Chapter 66: Throwing It All Away

"Yuki!" Trisha and Tina both yelled out at the same time as they watched in horror. Blood trailed through the air as Yuki fell to the ground. 

When Yuki saw Trisha being shot and her body falling to the ground, the image of Mary dying in her arms flashed in her mind, and without caring for her own safety, Yuki had run forward. She only felt her head being hit by something and everything going dark after that. Before she lost consciousness, she could hear Trisha's and Tina's cries.

"No! No! Yuki can't do this to me! I finally found someone who understands me for me and loves me for who I am. I can't lose you!" Tears trailed down Trisha's cheeks, and she pulled Yuki into her arms and out of the line of fire. She pressed her hand on the spot where Yuki was shot. Just now, she saw Yuki running towards her and then the sound of gunfire,e the next thing she saw was Yuki's hat flying off her head and a spray of blood. "Yuki… Please… Don't die on me..."

Tina was shaking like a leaf as she ducked next to Trisha and Yuki and pulled out her phone.  She fumbled with her fingers as she tried to call for help. "Emergency Line, what's your emergency? "

"This is officer Watts, Badge number 187232873. There has been a shooting at b district on 7th  street outside the Goodmorning Breakfast House. We have multiple shots fired, one person down that needs immediate aid. Shooter's target was Princess Trisha Evergreen." Tina's whole body was shaking. She looked at her new daughter, whose head would not stop bleeding, and at Trisha, who was doing whatever she could to try to stop the bleeding.  Tina knew if things went on like this, Yuki would bleed to death. 

"Help will be there in one minute." The emergency operator did not waste any time dispatching people to the scene. 

Tina did not wait for the operator to say more before hanging up. She took the hem of her shirt and ripped it into a strip before balling it up, pushing Trisha's hand out of the way and pressing it on the hole in Yuki's head. "Trisha, I need you to calm down. Help is on the way. So please take deep breaths and work with me here, okay? Keep her held up like you are, do not let her lie down. We need to keep the flow of blood as slow as possible until the ambulance arrives."

Trisha did not speak, she used her actions as she propped Yuki up more in her embrace so that she was sitting up. 

An ambulance soon arrived. Trisha refused to leave Yuki's side, so Tina and her both took the ambulance to the hospital, where Yuki was rushed into surgery. When Yuki left Trisha's sight, Trisha completely broke down. "It's my fault!"

Tina pulled Trisha into a hug and patted the crying girl's back. "It's not your fault. You did not ask to be shot at. So do not blame yourself for this."

"But! They were after me! I was their target. If I was not with Yuki, she wouldn't be…." Trisha couldn't even finish her sentence. She hated herself so much that she wanted to kill herself at this time. If Yuki were to die because of this, she would take her own life just so he can be with Yuki. 

Tina did not know what to say. She could only rub the girl's back and let her cry out all her tears. But there were some people who did not wish to let Trisha cry. A voice with a bit of anger in it came from behind Tina. "Princess, I need you to come with me. You need to return to the palace."

Trisha heard this voice causing her body to shiver. She raised her head and pushed out of Tina's embrace. A flash of anger rose up within her. Her eyes turned cold as she looked at the old woman and said one word. "No."

"You! You dare say no to an order from the Evergreen family? Do you wish to lose your name and status!? You will come back with me right now. Your father the King has ordered it." The old woman's face instantly turned red with anger. She looked at Trisha as if she was nothing but an ant. She hated this unwanted princess the most. Because of her, she had to do these meaningless tasks! She had actually wished this stupid princess had gotten killed just now.

"I think you have something wrong with your ears. I said no. I do not care for my family name or princess, whatever title. I will not leave to go anywhere. I will stay by Yuki's side. If the Evergreen family wishes to disown me, then so be it. But my life, my being, now revolves around Yuki and belongs to her and only her. Go back and tell the one who sent you that I will be leaving the Evergreen family." Trisha said firmly and without hesitation. These were words she had always wanted to say but never had the guts to. But now, she had a reason to say them. If Yuki survived this, no matter what Yuki's life turns out to be. Trisha will stay by Yuki's side. 

"Do you even know the meaning of these words!? You will lose all the support the evergreen family was giving you! This means school, your home, everything, all of it will be taken back!" The old woman yelled in anger.

"Then so be it." Trisha pulled out a set of keys and a card and tossed them at the old woman's feet.  "Take them and leave. From this day forward, I will no longer be an Evergreen." 

Tina was shocked by Trisha's action. But she knew if Trisha did this, she would truly lose everything. "Trisha, are you sure you want to do this? If you do, you will..."

"Yes… Yuki has brought the light back into my dark, gloomy life. She has allowed me to not feel the loneliness I was enduring for so many years. Yuki is more important to me than my own life. If my life can be exchanged right now to save Yuki, I would gladly hand it over. I will not return to the Evergreen family and abandon Yuki when she needs me the most. I am willing to throw away titles and everything else away, just for Yuki."