Chapter 4

Olivia's words hit me hard.

She met my bloodshot eyes, her voice soft, almost gentle, which only made it worse.

"It's just a few hits to calm my mom down. She knows when to stop."

There was a time she would fuss over a tiny cut on my finger.

Now, she felt like a stranger.

My fists clenched until my knuckles popped, barely holding back what was building inside me.

I raised my hand and slapped myself again and again. "I'm the one who broke up your family. I'm shameless…"

"Hit him harder! Maybe he'll learn something!"

At Miranda's command, the bodyguards stepped in.

Each blow landed heavy, pain ripping through me like it was breaking me from the inside out. I screamed until my voice gave out.

By the time it stopped, I was already on the ground, my body barely holding together.

Ninety-seven. Ninety-eight. Ninety-nine…

"That's enough." Olivia took a step forward, then stopped when she caught the look from Miranda and pulled back.

Randall walked over, a polite smile on his face that didn't feel real. He pressed his shoe down on my fingers. "If you're apologizing, at least mean it."

Pain shot through my hand. I folded in on myself.

There was a time Olivia made me believe I could hold my head high no matter what. Now, with my mom hanging by a thread, none of that mattered.

I looked at them, hate burning in my eyes, then slowly lowered myself.

"I'm sorry."

Something shifted in Olivia's eyes. She took off her coat and draped it over me. "Get a cab and go to the hospital. I'll make this up to you."

She looked at me for a second, then turned away to deal with the others.

Randall crouched down and waved his phone in front of me, pleased with himself.

The video of me apologizing was already online.

The numbers were climbing fast.

[He'll do anything to move up. That poor kid, having a father like this.]

[He actually showed up to their family dinner and made a scene. Serves him right!]

[They should've gone harder on him!]

-

My phone rang.

"Mr. Brooks, I'm sorry. Your mother saw the video and went into cardiac arrest. She passed away a few minutes ago."

The phone slipped from my hand.

Everything inside me went quiet.

They dragged me out like I meant nothing. From outside, I watched Olivia move through the room, calm and composed, playing her part perfectly.

"Olivia, you won't see me again," I whispered to myself.

-

By the time Olivia got home, she looked worn out. She searched the house, but couldn't find Elliot anywhere.

Then, she noticed the empty bottle of sleeping pills by the trash.

Her heart skipped.

Right then, her phone rang.