The Heart System

Chapter 101: Chapter 101

I took a drag from my cigarette, exhaling hard, the smoke curling in the damp air. I stood under the hospital’s awning, Jasmine beside me, both of us watching the rain pour down. An ambulance wailed in the distance, its lights flashing on the slick main road below. The storm had fucked the roads—traffic was a mess, cars barely moving.

After I got that strange reward, I called Penelope right after, warning her about Mendy. Told her to check on her, said she might’ve done something to herself. Penelope braved the storm, found Mendy at her place. Lying on the bed, pills beside her. Unfortunately, her mom was out of town, but thank fuck Penelope managed to got her to the hospital just in time. The doctors pumped her stomach; she was stable now. This whole thing was a mess, but at least Mendy was alive.

”I can’t believe she’d do something like that,” I said, taking another drag, my voice heavy. ”Fuck... it’s because I helped Richard.”

”It’s not your fault,” Jasmine said, her voice soft but firm, her eyes on the rain. ”From what you told me, you were just trying to help a friend.”

”Yeah,” I said, eyes half-lidded, the cigarette burning low. ”That almost cost Mendy her life.”

I exhaled, the rain pounding the city beyond, neon lights flickering through the haze, giving me a dull headache. Behind us, the automatic doors slid open, and Kim, Tessa, and Penelope stepped out. Any other day, I’d have been staring at Penelope’s fake tits, but my head was too fucked up for that. I gave them a tight nod, eyes fixed on the blurry cityscape.

”She’s getting better,” Penelope said, crossing her arms against the chill. ”Doctors said I got her there just in time.”

Kim nodded. ”You guys were lucky.”

Penelope exhaled, her breath visible in the cold. ”Thank you, I guess.”

”It’s my fault she’s here,” I muttered, shaking my head, the weight of it sinking in. ”Don’t deserve thanks. Maybe a hard fuck you.”

”Fuck you, then,” Penelope snapped, shooting me a final glare before turning and disappearing through the hospital doors.

Jasmine, Kim, and Tessa stayed under the awning with me. I took one last drag from my cigarette, the smoke curling into the damp air, and flicked the butt into a nearby bin. My mind churned—Dierella, that crimson sky, those knocks, becoming her ’subject.’ What the hell did that mean for me? At least Mendy was alive. That was something.

Jasmine rested a hand on my shoulder. I turned, meeting her gaze. She exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck, then gave a small nod. ”You should talk to her.”

”Yeah,” I mumbled, scratching my jaw. ”You’re right. I owe her an apology.”

I headed inside, the hospital’s sterile air hitting me as the automatic doors closed behind me. I found the elevator, jabbed the button, and stepped in. The ride to the second floor was quick, the ding sharp as the doors slid open. I stepped out, scanning the signs, and made my way to room 130. My knuckles rapped lightly on the door before I pushed it open.

The room was small, clinical—white walls, a single window with rain streaking down, a monitor beeping steadily. Mendy lay in the bed, pale but awake, an IV line taped to her arm. Penelope sat beside her, perched on a chair, her arms still crossed, her eyes flicking to me as I entered.

I closed the door softly and cleared my throat. ”Hey, Mendy.”

She glanced at me, her expression flat, and gave a small nod.

”I won’t take long,” I said, hands clasped in front of me, lingering just inches away from the door, too nervous to step closer. ”I’m sorry for... making you think that video was fake.”

”You convinced Kayla to tell Mendy it was fake,” Penelope cut in, her voice sharp, eyes boring into me.

I nodded, my throat tight. ”I know. And I’m sorry. Really, Mendy. I’m just... terribly, terribly sorry.”

I stood frozen, Mendy’s words cutting through the sterile hospital air. ”Why?” she asked, her voice cracking, eyes welling with tears. ”Why did you lie to me?”

I hesitated, weighing my words carefully. The last thing she needed was more pain or anger. What was the right thing to say?

”Richard promised me he’d never do it again,” I said slowly, my voice low. ”But I shouldn’t have believed him. I knew what kind of guy he was.”

”Did you know,” Mendy pressed, her voice trembling, ”that Richard was cheating on me the whole time we were together?”

I shook my head. ”No.”

”Do you think he was... cheating?”

I nodded, my jaw tight. ”Probably. His exes... they dumped him for the same reason. He kept cheating.”

Mendy’s lips quivered, a tear sliding down her cheek, catching the dim light from the window. I looked away, staring at the rain-streaked glass, guilt twisting in my gut. Penelope gripped Mendy’s hand, her presence steady but silent. Why the fuck wasn’t Richard here, facing this? He should be the one apologizing, not me.

”You can go,” Penelope said, her tone sharp. ”She’s had enough of you.”

”I’m sorry,” I said, gripping the doorknob, my voice barely above a whisper. ”I wish things were different.”

”Enough talk, don’t you think?” Penelope snapped. ”Get out.”

I stepped into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind me. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath—the air in there was suffocating. Fuck Richard. Fuck everything. I’d nearly gotten Mendy killed because I trusted that bastard. I knew better.

╭────────────────────╮

- Quest Available

==========================

- Title: Teardrop

- Task: Make Mendy forgive you

- Reward: +40 EXP

==========================

- Accept Quest? [Yes] [No]

╰────────────────────╯

I mentally hit [Yes] without a second thought. Quest or not, I was going to make this right with Mendy—for her sake and to clear my damn conscience.

I headed toward the elevator and it dinged open—there he was, Richard, stepping out, reeking of booze, his eyes bloodshot.

”Fuck, Evan,” he said, his voice slurring as he fell into step beside me. ”Is Mendy—”

”Okay?” I cut in, my voice sharp, turning to face him. ”No, you fucking dumbass. Look what you did to her.”

”Hey, it’s your fault as much as mine,” he shot back, his words dripping with arrogance. ”Don’t pin this on me.”

”You couldn’t keep your dick in your pants, could you?” I snapped, my fists clenching. ”You fucking maniac. A disgrace to everything you touch.”

Richard shoved me hard, my back slamming into the wall. I held my ground, locking eyes with him, fury boiling over. His face wasn’t remorseful—just annoyed, like being here was a chore. Like he didn’t give a shit he’d nearly caused a woman’s death.

”Watch your tongue,” he growled. ”It’s just a girl. Calm down.”

”Calm down?” I roared, shoving him back, my hands slamming into his chest. ”Calm the fuck down?”

”She’s my girlfriend,” he said, stepping into my space, his breath sour with alcohol. ”Not yours. You don’t know her like I do.”

”I don’t need to know her to feel like shit,” I spat. ”What kind of person are you?”

”YOU BITCH!”

He swung, his fist catching my jaw. I’d taken worse growing up in shitty neighborhoods—his punch was nothing. I crouched, grabbed his waist, and hoisted him up, charging forward. We crashed through a random patient’s door, the old man in the bed jolting upright, staring as we hit the floor.

”You son of a bitch!” Richard bellowed. ”Over a fucking girl?”

”You fucking cunt!” I yelled, landing a punch to his face. ”You still don’t get it, you narcissistic bastard!”

He shoved me off, scrambling to his feet. I stood, too, just as he grabbed a glass water bottle from a side table and hurled it at me. It shattered against my forehead, shards flying, blood trickling down my face. Fucking great.

I lunged, locking him in a headlock, squeezing hard. He flailed, punching my gut, but I held tight, my anger outweighing the pain. He pushed forward, and we stumbled back into the hallway, still grappling. The elevator dinged, and a patient on a rolling bed came through. To avoid hitting them, I yanked Richard to one side, stumbling to the other.

”Stop!” a doctor shouted from down the hall. ”Call security!”

”It’s all her fault!” Richard screamed, his voice wild as the nurses hurried the patient away. ”She did nothing I wanted! Fucking nothing! What choice did I have? That bitch had it coming!”

I froze, my blood boiling. To my right, Penelope stood in the doorway of Mendy’s room, her face pale. Behind her, Mendy watched, tears streaming down her face, her sobs cutting through the chaos as Richard’s words hit her.

”Animal,” Penelope hissed at him, her voice venomous.

”Oh, just fuck you, fake tits,” Richard snarled, turning on her. ”You attention whore! You fucking slut! You whore! YOU FUCKING WHORE! WHOREEEE!”

He was unhinged, reeking of liquor, lashing out at everyone. If he didn’t get fired from the gas station after this, I’d quit myself. I couldn’t stand another second near this prick.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and two security guards burst into the hallway. They grabbed Richard, pinning his arms as he thrashed. ”You’re all against me!” he screamed, spitting as they dragged him toward the stairs. ”Fuck all of you!”

I stood there, blood dripping from my forehead, glass shards stinging my skin. The guards hauled Richard downstairs, his shouts fading. I glanced to the side, catching Penelope’s eye as she stepped back into Mendy’s room, closing the door softly. Mendy’s sobs echoed through the wood, each one a knife in my chest.

I looked up at the ceiling, blood running into my eyes. ”Fuck.”

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