Chapter 2

The next day, when the doorbell rang, I'd already packed half my things by myself.

I opened the door to find Talon standing there with a document envelope in his hands, wearing a shy smile.

"Hey, Denver. Professor Walsh asked me to bring over the trial materials."

I didn't move. A chill crawled over my entire body as every emotion I'd forced down last night came surging back.

My grip tightened around the doorknob. For one horrifying moment, I had the uncontrollable urge to wrap my hands around his throat.

Talon seemed to sense something. He shrank back slightly before asking cautiously, "Denver, are you still mad at me?"

Huge tears spilled from his eyes on cue. He looked so remorseful he might drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness at any second.

"I really didn't know something like that would happen... It was all my fault. I was immature. I just wanted to have someone scare you to get back at you. I deserve whatever happens to me..."

I watched his performance coldly, my smile devoid of warmth. "Then why aren't you dead yet?"

The words had barely left my mouth when Audrey hurried out from inside and immediately stepped between us. She frowned at me, her expression dark.

"Denver, I know you don't want to see Talon right now, but this case is unusual, so he had to deliver these materials himself."

When I still didn't respond, she reached for my shoulder, her voice softening. "Talon's been under a lot of pressure lately, too. I'm not asking you to be nice to him, but don't push him anymore.

"He's a victim too, just like you. Once you've had time to calm down, you'll understand."

I silently moved away from her hand and stared at her without expression. I still didn't say a word. The silence between us grew stagnant.

Audrey's expression gradually soured, and impatience quickly crept into her voice. "Forget it. Take some time to yourself. He and I are going into the study."

I looked away with a cold, unsurprised laugh.

After all these years, Audrey still couldn't give me more than a minute to come around. She was always telling me how busy she was, how she refused to waste time on things that didn't matter.

Yet I'd seen her stay up all night helping Talon revise his proposals.

Behind her, Talon had already changed into the pair of slippers kept here just for him, moving around as naturally as if he were in his own home.

Before following Audrey into the study, he glanced back at me. Then the corner of his mouth curled into a taunting smile.

I almost laughed.

'Audrey, you really are blind.'

Anyone paying even the slightest attention could tell something was wrong. So how exactly was I supposed to "understand"?

I went into the bedroom and locked the door behind me.

My conversation with Melanie was still open on my computer. I quickly typed out a message: [Don't revise the divorce agreement from last night. How soon can you send it over?]

Melanie didn't ask any questions.

[Tomorrow.]

I closed the computer.

Before long, laughter drifted from the study down the hall, painfully out of place.

I clenched my hands and forced down every emotion threatening to surface. Then I opened a notebook and began writing down every detail I could remember from the past few days, one by one.

People eventually paid for what they did.

The odds might be against me, but this time, I truly didn't want Audrey to win.

By dusk, I'd only gotten halfway through when a sudden, vicious pain tore through my lower abdomen, as though a hand had reached inside and was ripping me apart.

Ever since that night, my wound had kept reopening.

Cold sweat trickled down my back. The pain was so intense I couldn't make a sound. All I could do was curl in on myself and endure it second by second.

Audrey's voice came through the door. "Is dinner ready? Come eat."

I couldn't answer.

A few seconds passed before she called again. "Denver."

I clutched my stomach and stared at the ceiling, unable to force out a single word.

"Fine. Don't come out, then." Impatience edged her voice. "Talon, come on. Let's go get sushi."

I heard footsteps, followed by the front door opening and closing. Then the house fell silent.

I lay alone in the empty room. I didn't even have the strength to call 911.