Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 103 (Angel's POV) The room was heavy with tension. The kind that pressed against your chest and made it hard to breathe. Hande, Charlotte, Cylan, Bundah, and Eddie were all watching silently, and darting their gazes between Hendrix andlike they were waiting for a bomb to go off. Thomas stood near the corner; his jaw was tight, his arms were crossed, and his eyes fixed on Hendrix like a hawk.

Hendrix ignored them all and focused solely on me. Without another word, he grabbed my arm not roughly, but firmly enough to letknow he wasn't going to letgo until he said his piece.

"We need to talk," he said urgently.

I hesitated, my heart pounding. "Hendrix, now's not " "Now," he cut in, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Thomas took a step forward. "If you have something to say to Angel, you can say it in front of all of us." Hendrix turned his head slowly and locked his gaze with Thomas's. "This isn't for you. Stay out of it." Before Thomas could respond, I put a hand up. "It's fine," I said, glancing at Thomas. "I'll hear him out." Thomas's jaw tightened further, but he gave a small nod and stepped back. Hendrix didn't wait for my approval; he ledout of the room and down the hall, stopping only when we were far enough away that no one could hear us. "Okay, what is it?" I asked as I pulled my arm free and crossed my arms over my chest. "What's so important that you had to dragout here?" Hendrix ran a hand through his hair. His eyes were darting around like he was searching for the right words. "I overheard something," he started. "Dennis and Dr. Joe. They were talking about... about us. About you and me. And about Dad." My stomach tightened. "What do you mean?" "They calleda liability," he said bitterly. "Said I was jeopardizing their plans because I've been skipping treatments. And Dennis... she didn't argue. She was in on it, Angel. She's working with Dr. Joe." I took a step back as I processed the gravity of his words. "Mom?" I whispered, shaking my head. "No, she wouldn't-" "She would," Hendrix interrupted, his voice rising. "And she has. Don't you see? This whole thing-us being here it's not just aboutgetting better. There's something else going on, something bigger. And Dennis and Dad... they're part of it." I stared at him; my mind was racing endlessly. My mom had always been strict, controlling even. But working with someone like Dr. Joe? It didn't make sense. Or maybe it made too much sense, and that was the problem. "What did Dad say?" I asked quietly.

Hendrix's expression softened slightly. "He called me. Said something big was coming, something I needed to be ready for. But he didn't explain. Just said I should stay out of trouble." "And you think it's connected to Mom and Dr. Joe?" He nodded. "It has to be." I leaned against the wall, my legs feeling like they might give out. "This doesn't change anything," I said finally. "We still have to stick to the plan. We still have to get out of here." Hendrix frowned. "And you're not going to tellwhat the plan is, are you?" I hesitated and felt guilt twisting in my stomach. "I... I don't know if I can trust you." His face hardened, and for a moment, he looked like he might lash out. But then he took a step back and slumped his shoulders. "Fine," he said. "But when this all blows up in your face, don't say I didn't warn you." He was about to leave when I called out, "Wait." It wouldn't be fair if I left him out, right? We started this together; it won't be fair if I just secluded him from it now, right? Right? I let out a long sigh.

I didn't give him a choice. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and tugged him back toward the group, ignoring his reluctant shuffle and the way his jaw tightened. His resistance was obvious, but so was my determination. The group quieted as we entered, and all eyes flickered betweenand Hendrix. The tension was off-putting. "He needs to be part of this," I declared. I looked at each of them in turn, daring anyone to object. "We started this together. And no matter how strained things are right now, he deserves to see it through." Hande raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Are you sure about this, Angel? I mean... it's Hendrix." Eddie shifted uncomfortably but nodded. "Not that I have an issue, but, uh, is he even on board with the plan?" "I am," Hendrix said suddenly, gruffly. His gaze didn't meet anyone's directly. "I'll do whatever it takes." The room was silent for a moment before Bundah sighed. "Fine. The more, the merrier, I guess." I felt a knot of relief loosen in my chest, but my heart still hammered as I turned to Thomas. I needed to be sure. "Can we talk?" I whispered and tilted my head toward the hallway.

Thomas's expression flickered with something unreadable, but he nodded and followedout. As soon as we were alone, I reached for his arm. "Are you okay with this? I mean, really? I don't want this to cause more " "It's fine," Thomas cut in, his tone softer than she expected. He brushed a strand of hair from my face and lingered for a moment. "He's your brother, Angel. And you've been planning this together from the start. I won't get in the way." My throat tightened. I didn't know whether to feel guilty or grateful. "Thank you," I whispered. Thomas gavea small, reassuring smile, but as he turned back toward the room, I saw the tension in his shoulders. The guilt pressed heavier on my chest.

Torn between the lingering bond with Hendrix and the ever growing feelings I had for Thomas, I felt like I was sitting on a knife's edge. And one wrong move could send everything crashing down.

(Cylan's POV) The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead as I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the small pile of notes and photographs spread out in front of me. Each one was a piece of the puzzle, a glimpse into the sick reality of this place. But it wasn't enough. Not yet.

I picked up one of the photos. It was a blurry shot of a patient being escorted into the West Wing by two staff members. Their face was hidden, but the fear in their body language was unmistakable. I didn't know who they were, but I knew what had happened to them. What had happened to Emily.

Emily. The thought of her made my chest ache, but it also gavemore reasons to fight. I couldn't sit around and wait for Angel or Hendrix to figure things out. I had to take matters into my own hands.

I pulled out my phone and opened the secure messagingI'd set up a few days ago. It was risky, but it was the only way to communicate with the patients I'd recruited without drawing too much attention. I typed out a quick message: >>Meeting in the laundry room tonight. 11 PM. Bring whatever evidence you have.<<

I hit send and leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes. The rebellion was growing, but so was the risk. If Dr. Joe or any of the staff found out what we were doing, it would be over. Not just for me, but for everyone involved. The door creaked open, and I looked up to see Angel standing there, looking both concerned and frustrated. "Cylan," she said as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "We need to talk." "About what?" I asked, feigning innocence.

"About whatever it is you're doing," she said and crossed her arms. "I know you've been recruiting people. And I know you're planning something. But this isn't the time, Cylan. We need to stick to the plan. Our plan." I stood up, glaring at her. "Your plan? The one that involves sitting around and waiting for the perfect moment that might never come? No thanks." "This isn't a game," she snapped. "If you draw too much attention to yourself, you'll ruin everything. For all of us." I opened my mouth to argue, but then I thought about Emily. About Ellen. About my parents and the life they wanted to forceinto. And suddenly, I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"You don't get it," I said, my voice shaking. "You don't know what it's like to have your entire life controlled by people who don't care about you. My parents don't seeas a person. To them, I'm just a tool, a way to gain status. And Ellen... she's lying in a hospital bed because of me. Because of who I am." Angel's expression softened, but I didn't stop. I couldn't. "And Emily... she's gone because of this place. Because of people like Dr. Joe who think they can play God. So no, Angel, I'm not going to sit around and wait. I'm going to fight. Even if it kills me." The room fell silent. Angel sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I get it," she said finally. "But just... be careful, okay? We can't afford to lose anyone else." I nodded, but deep down, I knew I couldn't promise her that. Not when there was so much at stake.