Hardy

eyes, wide with disbelief, swiveled from me to Br

inally met mine, burned with a terrifying rage. He took a heavy, shuddering breath, a sound that threatened to

he snarled, his voice a low growl. "You're making a fool of yourself

lmed down," he added, trying to regain som

of whispers and speculatio

s this

ea a home

ung in the air,

d up, red-rimmed and brimming with tears. She clutched the hem of her elaborate w

She pressed a button, and a massive LED screen, previously hidde

ress. "Why are you doing this? We used to be friends. Have you compl

y choked me. Galilea, always the one to steal, to envy, to undermine.

her for the conniving snake she was, wh

od ran

was

lt. The nightmare I had fought so hard to bury, to forget. The one B

s, muffled but distinct, echoed through the speakers: my choked cries, the guttural grunts, the sickening thuds. E

mouths, others turned away in disgust. Harsh whispers, like venomo

r eyes still red. "But you can't just barge into someone's wedding and try to ruin it because you're jealous. We all know how you really go

e loop of my deepest shame. The whisper

ils digging into my palms until they bled. My eyes, wide with

el laughter. I remembered how he had found me, how he had saved me. How he had held me, promising to k

d pro

e to meet my gaze. A flicker of guil

is voice too casual, too dismissive. "Gali

Shared it with his mistress. As gossip. As something to be

the weather. "It came up. It was so long ago. Why are you still so hung up

auma, his entertainment. My very soul, a topic for

mind screamed. He wasn't just a betrayer. He was a monster. The ma

assive screen exploded, showering the crowd with sparks and sh

's rage, cut through the stunned silence. "Who d