Chapter 5

Glenna yanked out her phone and flashed a message at Rhea.

[You probably don't know the car crash was Eddie's doing, huh? All for me. Even pretending to care after—that was just to make sure your hearing was wrecked for good. Those meds for your ears? I had him give them to you. You might've had a shot, but not after that. And you really thought you could compete with me?]

Rhea's fists curled tight, nails cutting into her palms. The pain snapped her awake.

She'd taken those meds for a whole year.

Back then, Eddie had quit Bowie Group. He was broke, barely scraping by, but still dropped money on her treatment.

She'd been so moved. Took every dose on time. He even drove her to every checkup.

In the end, she gave in—convinced her ears were done for.

Started easing off the meds.

Whenever Eddie asked, she'd just hold up the leftovers like everything was fine.

She just hadn't wanted to be a burden.

Funny how that choice ended up saving her.

If she'd kept taking those pills, how would she even be hearing now?

Those checkups? Just part of the scam—to prove she'd never get better.

Rhea felt stupid.

Three years she thought were redemption? Just one long setup.

She'd been played from day one.

Her eyes locked on Glenna. Blood dripped from her clenched fist, but the burn in her chest hurt worse.

She snapped. Right there, in front of everyone.

Walked straight up—and slapped Glenna across the face.

Her hearing, her dreams, her whole world died in that crash.

And the person who killed it? Living her dream.

The darling of the stage. The fake piano queen.

Rhea's hands shook with rage.

The slap wasn't even that hard.

But Glenna dropped like she'd been hit by lightning.

A loud thud echoed as Glenna hit the floor, crying out and tumbling off the platform.

Before anyone could even move, Eddie was already there, scooping her up.

Scrapes lined her arm and hand. She leaned into him, eyes misty. "It's my fault. I just told her I wanted to help her get back to her old self, that she could practice with me... Maybe that hit a nerve. I messed up. I'm so sorry..."

She sniffled and handed him her phone.

The message on screen? Total rewrite—just sweet, supportive words for Rhea. Like the venom never happened.

Eddie turned to Rhea, eyes cold.

"Rhea Smith, you're being completely unreasonable! Do you even get how important Glenna's hands are? If she can't play after this, I won't forgive you."

He spoke slow, every word exaggerated so she could read his lips.

Then he shoved her. Hard.

She stumbled back, crashed into the piano.

Her forehead smacked the edge. Sharp pain. Gasp.

Blood dripped down her face. Vision swam.

She looked at the red on her fingers, let out a bitter laugh.

Glenna's hand barely had a scratch.

And Eddie lost his mind over it.

When Rhea lost her hearing, all Eddie cared about was pushing those pills that wrecked any shot she had left.

Love? Yeah, that was never real.

In the beginning, when the silence first hit her, she was drowning—couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.

She even hurt herself.

And Eddie? He acted shattered.

Started staying in every day, trying to cheer her up.

"Rhea, promise me... don't do that again. It kills me to see you like this."

Back then, even a paper cut on her hand had him spiraling.

Now? He couldn't even look at her.

Held another girl in his arms, right in front of her.

Blood kept dripping. People stared, disgust plain on their faces.

Rhea didn't wait. She caught a cab to the hospital.

Asked a night nurse to patch her up.

But she was told every doctor and nurse was in the same room.

Eddie and Glenna's room.

She stood outside the door.

Heard Eddie inside, all worried.

"How's Glenna's hand? It won't mess with her playing, right?"

Glenna's voice, soft and sugary. "Oh, Eddie, I'm fine. Just a scratch. Aren't you going to check on Miss Smith? She looked hurt when we left."

Silence.

Then Eddie finally said, "She brought it on herself. If she hadn't hurt you, none of this would've happened. It's just a surface wound—she'll be fine."

The staff finally stepped out once Glenna's bandages were done.

"Mr. Bowie really spoils his fiancée," one nurse whispered. "Even a paper cut sends him into a frenzy."

Rhea was still at the door.

No one noticed the blood still trailing down her face.

No one saw how pale she'd gone.

A wave of dizziness slammed into her.

She reached out, grabbing a stranger's sleeve just to stay on her feet.