Chapter 3

"I really don't understand. I've made myself perfectly clear. What are you still fixating on?

"Come on, Elliot. Let's go. I'm done wasting my breath on him."

Camille stepped forward, grabbed the man's hand, and turned to leave without so much as a glance back at me.

"Wait, Camille.

"I can't just leave him like this. I'd feel terrible. After all, I'm partly responsible for this whole situation."

The man named Elliot turned and walked over to me, bent down, and helped me to my feet. His eyes were full of guilt.

"Mr. Thorne, I'm so sorry. This is all because of me. Please don't be angry with Camille. Neither of us had a choice."

He kept one hand on my shoulder as though steadying me, while his other hand dug into my injured arm. He never stopped apologizing throughout.

Back at the house, I had thrown up my left arm to block the hot soup Camille had flung at me.

The layers I had been wearing spared me the worst of it, so the burn itself was not too bad. However, when the boy shoved me off the swing, it was my left arm that had hit the ground first.

Now I could barely move it without a searing pain tearing through the entire limb.

Elliot's fingers found that exact spot and squeezed. The pain was blinding.

By the time I registered what I was doing, I had already shoved him away with my right hand. Elliot, perfectly on cue, went tumbling right to Camille's feet.

She dropped to his side immediately, her face panicked, her eyes full of concern. "Elliot, are you okay? Let me take you to the hospital."

Elliot just looked up at her, his expression impossibly tender, the picture of a man who lived to suffer for her. "I'm fine. I'd go through anything for you."

He managed to stand and limped over to me, then bowed his head low. "Mr. Thorne, I'm sorry. This is all my fault.

"I know you're angry. Take it out on me. Not her.

"Camille is innocent in all of this. Please, don't blame her."

When I still said nothing, Camille could not stand it any longer. She stepped forward and shoved me. "Ryland, are you deaf? Can't you hear him talking to you?

"I really can't figure you out. Elliot is younger than you, yet he's ten times the man you are. Don't you have any shame?"

I looked at the two of them, their little performance in perfect sync, and the corner of my mouth twisted.

I was about to say something when Elliot suddenly dropped to his knees in front of me. "Mr. Thorne, I mean every word. I'm truly sorry. Please, try to understand."

I stared down at him, my expression flat. "Then keep at it."

Camille looked at me with fury in her eyes and raised her hand to slap me again.

This time, I caught her wrist.

I held on tight and spoke slowly, every word deliberate.

"What now? What exactly did I do wrong this time?

"All I wanted was to surprise you on our ninth anniversary. And for that, you've slapped me three times?"

Camille faltered. When she recovered, she could not even bring herself to meet my eyes. The words came spilling out. "Of course I know what today is. I was planning a surprise for you too.

"And now you've ruined it. Forget the whole anniversary! Consider this your punishment."

I did not bother with her. I looked instead at the man who had quietly gotten to his feet.

"What happened? I thought you weren't getting up until I forgave you."