Chapter 6

When I stormed into the apartment, Dylan and Summer were at the dining table.

Without a word, I raised the knife and aimed straight at Summer!

She shrieked in terror and scrambled out of the way.

My wrist was instantly caught in Dylan's iron grip, his face twisted in absolute, blinding fury.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

I whipped out my phone, shoved the photo right into his face, and ground out through clenched teeth.

"Your precious little angel ran over and crushed my cat to death! Look at the tire tracks, it was completely deliberate!

"I didn't want to keep fighting over the past, but I drew the line at this!"

Summer's eyes turned red and watery as her voice trembled.

"I—I wasn't trying to! I paid money for it, I'm so sorry, Eleanor..."

"An apology doesn't bring it back! Summer, haven't I suffered enough these past three years? Why couldn't you even spare a cat? Are you even human?!"

I screamed at the top of my lungs, half out of my mind, wishing I could just carve her up right then and there.

Dylan furrowed his brows. "It's just an animal. Why are you making such a massive deal out of this?

"Summer already apologized and offered compensation. At least she has more decency than you!

"You still haven't apologized or owned up to what you did three years ago!"

"I told you a million times, I never stole her spot! Are you completely deaf?!"

I snapped, letting out a raw, desperate roar as three years of pent-up grievance flooded backward like a tidal wave.

"I’m your actual sister! Why is it so impossible for you to believe me?!

"Would you finally be happy if I dropped dead right this second?!"

Watching my unhinged, frantic state, Dylan looked at me with cold disappointment.

"You’re completely out of your mind."

Suddenly, Summer scurried over, wrapping her hands around mine with a sickeningly fragile, pitiful expression.

"Eleanor, I was wrong. I really didn't mean to. What can I do to make you forgive me—"

"Crack!"

Before she could finish, I whipped my hand across her face in a vicious slap.

She froze in place, clutching her cheek in sheer disbelief.

Seeing me strike her, Dylan's gaze turned glacial.

"Looks like you haven't learned a single lesson in three years."

With that, he returned the exact same slap to my face on Summer's behalf.

The blow knocked my head sideways, leaving my ear ringing with a loud, hollow hum.

He stared down at his own hand, a flicker of regret crossing his features as he spat out, "You forced my hand!"

Though that slap landed on my cheek, it shattered whatever was left of my heart.

Dylan had officially severed the last remaining thread of our already broken family.

If there was a shred of hatred left in me before, it was all gone now.

I swallowed hard, forcing down the warm metallic taste of blood rising in my throat, and gave a cold, mocking laugh.

"Go ahead and celebrate. You got your wish."

Wiping a stray drop of blood from my face, I turned and walked away.

"Celebrate what?! Get back here and finish what you're saying!"

When I didn't stop, he lunged forward to grab me, but I whipped around and hurled my shattered phone straight at him.

"Back off!"

Dylan stood frozen in his tracks, looking somewhat stunned and lost as he stared at my retreating back, making no move to chase me down again.

Once I made it out of the building, I headed straight for the pedestrian overpass, climbing the steps until I reached the highest point.

Looking down at the endless, rushing streams of traffic below, a heavy, unshakeable peace settled over me.

I was finally going to be free.

…

That night was destined to be filled with chaos.

Barely minutes after I left, the broken phone left behind on the floor started ringing.

Glancing down at the cracked screen, Dylan automatically reached down and answered the call.

The voice on the other end belonged to Mr. Cole, sounding deeply annoyed.

"Miss Mitchell, you've pushed back another day. I’ve let this go on for this long only because of your lung cancer diagnosis.

"But I can't hold that plot for you anymore. Someone else just came in and paid for it in full."