Chapter 3

The words on the screen were impossible to miss.

Michael let out a cold laugh.

“What kind of crazy stunt are you pulling now, Linda?

“You made a fake account so you could pretend to be your eighteen-year-old self and send messages to yourself?

“Do you really think this pathetic little role-playing game will get my attention?”

He shoved my head aside.

Then his shoe slammed into the edge of the old tablet.

It skidded across the floor and struck the corner of the wall. Several jagged white cracks spread across the screen.

“I’m not pretending.

“That really is me from ten years ago.”

I gritted my teeth, struggling to explain through the excruciating pain in my foot.

Clutching her stomach, Chloe leaned against Michael’s back and whined, “Michael, do you think there’s something wrong with Linda’s mind?

“She’s even making up ridiculous stories about talking to herself through time.

“Poor thing. Being crippled wasn’t enough. Now she’s lost her mind too.”

The disgust in Michael’s eyes deepened.

He walked over to the glass display case in the corner and smashed its door with one punch.

Then he reached inside and took out the custom ballet shoes covered in tiny diamonds.

My breath stopped.

Those shoes were my life.

“Michael, don’t touch them!”

Dragging my useless legs behind me, I crawled toward him across the glass-covered floor.

Shards dug into my palms.

Michael pulled a metal lighter from his pocket.

It clicked, and a flame sprang to life.

The firelight flickered across his merciless face.

“If you don’t want me to burn them, put your head on the floor and apologize to Chloe right now.

“Do it once, and I’ll spare one shoe.

“I’ll count to three.”

I froze.

I looked at the ballet shoes in his hand, the shoes that carried all my pride and every dream I’d ever had.

Then I looked down at the broken shell of a person I’d become.

Slowly, I bent forward.

My forehead struck the cold marble floor.

“I’m sorry.”

Michael scoffed.

“Too quiet. Chloe can’t hear you.”

I bit down hard on my lip until the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

“I’m sorry, Chloe.

“I was wrong.”

Chloe looked down at me and covered her mouth with a giggle.

“Linda, don’t make it look like I’m bullying you.

“If someone posted this online, people might think I pick on disabled women.

“It’s fine, Michael. Stop making things difficult for her.”

She took the ballet shoes from his hand.

Right in front of me, she tore the silk ribbons off with all her strength.

Then she tossed the ruined shoes into the trash.

“The baby says he doesn’t like old things.

“Michael, will you buy me a new pair tomorrow?”

Michael immediately wrapped an arm around her waist, his expression full of affection.

“Of course. I’ll take you to buy a limited-edition pair tomorrow.

“This garbage was never good enough for you.”

My nails dug deep into my palms.

My entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Then the battered tablet in the corner suddenly chimed.

This time, it wasn’t a text message.

An audio recording began playing automatically.

A bright, youthful voice filled the room.

“Michael, I secretly canceled my flight to Paris!”

“I’m staying to help you build your company. If you ever betray me, I’ll break your legs!”