Chapter 2

2

As soon as Minnie moved in, she set her sights on the grand piano in the living room.

She ran her fingers over it, gasping in fake wonder.

"Ria, I can't believe you have this model! I love it so much. Can I try playing it?"

She was asking me, but her eyes were locked on Elias.

Elias patted her head affectionately.

"If you like it, it's yours."

I stared at him, unable to believe what I was hearing.

He had spent three days and nights tracking down that piano for me.

Back then, he told me that I deserved the best and he would find me anything I wanted.

It had only been three years, and he had already forgotten his promise.

Elias couldn't look me in the eye. He pulled me aside.

"Ria, you have plenty of pianos. Just let Minnie have this one. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow."

I didn't argue, which he took as a sign that I was just being moody.

He told Minnie she could have it and then dragged me to a music store.

He bought the first high-end piano the salesperson suggested without asking if I liked it.

He spent the whole time staring at his phone, smiling only when Minnie's name popped up on the screen.

Suddenly, he answered a call, and I could hear Minnie sobbing.

"Elias... does Ria still hate me? I just found razor blades in this piano too! Maybe I should just leave."

Elias panicked, telling her to stay put and that he was coming home right away.

He hung up and turned to me, his face red with rage.

"Ria Vance! You've gone too far this time! If anything happens to Minnie, I'll make sure you rot in a cell!"

He grabbed my wrist and forced me into the car, driving like a madman.

When we got home, Minnie was nowhere to be found.

He made me search the entire property with him.

We finally found her in the garden, being helped along by a random neighbor.

Elias shoved the man aside and grabbed Minnie's hands, his voice trembling with worry.

"Why did you come outside alone? You know your leg is hurt! Let me see your hands."

I had only seen that look of pure desperation on his face once before―when we first started dating.

He carried her inside and demanded that I apologize.

When I refused, he grabbed my hands and forced them onto the piano keys.

"If you won't apologize, then you should feel what she felt!"

"Does it hurt? Tell me, does it hurt?" he screamed.

I bit my lip and didn't make a sound, even as the keys became slick with my blood.

Minnie smirked at me from behind his shoulder.

"Ria, are you ready to say you're sorry now?" Elias asked, his voice softening slightly.

I laughed in his face. "Elias, do you honestly believe I put those blades there?"

He looked confused for a split second. "Who else could it be? You think Minnie did it to herself? You're delusional. I'm so disappointed in you."

He pushed me into the room and slammed the door, locking it from the outside.

"Don't come out until you've cleared your head!"

I collapsed onto the floor, covering my face as I laughed hysterically.

After a while, I wiped my tears and sent a text to Valerie, the person helping me with my exit plan.

"Val, set it up. We're moving the timeline up."