Chapter 5

Lily started having nightmares night after night.

The lights in her room were always on until morning. When I occasionally got up in the night, I could hear her suppressed sobs and neurotic murmurs.

"It's fake… it's all fake…"

She started losing handfuls of hair, her eyes had heavy dark circles, and her once sparkling eyes were now bloodshot, looking at everyone with terror and suspicion.

My mom took her to a psychologist, but it was no use.

I knew what she was afraid of.

The time was almost right.

I used an unregistered burner phone to send Julian a text message.

"Want to know why Lily's been acting strange lately? 3 PM, City Central Hospital, Genetic Screening Department."

Then, I deleted the record and flushed the SIM card down the toilet.

At 2:55 PM, I stood at the end of the hospital's genetics department corridor, wearing a mask and a baseball cap.

The smell of disinfectant was somewhat pungent.

I leaned against the wall, watching Lily rush out of the doctor's office, clutching a report.

She was trembling all over, the report crumpled in her grasp.

The doctor followed her out, his voice soothing.

"Miss Lily, please don't get agitated. This is just based on the sample you provided, showing a risk of a certain genetic defect. It doesn't mean it will definitely manifest…"

Lily spun around sharply, her voice shrill.

"Risk? You don't understand anything! This is a curse! I'm going to die! I won't live past thirty!"

The doctor was startled by her hysterical behavior and took a step back, frowning.

Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows of the corridor.

It was Julian.

His face was ashen. He strode forward, staring intensely at Lily.

"What are you talking about? What genetic disease?"