Page 46 of The Truth in My Lies (Secrets of Suburbi 1)

The bag from the pharmacy sat on the table between us. A divide we’d never cross.

But if I wanted him to leave, I had to put those pills in my mouth. At least I didn’t have to swallow them. I pulled the bag toward me and took out bottle after bottle. It was an endless supply of ways to cloud my thoughts. Exactly what he wanted. Exactly what Dr. Nash wanted. But it wasn’t what I wanted. Why didn’t my opinion count? Why didn’t I get a say? I wasn’t insane. I didn’t need a custodian.

I'd had one moment of weakness. One instance where I had lost control. That didn’t earn a lifetime of damnation. It didn’t. That’s what hell was for. I deserved to live my life the way I wanted. They were robbing me of that.

I unscrewed the cap to the first bottle and popped two of them in my mouth. Two for depression. I unscrewed the second bottle. Two for anxiety. I drank some water, being careful to keep the pills tucked under my tongue. Bottle after bottle. Paranoia. Nausea medicine to counteract the side effects of all the other pills. Claustrophobia. One to relieve symptoms of OCD. A thyroid problem they couldn’t prove. Way too many pills to hide underneath my tongue. But my husband didn’t take his eyes off me.

I screwed the last cap back on and tossed the bottle into the bag. “Happy?” My words sounded gargled. Damn it.

“Swallow them, Adeline.”

“I have.” Even I could hear the slurred tone of my voice.

He stood up and walked over to me.

I tried to force my throat to make a gulping noise, but failed. My mouth was too full.

He grabbed my jaw and yanked my face up to his. “Now, Adeline.”

I tried to shake my head, but his fingers dug into my jaw.

“Swallow.”

“I…need…water.”

“Now!”

I swallowed a few of the pills dry. They scratched my throat the whole way down. He kept my chin in his grasp.

“All of them.”

Tears bit at the corners of my eyes. One by one, the pills went down. I felt sick to my stomach.

“Stick your tongue out.”

I clenched my jaw shut. Screw him. I'd done what he had asked. And it felt like I had just swallowed poison. My mind was already muddled. The moment stretched on and on.

He pinched my nose closed. “Open your mouth!”

I grabbed his wrist with both my hands to push him off. He responded by putting his free hand around my neck.

I couldn’t breathe.

He tightened his fingers.

“Stop!” I tried to yell, but no sound came out.

He took my opportunity of weakness to pry open my jaw. He shoved me backward when he was satisfied.

My butt slid off the chair and I landed on the ground.

“I wanted a nice afternoon, Adeline.”

“I’m sorry.” It felt like I was still choking. I gasped for air.

“Why do you always have to test my patience?”

“I’m sorry.”

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