Chapter 7
My lawyer called to tell me that Victor had requested a meeting. He claimed to have a long–buried secret to share.
I agreed.
The moment I walked into the room, Victor’s face lit up with false hope.
“You’re here,” he said, his voice sickeningly eager.
I sat down, keeping my expression icy.
“You said you had a secret to tell me. Get on with it–I have work to do.”
Victor hesitated, his jaw tightening as he appeared to wrestle with his thoughts. Finally, he exhaled sharply and began.
“Your sister didn’t die in an accident. It was Ruby.”
The words hit me like a thunderclap. My hands clenched into fists as I stared at him, my breath caught in my throat.
My sister and I had been everything to each other after our parents passed away when we were children. Then, five years ago, a car accident took her from me.
“She was Ruby’s teacher,” Victor continued, his tone low and conspiratorial. “Your sister was strict and didn’t tolerate Ruby’s laziness. Ruby hated her for it. That snowy night, she paid some thugs to cut your sister’s brake lines. The car crash didn’t kill her immediately, though. Ruby was so afraid your sister might survive and expose her that she set the car on
fire.”
Victor’s words turned my stomach, but he wasn’t finished.
“Ruby was terrified you’d find out, so she made me get close to you. My job was to destroy any evidence that might lead back to her.”
I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself, the memories flooding back.
21:43 Wed, Dec 25 ■.
4.59%2
fo
I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself, the memories flooding back.
After my sister’s death, I’d been drowning in grief, on the verge of giving up entirely. If not for Victor’s timely appearance in my life, pulling me back with his charm and humor, I might not have survived that time.
But now, I realized it was all a lie. He hadn’t saved me–he’d been part of the plan to
destroy me.
Victor leaned forward, his voice filled with a pathetic sort of hope.
“I’ve told you the truth now. That should make up for what I’ve done, right? I don’t expect forgiveness, but maybe when I get out of here, we can start fresh. I swear I’ll treat you right
this time.”
“Have you no shame?”
The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them, my voice trembling with anger.
“What?” he asked, stunned.
“Have you no shame?” I repeated, louder this time, my fury bubbling over. “I hope you rot
in hell!”
Victor’s betrayal had shattered my life, and now, he had the audacity to absolve himself with a confession and ask for another chance?
“I gave you years of love and loyalty, and you threw it away like it meant nothing!” I shouted, tears streaming down my face. “You think you can crawl back to me because Ruby betrayed you? You think I can’t see through you? You’re disgusting!”
Victor tried to defend himself, his words weak and hollow.
“It wasn’t me–it was all Ruby’s doing!”
I didn’t wait to hear more. I stormed out of the room, leaving him behind.
21:43 Wed, Dec 25 O
