On New Year’s Eve, I Escape Death and Reborn

Gerald froze at my response, his face briefly showing disbelief before it hardened. Clenching his fists, he growled, "Eleanor, are you asking for it?"

Before I could reply, the sound of Joanne's sobbing filled the room. She placed a hand gently on my shoulder, feigning humility, "Eleanor, I really don't need the ward."

While speaking, she reached for the pendant necklace around my neck and tugged it hard.

At the same time, tears rolled down her cheeks and she murmured pitifully, "You and Gerald have come so far together. Please don't fight with him over me."

The pendant necklace snapped and fell to the ground. In my haste to retrieve it, I slipped off the hospital bed. Pain shot through my back as the stitches on my wound tore open again, the sensation akin to having my skin peeled away layer by layer.

But even so, I was too late. The ruby pendant necklace lay shattered into countless fragments on the floor, impossible to piece together.

My mother had died during childbirth and this pendant was my brother's way of wishing for my safety.

Alma had once said that in his final days, my brother's greatest wish was for me to live a peaceful life after marrying Gerald and to safely deliver my child.

To fulfill this, my brother had asked her to buy the pendant necklace and entrust it to me for protection. This pendant necklace had survived two car accidents, but now it lay broken by Joanne's hand.

Tears streamed from my eyes and my chest swelled with bitterness. Before I could fully voice my anger, Joanne leaned in and whispered chillingly into my ear, "Eleanor, you're really hard to kill, aren't you? Even car accidents won't do it."

"Not like your brother, one little nudge and he was gone. Did you know he was still coughing up blood at the end? And even then, he kept murmuring about the chicken soup he made for you." Her words sent tremors through my entire body.

Images of my brother's gentle smile and voice filled my mind, "Eleanor, the chicken soup's ready. I've put it in the fridge, be sure to eat it after work."

"Your health isn't great, you need proper nourishment. Don't worry about getting chubby, my sister Eleanor looks cutest with a bit of baby fat."

"Oh, and about your spicy cravings, store-bought ones aren't clean, so I made you a big batch of homemade ones. I put them in the lower-right cabinet by the dining table. Don't feel bad about eating them, okay? Just let me know when you're running out, I'll make more for you."

The pain seared through me as though I'd been doused in acid, burning away every part of me that still allowed me to breathe.

Consumed with rage, I struck Joanne across the face, "You are a murderer, Joanne!"

But before my hand could connect, she dramatically collapsed to the floor, clutching her face and gazing up at me with tear-filled eyes of shock, "Eleanor, I was only telling the truth. Why did you hit me?"

She began coughing weakly, her voice trembling as she said, "Gerald … my chest hurts so much … Is it because of the car accident? Cough … cough …"

Gerald rushed to cradle Joanne in his arms and stepped back as though I were some deranged monster, "Eleanor, are you insane? Why did you hit Joanne?"

"You drove into her car, occupied public resources and now you're even accusing her of being a murderer! How did you become so cruel and vicious?"

I stared blankly at Gerald. After knowing him for eight years, was this truly how he saw me?

The sight of the snow-covered world beyond the window suddenly reminded me of a New Year's Eve in my third year of college. That night, Gerald had searched tirelessly through half the city just to buy me a white dog-shaped hat I'd liked.

When he placed it on my head, his breathing was still labored from running. I had smacked his chest lightly, teary-eyed, "Idiot, was it really worth all that trouble in this freezing weather?"

He had stroked my hair, kissed my forehead and warmed my hands in his while replying softly, "It's worth it, Eleanor. Don't you see how perfectly it matches you?"

Then came the boom of fireworks exploding against the night sky. The dazzling lights illuminated the frost-covered trees, painting them in brilliant, colorful hues.