Chapter 3

03

Back at the apartment, I flicked on the lights with shaking hands.

The empty rooms felt both strange and suffocatingly familiar.

I crawled into bed and sent Caden two texts.

"I was at the pier when you proposed tonight."

"Also, you didn't hang up the phone."

I fell into a deep sleep immediately; I was simply too drained to care anymore.

In the moment the car hit me, I think I actually felt a sense of relief.

I was woken up by the sharp, stinging smell of alcohol.

To my surprise, Caden was sitting on the edge of my bed.

I couldn't remember the last time he had actually come home.

I used to beg him to stay, telling him how much I missed him, but he always said he was too busy.

I hadn't even asked him to come back yesterday, yet here he was.

But when I looked at him, he couldn't even meet my gaze.

"Listen, I didn't mean it like that. You know my father would never let me marry you. I've only known her for three months..."

I just nodded along, expressionless.

My silence seemed to make him even more nervous. "I know I messed up..."

A loud, aggressive knocking at the door cut him off.

"Go open it," I said.

Caden froze, looking annoyed at the interruption. "I'm not finished speaking―"

When he didn't move, I threw off the covers and walked to the door myself.

I was shocked by who was standing there.

Caden's new fiancée was standing in the hallway with a group of thugs.

"There she is! The little tramp trying to steal my man! Give her a lesson she won't forget!"

Before I could speak, they swarmed me.

I felt someone yank my hair, a sharp pain exploding across my scalp.

Fists started flying, hitting me from every direction.

I instinctively screamed Caden's name, but there was no response.

"Still calling for my man? You shameless bitch!" Someone spat in my face.

Lydia grabbed my chin and forced me to look up.

I saw Caden cowering in the corner next to her, a tiny flicker of guilt in his eyes.

My heart felt heavy and hollow all at once.

"Baby, who do you love more? Me or her?" Lydia cooed, grabbing Caden's hand.

"You, of course," he stammered.

"Then do it," Lydia said, her voice turning cruel.

She swung Caden's hand toward me.

A second later, his palm slammed into my face. The sting was agonizing.

"That's my man," she bragged, looking triumphant.

Then she got a new idea.

"I heard she's a designer. Let's break her hands so she can never work again."

A chill ran down my spine.

As the thugs grabbed my wrists, I felt a deep, dark despair.

"Caden! You're a monster!" I screamed.

He finally seemed to snap out of his trance and spoke up.

"Lydia, don't waste your time on this trash. I had a momentary lapse in judgment. I promise I'm done with her."

I knew he wasn't lying. To him, I was already nothing.

Lydia seemed satisfied by his submissive tone.

"I knew you loved me best. Fine, let's go shopping!"

She waved her hand, and the thugs dropped me like a sack of potatoes.

Their voices faded as they walked out of the apartment together.

I felt something warm spreading across my face. I touched it and saw blood.

The pain finally hit me with full force, and I used the last of my strength to call Finn Vance.