When They Beg I Rise (Lemira) novel Chapter 1007

The little jar of Regeniskin sat there like Pandora's box.

She was too terrified to even touch it.

"Lemira, are you okay? Your hands are freezing," Stella said, gripping her fingers tightly.

Lemira looked up at Janice. "Throw it away."

"On it."

Though it physically pained Janice to throw away something so ridiculously expensive, she shoved the jar back into the bag, ready to chuck it in the trash.

If it caused Lemira this much distress, it belonged in the garbage.

"Wait."

Lemira's face was still pale, but she stopped her friend. "Don't throw it out yet."

Janice paused. "Is there some crazy backstory to this? You look like you absolutely despise it."

"I do," Lemira admitted.

Lemira turned to Stella. "You have that massive surgical scar on your leg, right? If you use this, it'll fade significantly. You'll finally be able to wear cute dresses and shorts again."

Stella froze, then shook her head rapidly. "No way. Even if the scar fades, I'd never have the guts to wear stuff like that."

"Why not? I'm designing custom orthotics for you. Once they're done, no one will even notice a difference."

Lemira squeezed Stella's hand. "Don't refuse to use it just because of me. My hatred for this serum has nothing to do with how well it works."

And after enduring the absolute horror of the psychiatric ward in her past life, she was terrified of ever going back. That place could shatter the sanity of even the strongest person.

Janice nodded sympathetically. "I think your paranoia is totally justified. Your brothers are all toxic. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. He's probably plotting something."

Stella hummed in thought. "I actually think if he had come back before the truth about Evelina's dad blew up, he would have been just as awful as the rest of them. But since he walked in knowing the truth, it makes sense he's acting differently."

Lemira stared at the serum, her chest tight. "Right. If the sequence of events changes... is he still the same person?"

Janice and Stella exchanged a baffled look. It was a bizarrely philosophical question.

Stella said softly, "Lemira, don't torture yourself over 'what-ifs.' Focus on the reality in front of you, not on things that never happened."

Lemira's heart skipped a heavy beat.