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Chapter 1.

"Aurora!"

"Not again!", I thought, clenching my jaw. Ruby. I heard her voice, but I couldn't bring myself to answer. I was too busy inspecting my new dress in the mirror. It was perfect. I'd ordered it specifically for tonight with Richard. It wasn't our first date, but this one…this one felt different.

"Aurora, where the hell are you? Open the goddamn door!"

Okay, now that snapped me out of it. What was with Ruby's tone? Annoyance flared in my chest. Seriously, what was her problem?

My reflection hardened. Why the venom this time? Ever since Dad threw Mom out for Lydia, Ruby's mother, just for the money, this house had felt like a warzone. Hatred radiated in my direction constantly.

Before I could even gather my thoughts, the door swung open, practically hitting the wall. Ruby stood there, her face a storm cloud. Like I'd personally ruined her day again.

"Didn’t you hear me calling? Why the hell did you ignore me?" she demanded.

I opened my mouth to explain, but she cut me off, a mischievous smile suddenly creeping across her lips. She strolled toward me, her eyes raking over the dress.

"Oh, wow," she said, dragging out the word. "You’re going on a date... with Richard? Really?" She actually laughed, a short, sharp sound that stung. "You're so pathetic, Aurora. You're practically throwing yourself at a guy who doesn't even want you. Seriously, look at yourself."

She grabbed my shoulders, turning me back to the mirror so our reflections were side-by-side. She leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear, which made me feel uncomfortable, and more sad. "What do you see? You're…average. So Ugly and stupid! What could a rich guy like Richard possibly want with someone like you?"

Her words were like a physical blow. My stomach clenched, and I gripped my hands into tight fists. A quiet fury lingered just out of sight, but it felt…useless. I was trapped, held captive by her words and my own insecurities. She was right, I don't deserve Richard.

Her words were biting, sharp and stinging, burning through my skin. "You are useless and ugly..." Ruby paused, her eyes narrowed. "..You're even a virgin. Tell me, what do you know? How would you know how to satisfy a man like Richard?" This time, her words cut deeper than any insult she'd thrown before. I'd always suspected Ruby had a thing for Richard. The way she always flirted with him whenever he comes around to see me, the way she always dismissed me whenever I mentioned him... it was like jealousy was coursing through her veins.

"Ruby, let me go, you're hurting me." My voice trembled. I didn't care what she thought about me and Richard. "I love him, and he loves me too." I snapped back, finally managing to wrench myself free from her grip. The skin on my shoulders throbbed.

Ruby just growled, her face contorted with rage. Then she turned and stormed out, leaving me standing there, shaken and confused.

A few minutes later, a wave of impatience washed over me. Why hadn't Richard called yet? Had he forgotten about our date? Or worse...

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard voices from the living room.

"Ruby, where are you off to?" It was Lydia, Ruby's mom.

"I'll be back, Mum. Don't wait up. I have a date tonight."

A date? A fucking date? The words echoed in my head. I told myself it didn't matter. Ruby's date wasn't with Richard. It couldn't be.

My mood shifted, the earlier anxiety fading, replaced by the familiar surge of excitement. Tonight was the night. I was going on a date with Richard, a date I had secretly vowed to lose my virginity to him on . I haven't told him yet but it would be a surprise.

******

An hour later, I was finally ready. Tonight was the night – my date with Richard. I'd been looking forward to this for weeks! I gave myself another spritz of perfume. Gotta smell good, right? Can’t be caught off guard.

"Oh!" I muttered, remembering something. I'd bought some condoms earlier… just in case. I hurried to my drawer, grabbed the pack, shoved them into my bag, and clicked the door shut behind me.

Right when I thought I’d managed to dodge Ruby's Tantrum Zone, my stepmom suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

""Just where do you think you're off to?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing in irritation.

I took a deep breath. No time for this. Tonight was too important. "I'm going out with Richard. We have a date," I said, forcing a small smile.

I waited for a snide remark, but she just hissed something under her breath – too quiet for me to make out – and walked past. Honestly, sometimes I wondered what her problem was.

Suddenly, a car horn blared outside. My cab! Relief washed over me. I rushed out.

"Good evening, sir!" I greeted the driver cheerfully as I climbed in.

He gave a quick, tight-lipped smile. As we pulled away, I pulled out my phone. No texts. No calls from Richard. A knot of worry tightened in my stomach. I dialed his number. It rang and rang, then went to voicemail. I tried again. Voicemail again.

Panic started to bubble up. I leaned forward, grabbing the driver's attention.

"Please, sir," I said, my voice a little shaky, "can you take me to this address?" I showed him Richard’s address on my phone. Scratch the romantic restaurant; something was clearly wrong.

The driver grunted and shrugged, clearly annoyed. "Ma'am, that's going to cost you extra."

"No problem," I said quickly. "Just… please, just take me there. I don't care about the money."

I was just thinking about Richard. Why isn’t he responding? What could be wrong now... did he skip out on our date again without telling me? He’s pulled that stunt before, but he always said it was because of his work schedule. My thoughts were all over the place, and I couldn’t focus on anything.

Suddenly there was traffic. It's like the whole city decided to stop moving. All of a sudden, a cold shiver ran down my spine. -Richard-  I checked the time on my phone. There, it was the time that was meant for our date. My mind started racing, painting pictures I didn’t want to see. What if he's…with someone else?

Ruby’s voice, that viper Ruby's voice, slithered into my thoughts. "You’re no good for Richard." Just the thought of her words made my stomach clench. My face probably looked like a storm cloud – anger, worry, and… was that fear swirling inside me? I hated that feeling.

"Sir," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "Could you… please take another route? Any route that avoids this mess?" I stammered. Damn it. I was losing it.

"Sure thing, Ma'am, I know a shortcut," the driver replied kindly. He quickly changed course, and I started dialing Richard's number again. Straight to voicemail. Again. Frustrated, I sent him another text, (Where are you? Call me!.) No response. My heart pounded harder with each passing minute.

*******

Finally, we pulled up to Richard's mansion. it was beautiful, and big enough with a well kept landscape. This… this was the house I had always pictured myself in. I imagined evenings spent here with Richard, laughing, building a life together. But right now, all those happy images felt distant, threatened.

I practically jumped out of the car, shoving a few bills towards the driver.

"Ma'am, your change…" he called after me.

"Keep it!" I yelled back, already halfway to the gate. I struggled with the latch and hurried up the long driveway.

The front door was a bit open. That was weird. Richard always locked up. I pushed it open cautiously. "Richard?"

The house was dark, eerily quiet. I felt my way along the wall, searching for the light switch. "Richard? Hello?" My voice echoed in the large hall unanswered.

My pulse quickened. I started towards the hallway that led to his bedroom, each step heavier than the last----Something's not right.

As I approached his room, I picked up on it. A moan. A slow, deep moan. It was Richard's voice. It was deafening… way too loud.