Chapter 3

I still had rent to pay. Food to buy.

No matter how wrecked I felt, I had to keep going.

Eventually, I landed a job waiting tables at a restaurant.

One night, my manager sent me to check on a private room.

The second I opened the door, I saw them.

My parents. Juliet. Paul. A bunch of relatives.

They were all sitting there, laughing like one big happy family.

And there I was in my uniform, frozen in the doorway with a pitcher of tea.

The room went dead silent.

Mom's face changed first.

Juliet looked up and froze.

Paul recovered a second later and gently put a hand on her shoulder.

I gripped the tray tighter but kept my mouth shut.

Head down, I walked in and refilled their drinks.

Mom lowered her voice.

"Why are you working somewhere like this?"

The relatives started whispering too.

"You went to college. How'd you end up here?"

"Didn't he used to have some office job?"

I stood there, the pitcher hot against my hand.

Their words burned worse.

I turned to leave, but Paul spoke up.

"Noah, have you been stressed out lately? Why don't you sit down and eat with us?

"Come on. Stop being mad at us."

I finally looked at him.

He sat there like he actually cared.

A chill ran through me.

Some people took everything from you, then had the nerve to pity you.

Like somehow, you were the problem.

"I'm working."

Mom jumped in.

"How long are you gonna keep this up? You'd seriously rather wait tables than come home?"

I looked at her.

"Since when is working for a living causing trouble?"

Dad's face hardened.

"Look at yourself. When you're done acting out, come home and stop embarrassing this family."

I let out a short laugh.

"I'm embarrassing you now?

"Then where was that shame when you handed my girlfriend over to Paul?"

The whole room went silent.

Mom's face tightened.

"Do you have to be so hostile?"

"Hostile?" I looked at her. "I'm standing here pouring drinks for you guys. How much nicer do you want me to be?"

Juliet had barely said a word since I walked in.

Then, quietly—

"Noah."

I looked at her.

"Don't say my name."

Her lips parted, but nothing came out.

Paul slowly stood, still wearing that innocent, helpless look.

"Noah, nobody's trying to embarrass you. We're actually worried about you being out there alone. Since we're all here, why don't we sit down and talk this out?"

I stared at him.

"Talk about what? How you got everything?"

His eyes instantly turned red.

"Don't be like that."

"Then how should I be?" I stepped closer. "You're really good at playing the good guy, huh? Go ahead. Tell everyone again how you only married Juliet for me."

A few relatives looked away.

Nobody said a word.

Mom rushed over and grabbed my arm.

"Enough. Haven't you embarrassed us enough?"

I yanked free.

"I'm embarrassing you?

"Since the wedding, did any of you care how humiliated I was?"

I turned to leave.

Then someone gasped behind me.

Paul grabbed his chest and dropped backward.

A glass tipped over, water spilling across the table.

Seconds later, red welts covered his skin, and he was struggling to breathe.

The room exploded.

"Paul!"

Mom screamed and rushed over.

Dad panicked too.

Juliet caught Paul and pulled him against her shoulder.

His face was ghost-white, tears running down his cheeks.

"It's okay. I don't blame him. I really don't blame him..."

That was all it took.

Everyone turned to me.

Because I'd served the food.

I went cold.

"I didn't touch him."

Nobody listened.

Mom stormed over and slapped me across the face.

"Are you seriously not gonna stop until you kill him?"

My head snapped to the side, my ears ringing.

Then the relatives piled on.

"No matter what happened, you don't get to hurt someone."

"What if something happens to him?"

"That's messed up."