Page 127 of Hawthorne

My bedroom always has a bright and classic vibe, except for today. Magically, it’s matching my mood...The curtains are closed, and it’s dimly lit, giving it a darker atmosphere. As I sweep my eyes over the furniture and the neoclassical decoration, Elizabeth’s words in that wretched letter come up to the surface of my brain...

This will always be your home in more ways than one.

I scoff at the memory. This house seems to be more of a bloody curse than anything else. And I’ll be damned if I spend another night here.

Willing my body to move, I open my bedside table, grabbing everything I can. Most of my clothes and underwear are inside in no more than five minutes. As well as that fucking piece of paper, too.

I should rip it apart.

After I close the luggage and start putting all Primrose’s belongings in a bag, I hear rushed footsteps. My heart stops for a second, but then it resumes its regular work. It’s probably Edgar that has come back to check in on me. Stubborn bastard.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I hear a hushed growl. And it's Edgar.

It can’t be—

“I need to speak to her.” It’s barely audible, but I can still hear it. The fucking nerve.

“Don’t you think you’ve done enough?”

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Now, move.”

“No.”

“Fucking hell. I’m your older brother!” he booms. “For once in your goddamn life, do what you’re–”

A strong cracking sound seems to cut him off. It scares me, provoking a gasp.What was that?

“That’s for hurting her!” Edgar’s angered words confirm my suspicions. “You’re such a tosser, you know that? You’re so high in that chair of yours, worrying about what you’re expected to do that you’re throwing your happiness out the fucking window!”

“Don’t you think I know that?” There is a heavy second of silence between the two as I stand here, unmoving, waiting to see where this is going.

“You found something most of us spend an entire life looking for and can’t find. You wouldn’t need anything else besides this woman by your side, and you just let it slip right through your fingers, mate. That girl right there is such a pure and kind-hearted woman. The best you’ll ever find. It might have been a secret, but you humiliated her out there. And don’t get me started on how you disrespected her.”

Somehow, it’s good to know that I still have a friend in the middle of this—atrue one.

“She doesn’t want to see you. Now, do yourself a fucking favour and leave!”

I swear I can hear Vincent’s body deflate through that loud exhale. I fight the urge to scoff and storm out of the bedroom just to cuss him out. He doesn’t deserve for me to stoop so low. Primrose’s bag is flush to my chest as I emptily look at the door in front of me.

Edgar and Vincent banter and pick on each other a lot, but never like this. This is a full-on fallout, and Edgar is seemingly taking my side.

Finally, he gets the courage to speak in a whisper, “Just so you know, brother, I didn’t have a fucking choice!”

My ass.

The statement finally makes me move. With my hand on the carry-on and Prim’s bag in the other, I stalk to the door, open it, and shock both siblings for a few seconds.

“I just want to exp–”

The door opening abruptly cuts him off, and both startle, looking at me wide-eyed.

“That circus was justification enough. I knew we were doomed from the start. I just wish you’d been man enough to say it to my face instead of hiding behind that witch. The rest of the party might not have known, but right there, you showed her she owns you.”

His eyes dart down, shameful, and it constricts my heart. That action is enough to tell me he agrees with me, and I don’t know if the fact that he realises it settles me or scares me more. Because this man will never—ever—be happy. He’s trapped.

When he looks back at me, his hand reaches out for me as he calls, “Darling, I–”

“You’re not allowed to call me that,” I cut him off with a clipped tone while taking a step back. “From this moment on, my contract is null, and I’ll soon send my resignation letter. I’ll move out and get out of your way.”

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