Page 73 of Ruthless Lullaby

Alexis just smirks, seemingly unaffected by anything I told her earlier. "Maybe I am a monster, Mindy. But at least I'm not a hypocrite like you. At least I'm honest about my actions instead of pretending to be a saint while selling myself to shady characters in NYC High." She leans in close, her breath hot and sour against my face. "Face it, Mindy. You're no better than me. You're just better at hiding it. We both know you sell your pussy to mobsters."

With that, she turns on her heel and stalks off down the corridor, leaving me alone with my thoughts and a sickening realization. A realization that maybe, just maybe... she's right.

Because as much as I want to believe that I'm doing all of this for the right reasons, that I'm just trying to take care ofmy family and keep my mother alive... I know there's a part of me that's drawn to the thrill of the forbidden. Especially if thatforbiddenis called Maron Korolev.

But right now, that doesn't matter.

I watch Alexis storm off, her venomous words still ringing in my ears. For many moments, I can't move. I can't even breathe. How is it that my sister always knows exactly what to say to make me feel even more guilty, to twist a knife in me where it hurts the most?

I lean against the wall, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure it’s audible from two rooms away. I know I can't go back to Mom like this. I can't let her see how shaken I am. So, I take some deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself down. I focus on the steady beep of the machines coming from the hospital rooms and the distant chatter of the nurses. Anything to ground me in the present moment.

After a few minutes, I feel a bit more composed. I straighten my shoulders, plaster a smile on my face, and make my way back to Mom's room.

"Did the nurse do her checks, Mom?" I ask, trying to keep my voice light and cheerful.

Mom nods, but I can see unease in her eyes. "Yes, sweetheart. But what was that with Alexis? Is everything alright between you two?"

I swallow hard, fighting back the tears that have been threatening to spill over ever since my sister arrived. "Nothing serious, Mom," I say, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just a little sibling battle. You know how it is."

"And where is she now?" Mom asks.

I clear my throat. "She… well, she had to leave. I'm sure she'll be back later."

The lie nearly hurts physically, but I can't bear to add to my mother’s stress right now. She has enough on her plate and the last thing she needs is to worry about our messed-up family dynamics.

I walk over to her and lean down, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "Get some rest, Mom. You'll need your strength for the next treatment. I'll check back tomorrow, okay?"

She nods, her eyelids already drooping with exhaustion. "Alright, sweetheart. Thank you for being here, for everything you do for me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I have to blink back the tears that still sting my eyes. Just a few more minutes, and I can cry in the car. "I love you, Mom. More than anything in this world."

"I love you too, Mindy. Always and forever."

With one last squeeze of her hand, I turn, and make my way out of the room, my heart heavy with the weight of all the secrets and lies that are piling up around me. As I walk through the hospital corridor, I can't shake the feeling that things are starting to spiral out of control. My sister's drug addiction, my mother's illness, my own entanglement with Maron, and his possibly dangerous world... It's all too much, too fast.

And I don't know how much longer I can keep juggling all these balls before they come crashing down on me.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Mindy

Finally.

Home sweet home.

I shut the door behind me and kick off my shoes. I’m still feeling drained from the crazy showdown with Alexis and I know it’s not going away any time soon. After leaving the hospital, I cried in the car for about twenty minutes straight. I’m probably going to do some more crying later. Emotionally exhausted is an understatement for how I'm feeling right now.

As soon as I make my way into the living room, I see Betty with a look of deep concern on her face. She takes one glance at me and frowns, her forehead scrunching up.

"What the heck happened, Mindy?" she asks. "You look like you saw a ghost."

I shake my head, trying to avoid reliving the drama with my sister. "Just the usual story with Alexis… nothing you haven’t heard before." I let out a sigh. "But at least Mom is doing better. Her new treatment seems to be working."

"Thank goodness!" Betty smiles. "Looks like it was a good idea to take that New York High gig, after all, huh?"

I give a silent nod. She has no idea that the latest treatments are paid for by Maron and not NYC High. It’s probably best to keep it that way.

I walk into the living room and sink into the couch, the weight of the day dragging me down between the cushions. Family drama always makes me feel like crap and leaves me totally exhausted. I close my eyes for a moment, trying to center myself.

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