"Miss Jessica is so kind."
Angela looked directly at her, pushing every word out of her throat.
What was the truth two years ago? No one knew it better than her and Jessica.
"After all, you used to be my friend. How can I blame you?"
Jessica sighed, "If I really blamed you, I would have sued you two years ago, and wouldn't have let you be out of jail so easily."
"Then should I thank you for that?"
Angela suppressed the anger that was about to burst out of her chest, her eyes full of sarcasm.
Easily?
She had been in prison for two years, putting up with the daily humiliations from other inmates, and hovering between life and death a few times, and Jessica was saying she went out of the jail easily?!
"No, you don't need to thank me, which seems like we are strangers."
Jessica took her hand, and asked worriedly:
"I heard that you just tried to kill yourself?
Did you hurt yourself?"
"I'm fine, I'm afrain I am disappointing you."
Angela pulled her hand out hard from Jessica and wiped on her clothes. She thought Jessica was too dirty.
"How could I be disappointed?"
Jessica bit her lip and said with genuine affection, "If anything happens to you, I'd be sorry for the rest of my life."
Angela was sick of Jessica's hypocrisy that she kept her head down and didn't make any sound.
"It's late and it's not easy to get a cab, so I'll have my driver take you home first and then I'll go home."
Jessica's clear face showed sincerety, ignoring the bottle on the hospital bed as if she didn't know Angela was ill.
Angela was so angry at Jessica's shamelessness that her body trembled, but when she saw James beside, all her anger dissolved into resignation and patience.
She pursed her lips and walked over to the bed and started putting on her shoes.
Jessica lowered her eyes slightly to hide the fleeting complacence in her eyes.
"You stay in the hospital and don't have to work these days."
James took out a cigarette and held it between his long index and middle fingers, but finally put it back without lighting it.
Jessica blinked in surprise.
"Angela, are you sick?"
Angela frowned, and did not answer her.
Jessica was a much better 'actress' than Angela.
"Why didn't you just tell me?"
Jessica sighed, frustrated and felt wronged.
"If I do send you back tonight, James will think I do it on purpose."
"Don't you?"
James glanced at her, seemingly smiling.
"Of course not."
Jessica's eyebrows were tinged with a bit of sadness, "Don't regard me as a bad woman, James. I really don't blame her even though Angela broke my legs and I am unable to dance for the rest of my life."
James smiled hideously, and did not continue the conversation. Then, he said to Angela.
"When you get out of the hospital, go back to work and stop thinking anything you shouldn't think about."
"OK"
Angela stopped clutching her dress, but clenched it again after a while. She said after hesitation.
"Thank you for allowing me to stay in the hospital."
She couldn't control her mind. She knew that she should not have any feelings for him, but just a little bit of care and attention he gave her made her heart beating for him again.
Very bitchy.
But she was not able to change.
Love is such a thing like poppy addiction. Even though you know it's poisonous, you can't quit.
"You are welcome."
James' lips took a small curl. His dark eyes reflected Angela's figure, "Stay healthy, then you can live well, live to-"
He bent down to her ear, "Pay your debt."
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