a deer caught in headlights, Victoria swiftly retracted her hand, only to sh Balfour an apologetic


    smile after catching his puzzled look.


    “I know! I haven’t dated during the semester. I’m well aware of my priorities right now protested, as if


    taking an oath before her sister.


    Balfour could sense her distress and chose not to pursue the matter. Instead, his gaze turned to Mara,


    the instigator of this tension. She seemed vaguely familiar, but he coul ce where he might have seen


    her before.


    After a moment, he spoke coolly, “Your father is ill, and you sisters ought to support each other. Why


    provoke her like this?”


    At Balfour’s words, Victoria clutched his hand with a pleading look, silently begging him to drop the


    subject.


    “How am I provoking her?” Mara’s disbelief was palpable as she turned to face the man she had long


    pined for, who now seemed to be using her on Victoria’s behalf.


    “Did I say something wrong? It’s all because of her! My dad’s in there because of her, and I haven’t


    even started to settle the score with her. And you dare to me me!”


    Balfour bowed his head sincerely and said, “I understand that this situation arose because of me. You


    can me me, but you shouldn’t take all your anger out on your sister. She’s innocent.”


    “Innocent? Is my dad not innocent? Whose fault is it that he’s in this state?” Mara’s voice rose to a near


    roar, her anger echoing through the corridor.


    Victoria looked up, heartbroken by her sister’s wrath.


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    Had Mara grown to despise her this much?


    But the more pitiable Victoria appeared, the more Mara’s resentment boiled over. She was sick of how


    Victoria’s looks always garnered sympathy and forgiveness.


    Mara, on the other hand, felt invisible. Even now, as she faced the possibility of losing her father, her


    anger towards her sister seemed like petnce in Balfour’s eyes.


    Their altercation had disturbed the hospital’s peace, and it wasn’t long before a nurse arrived, urging


    them to keep their voices down for the sake of the other patients.