�You came to see if I was dead, right?� Stefan coughed twice, his large frame shuddering with the effort. Although he was not as cold and domineering as he usually was, he was still quite distant.

Renee found it annoying.

�Yeah, that�s right. Since you�re alive, you should take revenge on me. If word gets out that you�re hospitalized because you were strangled by a woman, it�ll be very humiliating,� Renee said mockingly as she pulled a chair out and sat beside his bed.

�How can you say that when I�m so weak? You�re merciless.� Although he said so, he didn�t seem overly bothered by it. He pursed his lips and demanded, �I�m hungry. Peel some fruits for me.�

Renee was dumbstruck. �He doesn�t see me as an outsider at all.� However, she had to do it since she was going to ask for his help later.

�How do you know my favorite fruit is kiwi? We must be quite close if you know that much,� Stefan remarked casually as he smiled and ate his kiwi.

�Yes, you�re right. You nearly killed my brother, and I nearly killed you. That must make us close, right?� Renee rolled her eyes and said.

�That�s right, so we�re even now. Can we let bygones be bygones and just move on?�

Stefan suddenly demanded, which reminded Renee of Jovan�s shameless behaviour. It seemed like after Stefan received Jovan�s blood, he inherited some of his characteristics too.

�I nearly broke your neck but you�re forgiving me so easily? Are you still the petty man I knew?� Raising her brows, Renee asked.

�What about you? Do you forgive me?� Stefan asked instead.

But Renee averted her gaze and said nothing.

�Why aren�t you answering my question?� Stefan smiled and urged, �Do you still hate me or have you forgiven me? Tell me.�

Renee looked up and met his gaze. �Is it important?�

�Yes, it is.� Stefan nodded eagerly. Something strange was happening to him these days-it was like Renee had taken over his mind. Sometimes, blurred scenes would flash in his mind, and he knew they were related to Renee. His instincts told him that Renee was important to him, and her attitude towards

him only confirmed it.

"I will give you one last chance. Tell me honestly-did you take off my brother�s oxygen mask?� Renee was no fool. She could guess that the person who did it and engineered Quinton�s accident was not Stefan. She knew he could be ruthless sometimes, but he would never use such wicked means to harm others.

However, the fact that he was willingly taking the blame for it told her that he was probably

trying to protect someone important to him� but Renee hadn�t figured out who it was. All she knew was that him lying to her to protect somebody else made her heart ache.

�Yes, I did,� Stefan answered calmly. Although he wasn�t the one who did it, Seraphina had harmed Quinton because of him. It made Stefan feel that he had to be held responsible for it.

�Okay, so you still don�t want to tell me� Well, I�ll never forgive you for being the killer�s accomplice. You�re even more abominable than them!� Renee choked out and glared at him, her eyes full of disappointment.

Renee�s response did not surprise Stefan, and he scoffed, �Why did you even come to see me if you hate me? You even pretentiously brought so many supplements. It�s hard for me to believe that you�re not here to kill me instead.�

Renee glared at him. �I don�t bully the weak, and I already said that we�re even� but it doesn�t mean I�ve forgiven you.�

�You baffle me�� Stefan leaned back with his eyes closed, letting out a deep breath. �You can pick up where you left off. I won�t resist, and I promise that I�ll die for real this time.� JrNovels.com