Page 123 of From You to Me

I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. I think the only reason that it was evident to me was because she tried so hard not to let you see that version of her.”

“Maybe. It was mostly the fact that she wasn’t that important in my life so I didn’t really think much of her at all. Let alone the way she acted toward me. I brushed it off as an innocent crush because you were the only one constantly running through my mind at that time. I was worried and scared, more like terrified that I was going to lose you.”

A sad smile lifted my lips. “How funny that we both saw the signs yet were blindsided anyway.”

“Yeah, but we were just kids. I thought I knew everything back then, but now I realize how dumb I was.”

“You weren’t dumb,” I muttered. “In fact, you were too mature for your age. The person who was dumb and childish was actually me, thinking that living in a cotton candy world would save all my problems.”

His laughter vibrated through my back. “But you were so adorable and cute.”

I rolled my eyes. “Only you would think that.”

“I have no other choice.”

I gave him a sharp jab with my elbow to which he coughed, howling as if it really hurt him.

I wheezed out another breath. I really wanted to say it all. I really wanted it all out of me. “So yeah, she got me alone one day mixing up Katy’s schedule, so no one would notice a thing. She was good at that, leaving no trace behind. I could see the fixation in her eyes as soon as she got me alone. She made ridiculousdemands, asking me to leave you, saying the album would only get recorded if I wasn’t in the picture. She had this whole idea in her head. Like she would swoop in as soon as I left.”

CHAPTER 28

JAY

My heart hurt as I listened to her spell out all the shit that she went through because of me.

And the guilt seized my gut.

Guilt that I couldn’t see it.

Guilt that somehow it was all my fault.

If Cece hadn’t been fixated on me, then none of this would’ve ever happened.

“She made all these plans, like after I left, she’d become your best friend and then your lover, and within a year, she was sure you would be engaged.” Her voice became hoarser as she continued. It only made the pain in my heart thunder.

“She even said that you were only with me because you were blinded by lust. I didn’t know what to do other than to sit there and listen to her. It only made me mad as hell. She concluded that I had no other choice if the album was ever going to see the light of day. I obviously told her to fuck off and stormed out of there. But even then, I was scared about what she might do.”

I swallowed the anger that was climbing up my throat with every fleeting second.

“I tried not to think about it over the next week. And I also didn’t want to tell you because that scared me too. Then shit hit the roof. I knew she was the one behind it all. First, they delayedyour recording, and a week later, they denied the album. And she was there with you all, acting like a victim, and I couldn’t do a single thing about it. That night, you looked so lost, almost as if all the life had been drained out of you, and that was when it dawned on me that I could never live with myself if I didn’t do what it took to make your dream come to life.” Her voice cracked as her eyes glittered with unshed tears.

I pressed a soft kiss on the side of her head. “I’ve only ever wanted you, and I’ll only ever want you. That is something that will never change.”

She gave me a soft smile as she nodded. “So I went to her house the next day, confident that I could do this for you. I couldn’t, though. I broke down, begging her to change her mind. But nothing worked, and I had to turn it all off to go through with it. She made me sign a contract, and I told her I needed six months to leave you because honestly, I had no idea what I was doing, but mostly it was because I wanted to spend more time with you before I left. Initially, she denied it, but then agreed, saying that it would be a great opportunity for her to make you hate me.” She sniffled.

I didn’t know what to say as I held her. Even seeing my girl stumble and hit her head made my heart ache, but listening to all that she went through felt like a thousand burning arrows were digging deeper and deeper into my chest. I let it all fuel me. I can’t wait to bring that fucking bitch down for playing with my girl.

“Then it started.” A sob broke through her. “She would send instructions, telling me how to act, how to dress. I hated it. I hated it so fucking much. She would mock me and taunt me when no one was looking. She was careful every single time. She kept you guys so busy that no one suspected a thing.”

I breathed out a heavy breath. The pain only heightened with each of her cries. I felt helpless and destroyed. I think this was something I would regret till the day I died.

“She would instigate every single one of our fights. Do you remember the fight we had by the pool because of Will?”

I nodded stiffly.

“That was all her. Even after that when we were picking our dress for the event. She made me do all that. I was so lost. I didn’t know what to do. She told me to drink, and I did. It kind of helped, kept my mind muddled because I hated doing all of that to you. I hated hurting you, lying to you, acting like I didn’t want you anymore. I didn’t know what to do. Everything in me died the day I left you, Jay. I was barely surviving; I couldn’t even eat or get out of my bed. But Auntie M pulled me out of it.” She rubbed the wetness crowding out of her eyes, running down in streams.

“But then she died on me when she promised that she’d always be there for me. Then I was all alone again. Everyone I loved disappeared from my life,” she sobbed.

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