Chapter 4

Andrew’s defensive scoff wavered. He tried to force a confident smirk, but it came out crooked and strained.

“Taylor, stop messing with me. You don’t like girls. Besides, you’ve never even been with one.”

Taylor rose from the couch in one fluid, deadly motion. She closed the distance between them, stepping right into Andrew’s personal space until she was staring directly down into his eyes.

“Even if that were true,” Taylor whispered softly, “aren’t you afraid she’ll stop loving you eventually?”

“Hell no,” Andrew sneered without a second of hesitation, his arrogance radiating off him in sickening waves. “Even if she remembers everything, I can just sweet-talk her. She’ll forgive me. She always does. She’s so helplessly in love with me, Taylor, she could never... leave me.”

Hearing those cruel, arrogant words come out of the mouth of the man I had given five years of my life to made it impossible to breathe. The pain in my chest mutated, twisting into a hot, violent fury that burned away my tears.

Taylor stared at her brother for a long, silent moment. The look in her eyes was cold enough to freeze blood.

“Andrew…” Taylor said softly, her voice carrying a promise of utter ruin. “You’re going to regret this.”

Without giving him a chance to reply, Taylor turned on her heel and began making her way toward the stairs.

Panic seized me. I furiously wiped the wet tracks from my cheeks, turned around, and sprinted as quietly and quickly as I could back up the staircase, diving through the door and back into her room.

I will never forgive you, Andrew. Never, I swore to myself, the oath burning into my heart as I scrambled onto the massive bed, pulling the duvet over my body and closing my eyes, pretending to be fast asleep.

A second later, the bedroom door clicked open. Soft, deliberate footsteps crossed the hardwood floor.

“Wow… Sophia, you’re still sleeping?” Taylor’s voice sounded soft, almost tender, hovering near the edge of the bed.

I forced myself to stir slowly, fluttering my eyelids open as if waking up from a deep slumber. I looked up at her. She was standing right beside me, watching me intently.

“You’ve slept for so long, you must be starving,” she murmured, a faint smile touching her lips. “Go downstairs and get something to eat at the dining table. I’m just going to freshen up and meet you down there.”

Before I could answer, she leaned in close. Her lips brushed gently against my cheek, warm and lingering, before she straightened up and walked toward her bathroom.

I sat up, staring at the closed bathroom door while letting out a long, heavy breath.

Andrew, you think I’m weak. You think I’ll crawl back to you, I thought bitterly, throwing off the covers. You have no idea what’s coming.

I walked out of the room and made my way down the grand staircase into the formal dining room. The house was dead quiet. The massive mahogany table was laid out with a spread of delicious, hot food, but the sight of it made my stomach turn. I couldn't eat a single bite.

Instead, my eyes landed on the crystal decanter of heavy amber whiskey sitting on the sideboard, alongside a fine bottle of wine.

I marched over, grabbed a glass, and poured myself a heavy splash of it. I needed the burning sensation. I needed something to numb the sharp, agonising claws tearing at my throat. I just wanted to get drunk to escape the crushing reality of five years of lies, even if it was only for an hour.

I raised the glass and slammed it back in one long gulp.

The harsh liquid burned a trail down my throat, making me gasp as the heat bloomed in my chest.

Andrew… how could you do this to me? Five years… what did I ever do wrong to deserve this?

I poured another glass and downed it instantly.

Then a third. My vision began to blur slightly around the edges, a warm, heavy haze settling over my racing thoughts. The alcohol was finally working, clouding the painful memories, pushing the heartbreak away.

I closed my eyes, leaning heavily against the dining table, resting in the numbing fog.

Ahhh… mmph…

A sharp, wet moan suddenly echoed from the shadowy hallway just outside the dining room doors.

My eyes snapped open, the foggy buzz of the alcohol instantly sharpening as cold horror splashed over my system.

What the fuck is happening? I thought, freezing in place as another muffled, breathless gasp echoed through the quiet room.