, I was Scarlett, the rising star of the culinary world, my hands capable of turning simple ingredients into art. The next, I was just

g traumatized. They used a lot of long words that all meant the same thing: my career was over. The future I had mapped out, a futu

, baby, I

es in a rhythm that was once comforting. He had been my rock through all of this, the perfect, devoted boyfriend. H

filled with what I thought was unwavering love. "Your

hat made sense when nothing else did. He would bring me food, lovingly prepared, and watch with a pained expres

It was about an experimental treatment in a specialized clinic abroad, a new gene therapy that had shown promi

with excitement when he walked in. I showed him

read it slowly, his expression unreadable. "It's experimen

I pleaded. "It's th

"Okay, baby. Okay. I'll look into it. I

ed him. I leaned my head against his chest,

or a glass of water, my steps still unsteady. As I neared the living room, I heard voi

gainst the wall, the cold pl

stupid treatment?" Bethany's voi

ied, his tone weary. "I told her I

n. What if it works? All of

in my throat. P

medication I'm giving her. The doctor said it suppresses nerve regeneration. It's the perfect c

. The little white pills he gave me every night, telling me they

ths. With her out of the way, the top prize is mine. And once I win,

The car crash... the medication... it was all for her. To sec

told me he loved me, had orc

ke a sound. The shock was so profound, it stole the air from my lungs, the t

, hard clarity. I had to leave. I had to get away from them. I would pretend.

es later, I kept my eyes closed, my breathing

feel his presence, a suffocating weight in

by, time for

o had destroyed me while smiling in my face. I summoned every

" I wh

at the pills. They were not for my pain. They were the bars of my cage. The taste was

myself not to gag as he watched

my forehead. The touch of his lips on my skin m

my eyes again. "I'

ng the blanket up to my chin. "I'll

ngle, hot tear escaped my eye and traced a path down my temple. The kiss he had placed on my forehead felt like a brand,