Chapter 2

2.

By the time Silas stepped out of the funeral home, the sky had turned a bruised purple.

He looked completely unmoved, his pace steady as if he hadn't just desecrated his wife's remains.

Suddenly, a familiar figure came charging toward him.

It was Sutton Rhodes, my college roommate and my only true friend.

She was breathless, sweat dripping down her forehead, her eyes swollen from crying.

She skidded to a halt when she saw him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Silas narrowed his eyes, his voice dripping with ice.

"What are you doing here, Sutton?"

Sutton gasped for air, her gaze flickering with a million emotions.

"I came to say goodbye to Lennon."

"Goodbye?" Silas let out a mocking snort. "Well, you're too late. She's gone. All of her."

Sutton froze. Her face went deathly pale.

"What do you mean?"

Silas didn't answer. He gave her a look of pure disdain and tried to walk past her.

Sutton's heart sank. She ignored him and bolted inside the funeral home.

She walked right into the sight of a worker with a broom, sweeping gray dust into a plastic dustpan.

"Stop! What are you doing?!"

She lunged forward, grabbing the worker's arm. Her voice was vibrating with horror.

The worker jumped, stuttering in fear.

"This... this is what Mr. Sterling ordered..."

Sutton's fists clenched so hard her knuckles turned white. She spun around and ran back out, grabbing Silas just as he was opening his car door.

"Silas Sterling! Are you even human?!"

"Lennon gave you everything! She loved you more than anyone in this world, and you treat her like trash even now?!"

"Let go!"

Silas violently threw her hand off him. His eyes flashed like daggers.

"Loved me? Give me a break. When she killed Bianca all those years ago, she should have known this day was coming!"

"You're lying!" Sutton's eyes were bloodshot. She spoke through gritted teeth. "Bianca's death wasn't―"

"Shut your mouth!"

Silas didn't let her finish. He shoved her away so hard she hit the pavement.

"Who do you think you are, mentioning Bianca's name? It seems Lennon never taught you any manners. I'll have to do it for her."

With a flick of his wrist, his bodyguards closed in.

Sutton tried to scream, but one of the men grabbed her by the hair and threw her back down.

Then came the insults and the heavy thud of kicks landing against her ribs.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!"

I screamed at Silas, but he was deaf to my voice.

I tried to pull the guards away, but my hands just ghosted through their bodies. I was helpless.

"Silas! Listen to me! Bianca's death wasn't her fault―"

Sutton was still struggling, but a guard silenced her with a brutal slap to the face. Blood instantly leaked from the corner of her mouth.

"Enough! Silas, Sutton is innocent! Let her go!"

I cried out in desperation, but the world moved on without me.

Finally, when Sutton was curled in a ball on the ground, bleeding and bruised, Silas signaled them to stop.

Sutton stared up at him, her eyes burning with a hatred that could melt steel.

She wheezed, her breath shallow.

"You... you will regret this until the day you die..."

"Oh, really?"

Silas tilted his chin up, a cruel smirk on his face.

"I can't wait to see that. I really can't."

"But for now... you should worry about yourself."

He looked at his men with a cold glare.

"Get her out of here. She's an eyesore."

The guards dragged Sutton by her collar like she was a bag of garbage and tossed her onto the curb.

I watched it all, my soul feeling like it was being ripped apart.

Silas got into the car and slammed the door shut.

He was locking away the truth, or so he thought.

As the car started, I caught one last glimpse of Sutton.

She was flat on the ground, her fingers twitching as she tried to crawl up.

My heart felt like it was being put through a meat grinder, but I couldn't even shed a single tear.

Inside the car, Silas leaned against the window, his face a mask of indifference.

But then I saw it. His fingers were trembling.

What was he thinking? Was he starting to feel the weight of it?

Or was he just frustrated that he couldn't hurt me more?

I didn't know.

I only knew that being dead didn't make the pain go away.

Looking at his sharp, handsome profile, I whispered, "Silas... how much longer are you going to hate me?"