hea

ious face and Ashli's unconscious form. A flicker of indecision,

. She'll be fine." He didn't even look at me when he said it, his words a dismissive slap across my face

scrambling to my side, his eyes filled with genuine concern. He was once my protector, my champion. He was once the only

, the word a soft release of the last vestiges

ife he thought he knew. He remembered the old Althea, the one who would cling, who would beg. The memory of my past desperation, my humiliati

peak, then closing again. He turned and rushed out of the room, A

with a soft click, s

fficiently cleaned the small cuts on my arm from Ashli' s flailing, her touch light and comf

shed, my phone buzzed.

eally needs me right now. You understand, right? For t

followed, almo

in the mountains. We'll both recupe

on. Always the family's reputation. Always the excuse for his cowardice, his cruelty. He was choosing her,

love. He swore he would never betray me, never leave me, never make me cry. He swore those words over Lily'

cked my phone. The screen went dark, swallowing his words, his emp