Chapter100
I had been too soft.
It was time to fucking change that.
Violet’s POV ·
The words of the Seer gave me some strength. What she said
brought me out of the suffocating fog of grief and disbelief.
You are stronger than you think. You’ve endured more pain
than most, and you’re still standing. Don’t let them break you.
You have the power to reclaim what is yours.
She was right. I invented those bullies. I let those people walk all
over me.
I probably wouldn’t have realized how weak and soft I was if
Asher hadn’t gone missing. He had protected me from
everything for too long. It was my turn to be strong for him
now.
If I had to tear through every lie, every betrayal, and destroy
everything I’d once held dear, so be it.
Chapter 100
I left the garden and went back to the cell. I still didn’t believe
Michael hurt Asher. My brother had no reason to. Maybe Kylie
knew something that she wasn’t telling me.
Kylie was still locked in the cell next to Isaac.
When I came into the cell, Kylie was sitting slumped against the
wall, her eyes dull, her once–pristine hair tangled and unkempt.
She saw me, and her lips curled into a mocking smile.
“Here to slap me more times? My dear sister?” she sneered.
“Whatever you do, I’m not going to change my story for you. I
had nothing else to lose now. Seeing you suffer might be the
only thing that’s still fun.”
“And whose fault is that? You lost everything because of the
decision you made yourself. So stop whining and suck it up!” I
glared at her, hissing.
She scoffed and leaned back against the cold stone wall. “You
really don’t get it, do you? Don’t you see the reason I made all
those decisions? I never wanted to hurt Asher. In fact, I loved
him. But you–you–you take everything from me. Asher’s love,
your father’s attention, the life I could never have. It’s not fair.
Life isn’t fair to me and I can’t even fight against it?”
Chapter100
“You said you loved him but you stood by and did nothing
while he was out there missing!” I snapped, clenching my fists.
“Now tell me who hurt him! Because I’m not buying that
bullshit you told me earlier!”
She sat up straighter, her eyes gleaming with a cold
amusement.
“Oh, Violet, still trying to hold onto that perfect little world you
had? When are you going to accept that people are more
complicated than they seem? Even those ones you think you
know so well can surprise you at some points.”
“What’s your fucking point!”
“I told you. Michael hurt Asher. Yet you are still badgering me.
Are you done now?”
I started trembling. She and Isaac gave me the same answer. But
that was the answer I couldn’t live with.
“Liar! Michael would never. He had no reason to hurt Asher!
He’s family. He’s with us!”
Kylie suddenly burst out laughing, her voice filled with
sarcasm and amusement.
Chapter100
“You never see it, don’t you? Michael’s dark side? Well I guess I
can’t blame you because you are a little princess with a golden
heart. But get this.Michael hates Asher. Ever since they were
kids.”
I froze.
Her words made no fucking sense.
Michael hated Asher? No, that wasn’t possible. That’s the most
ridiculous thing I’d ever heard! Michael had always been a loyal
member, a good brother, the one I could count on. He has no
dark side!
“Bullshit.” I hissed, my breathing coming in rag. “Not everyone
is as fucked up as you. At least not Michael.”
Kylie cut me off with a sharp laugh. “You’re still so naive. You
think Michael was just some perfect angel? WRONG! When we
were kids, when you were busy fawning over your perfect
Asher, Michael was growing more and more resentful. He
hated that Asher got all the attention. He hated that Asher was
better than him in everything. Well I guessed we were the
same in that. The only two monsters in this family. The only
difference is that he hid his evil side even better than I did.”
Chapter100
Her words hit me like a slap, and I felt my knees weaken. I
wanted to tell her to shut up. But my sense told me that I
needed hear this.
Kylie leaned forward, her voice low and venomous. “He was jealous of his strength, his charm, his ability to lead. Do you
remember the hunting trip when we were all about 13? Asher
brought back the biggest kill, and Michael didn’t bring back
anything. I saw the way Michael looked at Asher that night. It
was pure hatred, Violet. Hatred for everything Asher was, and
everything Michael wasn’t.”
