Page 23 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

“Give me the money.” He gave me an intimidating stare.

“I don’t have any money on me. Grow up, Ryan.”

“I want it now!” he snapped.

I flinched, scared he might hit me.

I was boiling red right now. I might end up doing something crazy.

“You forgot to tie your shoelace,” I told him with a firm smile.

I grabbed the flower vase next to the bookshelf and knocked him out when he looked down. I stared at his unconscious form for a long second, still shocked by what I had just done. I checked his pulse if he was still alive. I sighed in relief when I felt his heartbeat.

I took a glance at the wall clock. Vina would be home any minute. I swallowed nervously, not sure of what to do next. I grabbed both of his shoulders and dragged his heavy body to my room. I took him all the way to my closet.

I got a rope from one of my dresses and duct tape from Vina’s room. I grabbed one chair and pulled his body all the way up to a sitting position. I sat on the floor, panting, when I was done. He was freaking heavy. I stood up after getting enough rest. I tied him to the chair and taped his mouth and hands.

“I’m so sorry,” I said and left the closet.

8

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Changes

THREE YEARS AGO

Two weeks had gone by, and I refused to leave the room or get a view of the outside world. The room was dark with no glimpse of sunlight peeking through the drapes, and it made me wonder what time it was. I lay on the bed in my panties and a loose T-shirt. My breasts were tender, and it was hard to sleep on my stomach. Each passing day, hour, minute, and second got lonelier and excruciating. I felt like I was trapped in a dark hole with no way to get out. Some days, I was tempted to fill the tub and stay under till my soul left my body.

I’d only spoken once to Belvina and Adrian this week. I didn’t know where I had dropped my phone after our conversation, I’d tried my best to sound happy and faked my laughter.

My body felt numb. I sighed and grabbed the soda cup next to me and spat inside. I could feel the weight of my spit. I felt like shit and sure looked like it.

I took a glance at the room. It was a dump. The boxes of pizza and empty packets of junk food I’d ordered littered every surface. If my mom saw me right now, she’d be proud of disowning me.

It suddenly hit me that I hadn’t heard from any of them. Adrian had told me they got a lawsuit settlement of two million dollars. They were probably too busy enjoying it to care about their worthless daughter who couldn’t figure out her shit and who was a gigantic mess. I didn’t care about the money; I just wanted the pain to stop and the memories to go away.

I had been avoiding the truth. I hadn’t looked in the mirror or acknowledged the changes. It was better this way. I could lie here and die alone and be forgotten. No one would care; no one would remember me. I was a worthless piece of nobody that everyone could use and toss away like the peel of a banana.

I tried not to cry. I doubted there were any tears left due to the countless times I’d wet my pillows, crying. The migraine I’d had two days ago almost drove me crazy, and I ended up sleeping under the bed for some weird reason. My medication was finished, and my goal right now was to avoid another migraine—that meant no crying.

I just wanted it to stop. That was all I was asking for.

Maybe some alcohol would help. I should order a big bottle of vodka and drown the memories and pain away. Or was there a place to buy drugs that would numb away the pain? I needed something, anything.

“I hate you. I hate you so much,” I whimpered, but my heart knew the truth.

I cursed as my bladder begged for another relief. I stood up and ran to the bathroom, stepping on a cookie wrapper on my way inside. I buried my face in my palms as I peed.

“What are you doing, Chloe?” I groaned at myself.

I wished it were easy to move on, but it seemed impossible for me. I was too broken, too ruined, and too weak to heal. I had planned to move away and give myself the chance to heal from what had happened, but everything had gone downhill when the result came out positive.

I didn’t want to give the Sanchesters the joy that they’d destroyed me, that they had taken everything away from me, and now, I was left with nothing, not even my sanity or my heart. He never cared. It was never real, and now, I had to shamelessly pick up the pieces of what was left of me.

I’d spent two weeks wallowing in my misery and giving up on living. I should be having the time of my life, relaxing on the beach and taking walks down the beautiful streets. It wasn’t the end of the world. I shouldn’t give them the satisfaction of breaking me. I could figure this out. I would be fine on my own. I didn’t need anyone. Their backstabbing and deceitful asses could go to hell. I got this.

I walked slowly to the mirror with my eyes closed after flushing. I stopped when I touched the counter. I took a deep breath before opening my eyes. The person staring at me was beyond recognition. Her eyes were dulled with sadness, pale and dead. Her hair looked like she had gotten electrocuted, and she had gained some weight. She looked homeless, deranged, and lost.

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