Jose waited until Camille's breathing evened out before he picked up the phone. The screen glowed too bright in the dark suite. Another photo. This one hit harder.Elias at seventeen, gaunt but smiling, sitting on the kitchen counter in their old foster house. Rainer's arm slung around his shoulders. Jose stood in the background, laughing at something off-camera. The message underneath was simple.*You chose her over this. Tell me it was worth it.*His thumb hovered. He typed *Fuck you* then deleted it. Typed *Leave us alone* and deleted that too. In the end he just stared until the screen went black.Camille shifted behind him. "Come back to bed.""I'm fine," he lied."You're not." She didn't sound angry. She sounded tired in that way that always made him feel like the difficult one. She sat up, sheets pooling around her waist, and reached for him. Her fingers found the old scar on his ribs. She traced it slowly, like she owned it."Whatever he's sending you," she said quietly, "it's
Last Updated : 2026-05-13 Read more