She Faked Her Amnesia, I Went Back to Being Rich

The chapel was built separately from the villa and was entirely made of wood. The flames instantly spread through it.

I scrambled up and yanked at the door in panic, but someone had locked it from the outside. Thick smoke stung my eyes until I could barely open them. I kept backing away, retreating into a corner where the fire hadn't reached.

Just as I thought I was going to die in there, the door burst open. Samuel and Amelia rushed in together.

I looked at Amelia with pleading eyes. When she saw me lying on the ground, her gaze flickered. But as the flames were about to reach the cushion, she picked it up without hesitation and turned to leave.

Watching her walk away, I finally gave up on her.

Samuel shouted immediately, "Penny, save Matthew!"

He stomped his foot in frustration, then charged into the flames. Just as he got close to me, he shot me a mocking smile, then raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face.

A loud crack rang out as he fell to the ground. I stared at him in disbelief.

Hearing the sound, Amelia tossed the cushion out the door, then turned and lifted Samuel into her arms. She glared at me with pure hatred. "Since you don't want to leave the fire, just stay here!"

She ordered the panicked housekeepers, who were fetching water, "Don't put out the fire. Wait until he decides to come out and calls for you, then you can help."

I smiled bitterly and closed my eyes. I had stayed by her side for seven years, yet I still meant less than those photos.

…

I didn't die.

When I opened my eyes again, the sharp smell of disinfectant hit me. Meeting Charlotte's red, swollen eyes, I felt both relieved and regretful.

Amelia's eyes were bloodshot, and exhaustion was written all over her face. "Matthew, if you want to die, go find somewhere quiet and do it on your own. Don't drag others down with you. Sam was kind enough to go in after you, but you almost got him killed."

I gave a mocking smile.

Amelia snapped, "What are you laughing at? He's still unconscious next door from the shock. You have to apologize to him later!"

Charlotte's voice broke as she spoke. "Dad, you were playing with fire and put everyone at risk. Uncle Samuel tried to save you, but you knocked him down. You really do owe him an apology."

This time, I couldn't hold it back and laughed out loud. "Penelope, Charlotte, so you've been waiting at my bedside just to make me apologize?"

Amelia was stunned for a moment. Just as she was about to speak, a nurse came over and said that Samuel was awake. The two of them rushed out to the next room.

I slowly closed my eyes and let the tears slide down.

Three days feels like such a long time.

Before I could open my eyes, Amelia yanked me up. "Sam is blaming himself for your injuries and crying over it. Go and explain things to him!"

When a piece of wood had fallen in the fire, I had instinctively raised my arm to block it, injuring myself. Now, as she gripped my burned arm tightly, the pain made me flinch instinctively.

She frowned. "What are you doing?"

I looked up at her sadly. "Penelope, I'm not doing anything. I just wanted to follow Amelia into death. Is that not allowed?"

Her grip loosened slightly, and there seemed to be a trace of hesitation in her eyes.

Just then, Samuel's son, Jonathan Bennett, came running in, crying. "Something's wrong. Dad passed out from crying."

Hearing his words, Amelia dragged me along ruthlessly. The bandages on my arms and legs tore loose, scraping my wounds against the floor, but she ignored them.

She hauled me to Samuel's bedside and forced me onto my knees. "If Sam doesn't wake up, you'll have to stay on your knees until he sees that you're fine and forgives you."

The burns on my arms and legs seared with pain, but no matter how bad they were, they couldn't compare to the pain in my heart.

Samuel lay on the bed with his eyes shut, his eyelids twitching faintly.

I shouted in resignation, "Samuel, I'm sorry!"

My voice was loud enough to draw a crowd from the hallway, and only then did Samuel slowly stir awake.

I looked up. "Penelope, may I go back to my bed for treatment now?"

Amelia stared at the blood on the floor, frowning in silence. Charlotte was already looking at me with undisguised contempt.

Under Samuel's smug gaze, I braced myself and crawled out of the room.

Just as I reached the doorway, I heard him speak in a soft, coaxing tone. "Penny, Matthew's wounds look pretty bad. I'm a little scared."

Because of his words, they moved me to a general ward downstairs, saying that the private rooms were full.

In the end, I was placed in the hallway of the ward.

Throughout the night, I listened to the coughing of the patients in the hallway, my body burning with pain as I waited for dawn.