Page 38 of Darkest Deception

And the next day.

And the next month.

I avoid her for the whole year until the very last month.

Feeling your own sister fade away as you dismiss her existence just for her protection has to be the worst feeling.

I tried protecting her from those who hurt me.

This party was supposed to be in honour of my school winning the football game. It was supposed to be the party I fought for myself. It was supposed to be the turning point in my life where it was only up from here. I was not expecting to come across part of my sister’s pink dress peeking out from a small cupboard.

Bang.

Bang.

“Help me!”

I only just catch the muffled words through the heavy music, screams, and chatter of the crowd around the Madden estate. My heart drops. Anxiety twists my insides until all I feel is aching terror.

Time stops.

My blood freezes.

And right now, my personal hell on earth is right in front of my eyes.

My worst nightmare has come to life. Aurora is in there. Trapped. And the Madden sisters are laughing and recording as the doors of the cupboard shake with the force Aurora is using to try to open them.

Laughter. Laughter. Fucking laughter is all around.

Rushing forward and pushing people out of my way, I storm right up to them. Grabbing hold of Layla’s phone, I smash it against the nearest wall. It explodes into pieces. I push Gabriella Madden into the pool behind her. Her eyes are wide, and she shrieks as she falls. Grabbing hold of Inara’s hair, I push her to the floor. Her screams and clawing hands are nothing to me.

“How fucking dare you use your dirty hands on Aurora?” I scream in her face.

Her eyes snap open, and she sneers at me, wild and crazed.

A hand on my elbow pushes and tugs at my hand that is in Inara’s hair, but I don’t budge. Not a single muscle.

“Let her go, Ambrose, or this will not—”

I turn around and slap Layla in the face. Her head whips to the side with the force.

“Shut the fuck up!” I snap.

Turning back to Inara, I pull her up and throw her in the pool.

Breathing heavily, I am barely able to keep my shaky hands from slipping off the knobs of the cupboard.

The doors slam open.

And there she is.

Aurora.

Shaking, shivering, with tears in her eyes.

“Ambrose,” she chokes out, her words barely audible.

I tried protecting her. I took the brunt of everything to keep her from getting into trouble or ever having her body damaged. I let myself get ruined so she could stay pretty and happy.

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