Page 91 of Relentless

Her hands were throbbing with painful bruises from her assault on the door, but that didn’t stop her from twisting the cap free.

The last few pills clattered around in the plastic container. Her hands shook as she poured them into her palm, causing the smooth capsules to spill onto the floor. Harper swore as she swept her hand across the hardwood, picking up each one as though it were a sacred object. She crossed her legs, propping her back against the bed, attempting to pick away the stray dirt and fuzz.

What does it matter?

Without a second thought, she dropped them into her mouth and washed them down with another long swig fromthe flask. Running her thumb across her lips, she waited for her feelings to disappear into the haze.

“What’s going to happen to me?” she mumbled.

Propping her cheek on her palm, she took another long drag from the bottle.

“I suppose I’ll just disappear like Maeve,” she scoffed, her lips stumbling. She considered the large ranch house, the property, Maeve’s community, and illustrious reputation. In her estimation, Maeve had done it allwrong,yet still had everything that Harper felt entitled to — including the respect of her own daughter.

What’s so special about her?

In the jumbled stream of thoughts running through her mind, Harper thought about Maeve’s letters.

Clambering to her feet, she steadied herself on the edge of the bed until she found her footing. She staggered to the door, holding onto the doorframe until the stubborn room stopped spinning. Swaying down the hall as though on a vessel at sea, she finally arrived at the double doors leading to Maeve’s room.

“The queen’s chambers,” Harper muttered. She pushed the doors hard, causing them to swing open and crack against the wall. Going straight for the nightstand, she yanked the drawer onto the floor, spilling its contents.

Her eyes landed on the prize she was looking for, the large bundle of letters held together by a rubber band. Tucking them under her arm, she stumbled back to her room. Shecast the stack into the air, watching with satisfaction at the envelopes raining down like falling leaves onto her bedspread.

Rifling through them, Harper eyed an envelope addressed to their family home. Her eyes widened when she recognized her mother’s handwriting scrawled across the front.

Refused.

Return to Sender.

She ripped it open and laid haphazardly across the bed. Unfolding the letter, her eyes flitted down the page.

“No wonder Mom sent this back,” she scoffed. “Ruth this — Ruth that,” Harper rolled her eyes. “Sounds like someone else I know.” Considering how Oakleigh had propped Maeve high on a pedestal caused her teeth to clench.

Flipping the page over, another folded letter came loose. She snatched up the yellowed paper and unfurled it, her eyes landing on her name scrawled in Maeve’s handwriting.

Harp,

I want you to know that I forgive you for everything. I spoke to Ruth, and she said there’s plenty of room for you. Please, think about it.

Love, Maeve

“You forgiveme?”Harper spat, her eyes going wide at the very suggestion.

Harper racked her ever-foggy mind. She had rewritten her history so many times, that she could hardly remember the actual events over her own spun fiction.

Maeve owes me an apology.

Harper’s allowed her heavy eyelids to close shut, her lips mumbling her dwindling conscious thoughts.

“Youabandonedme —”

Chapter 25

Over the Moon

Harper

Harper Underwood watched the hypnotic rhythm of her ceiling fan spinning above her. In the blink of an eye, life had changed.

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