Page 166 of My Ruthless Neighbor

He left me last night to go to her. He said it was a business dinner. But it doesn’t look like it.

I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that he might have lied to me, or him making a woman smile that isn’t me.

Is he on a date with this woman? Did Archer’s mother set him up with her?

We are not exclusive. But don’t I deserve to know that he’s seeing someone else?

And why is it hurting so bad? I never wanted to grow attached to anyone. Then why did it happen anyway?

My heart is aching. As if my worst nightmare has come true. A fear of losing someone I care about. It’s similar to the pain when I lost my mom.

Mommy?

Why isn’t she waking up? I cough. It’s so hard to breathe. The black smoke clogs my nostrils, my eyes watering. Orange flames are licking at the curtains of the living room window. It’s spreading around slowly, swallowing our home. We need to get out.

Sweat trickles down my forehead and neck as I try to shake mommy awake. “Mommy, please wake up! Don’t leave me!”

She lays unmoving. Her eyes staring at nothing.

I pull my favorite pink handkerchief and wipe the blood off her forehead with trembling fingers. “Mommy, wake up. I am so scared.”

After a few minutes, I feel my eyes drooping. My head feels hazy with the lack of oxygen. With effort, I move and lie down next to her. Resting my head on her chest, I curl my arm around her waist.

“It’s okay if you want to sleep, Mommy.” I cough faintly. “I’ll sleep with you too.”

I don’t know how long I lie there, but a loud bang wakes me up. Through the black smoke, I see men coming in. One man dressed in a uniform grabs me.

“No! Leave me. I want to stay with mommy!” I struggle in his hold but my energy gives out.

When he picks me up and begins walking toward the door. I can’t help the scream that leaves me. “I want to stay with my mommy! She’s hurt! Please!”

“Mommy help me! He is taking me away from you!” I try to bite him. I twist my body to look at her. “Mommy…” my lips tremble, my eyes closing. Don’t leave me.

I don’t realize how much my fingers are trembling until a hand closes on mine.

I lift my head and find Hannah peering at me with concerned eyes as she squeezes my hand.

A lump in my throat preventing me from speaking.

Raleigh’s arm curl around me. I hear him ask me if I was okay.

I don’t answer. I don’t want to be here. I want to leave. I want to hide where no one can find me.

But they won’t leave me until they know I am okay.

Steeling myself against the searing pain in my heart. I curl my lips in a smile. “I am okay. I feel lightheaded because I didn’t eat anything.”

Everyone knows I am lying. But no one says a word. I take a step back. Then another. “I need to go.”

I whirl and run.

What did you do, you stupid girl? Why did you fall in love with him?

Chapter Thirty-Four

The ache in my chest didn’t lessen when I returned to the shoot.

It took one photograph of him with another woman to make me realize that I had fallen in love with Archer.

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