Chapter 3
I gripped the doorframe to keep myself from shaking too obviously.
Caspian’s irritation was written all over his face:]
“Posey, why are you being such a brat? Everyone makes mistakes–where’s your compassion?”
He’d witnessed firsthand how Ruelle and her mother had driven me to attempt suicide.
He used to defend me, even yell at them on my behalf.
What had changed to make him switch sides and start protecting Ruelle?
let the anguish wash over me as I told Caspian, word by word:]
“I could never forgive her, unless she dies.“]
A vein pulsed in Caspian’s temple–the same look he used to get when he’d rage at Ruelle and her mother for my sake.
“Posey Hart! Two years away and you’ve turned into this vindictive monster? Fine, don’t forgive her–but you’re going to apologize to Ruelle! I won’t have people calling my fiancée a petty, poisonous shrew!
“Your mother’s weakness led to her taking her own life. If she had just considered how young you were back then, your father wouldn’t have become a widower and wouldn’t have remarried!“]]
“Stop blaming Ruelle and her mother for your problems. Her mom screwed up, sure, but it wasn’t worth dying over! If you’re going to be as unstable as your mother, then you deserve those nightmares!
He practically spat the word “nightmares.”
The disgust that flashed across his face was impossible to miss.
So the man who’d sworn to protect me forever had finally gotten sick of my trauma.]
In the end, all my pain and suffering had become weapons he could use to again.]
y le all our
The same man who used to tear up just hearing about my nightmares, who used to hold me and promise:] “Posey, I’m here. No nightmare or monster will ever hurt you again“]
He’d loved and cared for me, helped me crawl out of that dark pit–and now he was shoving me right back in.
For Ruelle’s sake, he told me I deserved f
My whole body shook as I lost my grip on the doorframe and staggered backward.]
Caspian caught me just in time, then noticed my swollen, scraped knees.
He immediately crouched down to examine the wounds:
“How did you hurt yourself this badly?”
“Look, forget about apologizing–I’ll do it for you. But you can’t act like this anymore.“]
I yanked my hand away and pointed toward the door, my face ghost white:
“Get out! Both of you, just get out!”]
Caspian knew how fragile I was right now and tried to pull me into a hug to calm me downL
But Ruelle was already in tears, bowing deeply:]
“Posey, I’ll leave right now. Please don’t torture yourself over me anymore.”
With that, she spun around to go but moved too fast, slamming into the doorframe before tumbling sideways.
Caspian immediately released me and lunged forward to catch Ruelle as they both crashed to the floor outside.[]
Even so, Ruelle’s head struck the frame, leaving a red mark that started bleeding.
“Ruelle, does it hurt? I’m getting you to a doctor right now!]
Caspian scrambled to his feet and scooped her up, rushing toward the elevator.
The hallway finally went quiet.]
My heart also sank to rock bottom.
Ten years of love, and we’d ended up as strangers.[]
I pulled out my phone and booked a flight for the day of the wedding.
Seven days left–just enough time to tie up all the loose ends.[]
Caspian was right about one thing you had to move forward.
Starting now, I was cutting myself off completely from the past–both the joy and the pain.]
