Chapter 3 Worthless #2
For several seconds, she simply lay there on the cold pavement, unable to move.
"Easy, easy..."
A familiar voice broke through the haze.
Strong arms slipped around her shoulders, carefully helping her into a sitting position.
The movement sent a sharp stab of pain shooting through her head.
Juliet sucked in a breath and immediately raised a trembling hand to her forehead.
"You... didn't leave?" she asked weakly, blinking several times as she tried to focus on the person in front of her.
Amara looked as though she was on the verge of tears.
"I had a bad feeling after you went inside," she admitted, kneeling beside Juliet on the pavement without caring that her expensive dress was getting dirty. "I was about to leave, but something told me to wait."
She swallowed hard, her eyes darting anxiously over Juliet's pale face.
"Thank God I listened."
Juliet wanted to tell her she was overreacting, but the words never came.
Everything still felt strange.
Distant.
As though she were watching herself from far away.
That was when she noticed Stella standing a few feet away.
Stella looked horrified.
Her face had gone completely pale, and she was staring at Juliet as though she'd seen a ghost.
"Girl..." Stella said weakly. "You're bleeding."
Juliet frowned.
Almost absently, she touched her forehead.
The moment her fingers brushed the skin, they came away wet.
She slowly lowered her hand.
Bright red blood covered her palm. For a long moment, she simply stared at it.
But strangely, she felt nothing.
Then the pain finally caught up with her. A small wince crossed her face.
Without saying a word, Juliet reached into her pocket and pulled out the black access card.
Holding it out, she extended it toward Stella.
"Your card."
Stella stared at her in disbelief.
"Forget the card right now."
"Take it."
"Juliet—"
"I don't need it anymore."
Her voice was quiet.
There was something so empty about it that Stella's protests died immediately.
After a brief hesitation, she reluctantly accepted the card.
Beside them, Amara had already pulled out her phone.
Her fingers moved quickly across the screen before she pressed Vincent's contact.
The call connected after only a few rings.
"Yes."
Vincent's cold voice came through immediately.
Amara tightened her grip on the phone.
"Juliet fell down the stairs. She's bleeding badly. Can you come outside? She needs help."
There was a brief silence.
For one foolish second, Juliet found herself waiting.
Waiting for him to ask if she was alright, for him to sound worried.
Instead, his cold voice came through the speaker.
"If she fell down, then take care of her yourself."
Amara froze.
"So what?" Vincent continued impatiently. "Why are you disturbing my night over something like this? Take her to a hospital if it's serious."
The phone was on speaker.
Every single word carried clearly through the quiet night.
Stella's expression changed instantly. The horror on her face slowly transformed into disbelief.
Then anger.
She turned sharply toward Juliet.
"That's your fiancée?" she demanded. "That's the man you're planning to marry?"
Even Amara looked stunned.
Neither woman knew what to say.
Before either of them could respond, the call abruptly disconnected.
Vincent had hung up.
Just like that.
Amara slowly lowered the phone.
When she looked back at Juliet, her chest tightened painfully.
Juliet was sitting quietly at the bottom of the stairs, blood staining one side of her face while her hands rested limply in her lap.
"What the hell is wrong with him?" Amara exploded, fury flashing across her face. "Forget being your fiancée. He doesn't even act like a friend."
Juliet remained silent.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the pavement.
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Juliet finally laughed.
It was soft.
Broken.
"You know..." she began quietly, her voice sounding strangely distant. "We've been friends for so many years."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"We fought all the time. We annoyed each other constantly. We said stupid things to each other."
The smile disappeared.
"But no matter what happened..." Her fingers slowly curled against her bloodstained dress. "I never spoke badly about him behind his back."
She lowered her gaze.
"And if I ever heard that he was hurt..." Her voice faltered for the first time. "I would never leave him alone."
Amara felt her anger vanish instantly.
Because when Juliet finally lifted her head, her eyes looked empty.
Completely empty.
As though something precious inside her had finally shattered beyond repair.
"I don't think Vincent is the person I thought he was."
The words were barely above a whisper.
And in that moment, Amara realized that whatever had happened inside that club had destroyed something inside Juliet.
"Oh, hell no."
Amara abruptly surged to her feet.
Pure fury darkened her expression.
"I'm going to kill him."
She pointed toward the club entrance.
"No, seriously. I'm going back in there."
Before Juliet could stop her, she snatched the access card from Stella's hand.
"I'm dragging him out myself."
She turned and stormed toward the entrance.
The moment her arm slipped away from around Juliet's shoulders, Juliet swayed.
Stella noticed immediately.
"Juliet?"
Juliet didn't answer.
The color had completely drained from her face.
Then, without warning, her body went limp.
"Juliet!"
Stella lunged forward just as Juliet toppled backward.
She barely managed to catch her before her head hit the pavement again.
"Juliet!" Stella cried, panic immediately flooding her voice. "Juliet, wake up!"
There was no response.
Juliet remained completely still in her arms.
A thin stream of blood continued to slip from the wound on her forehead, tracing a slow path down the side of her face before dripping silently onto the concrete.