Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 17

I can't be sure, but I think he's wrong. I think my heart just stopped.

"Axel." The other brother towers over the both of us. He doesn't lean down, doesn't try to come to my level. He doesn't even acknowledge my presence. He just says to Axel, "She'll never be able to if you and Carson baby her."

"So what should we do, Aiden? Let them shit on her? Geez," Carson barks out.

"Exactly," Axel looks away from me for a moment, and at his more apathetic brother. "You're acting like she's just not trying hard enough, but she'll never be able to do this."

Whoa, wait, what? I cock my head back. I thought he was defending me?

"She's not built for it," Axel says.

He looks at me sympathetically, but I pull my hand away from his "rescue." So much for moral support. Here I thought he was trying to give me a motivational speech, 'do your best and get back up again!' Oh no, he's the referee tapping me out!

Aiden almost scoofs. He looks down at me. His height over me only adds to the aura of his own arrogance, polluting the air like a miasma. He's like some Sasuke knock-off and he makes me as sick as his eyes say he is of me. "You can at least admit she has some room for improvement."

Some voices in the crowd have the audacity to voice their agreement. Thankfully, Carson and Axel just wave him off, wave cranky Coach Kenet off, wave the crowd off, wave everyone and everything off to help me.

Axel smiles, but unlike his usual grin, this one seems almost... sad? Regretful? He reaches for me. "Come on. Let's take you to the nurse."

I lean away. "No. I'm fine."

"You're about to pass out," Carson says.

I sigh. "No. I just have a weak heart and lungs and... everything around here basically," I do a large gesture towards my entire respiratory system and chest area. "I just need to lay down, and maybe some water."

"Alright, you can get that at the nurse," Axel pushes.

"No," I say again. I bite my tongue to keep from saying what I really want to, leave me alone. Everyone's staring at me and it's just making me more light headed.

The faintest hint of red starts to spread like wildfire across Carson's cheeks. He stammers. I pull away.

"That is not what I was doing," Carson shouts indignantly.

Axel looks to the side, away from the both of us. My heart sink.

"Well either way, would you just leave her? Miraculously she's recovered," Aiden says dryly, with no emotion whatsoever in his voice. He literally walks away right after that, but not before hesitating and looking at me over his shoulder one last time. Then he walks off.

What's that supposed to mean? I bet he just did it to mock me some more. I don't know why he hates me so much. I didn't do anything to him.

And no I didn't just miraculously recover. If I had, I would've snatch him baldheaded by now. Well... No I wouldn't, but I would definitely consider it.

But I'm not better. No matter how much I blink, more and more of my vision disappears. I reach back until my hand connects with the wall, and then I slide down it slowly. Slowly so I don't lose touch all the way. Slowly so I can pay attention to something other than my racing heart, which I thought would've calmed down by now. It physically hurts. I pull my knees up to my chest, and wrap my arms around them. I look away from everyone. I don't want to seem like a baby, so of course I don't cry. Or whine about it. Or ask anyone for help.