(Aurora's POV)
The VIP ward was so quiet I couldn't hear the hum of a single machine. The air didn't smell of antiseptic, but of fresh lilies arranging in a crystal vase.
Leo leaned back against the plush pillows, his lips pale. He looked at me with hesitant eyes.
"The mysterious sponsor... is it Jasper?"
My hand paused over the apple I was peeling. The skin broke.
"No," I said firmly. "It isn't."
The light in Leo's eyes dimmed. He looked down at his hands.
"I knew it. He must want to cut off my medical bills," Leo whispered. "I'm just a burden. I've dragged you down for years, and now I'm making you suffer in that family."
I set the fruit knife down on the bedside table with a soft clatter. I reached out and gently ruffled his hair.
"Don't say that. The suffering I went through w
