hapter 9
I grew up as Heather’s foil and messy shadow.
Avoiding Chad’s gaze, I tucked his blanket in, but then my hand froze. The sunken spot under the blanket hit me like a void.
He gave a bitter smile. “Guess I’m out of the game now.”
My head jerked up, my blood rushing to my head.
“Are you insane?” I snapped. “Rebecca was with you. Why did you drive that fast?”
His hand on the blanket shook. He tried to smile, but it wouldn’t come.
“For a second, I thought she was you,” he muttered.
He’d gone to negotiate with Rebecca that day.
After two weeks of madness, his inner demons had nearly broken him. It was shameful, but his parents wanted the baby.
He had lingered at her door, weighing his leverage.
It was his last shot. If he could get Rebecca to leave and even get rid of the baby, he’d be free.
Then he could chase me without worries. But his plan fell apart in a moment.
Rebecca had slipped on the stairs. He had pushed the door open to blood streaking the steps. He had lost it, carrying her to the car
and racing to the hospital.
“All I remember is her screaming for help,” he said, zoning out for a second. “If I’d gotten you to the hospital faster that day and
if I hadn’t left you when you begged me to stay, could we have gone back?”
Subconsciously, he had sped up, forgetting why he’d gone to see Rebecca in the first place. Then her screams and the blood on his
hands had driven him to blow through the red lights.
“That road felt endless,” he added bitterly, closing his eyes in exhaustion.
He didn’t want to relive the crash.
My hands shaking, I pulled out my phone and looked up the news from that day. Photos showed his beloved car, crushed and
burned beyond recognition.
The crash was brutal.
I stood up, suddenly feeling weak, but I forced myself to walk out.
Chad’s voice came from behind me. He sounded hesitant. “Will you visit me again?”
1/2
Chapter 9
I didn’t answer.
+25 Bonus
The gallery opening drew flower baskets stretching dozens of yards.
The unsigned ones stood out, but I knew they were from Chad. Only he called me Gracie.
The staff teased me as they moved the baskets. “Gracie? Someone’s sweet on you.”
Rebecca’s family made headlines. They protested online, demanding payouts from the Caldwells. They milked it for every cent.
I caught updates about Chad. On TV or online, he looked the same, but his reckless spark was hollow.
He was confined to a wheelchair, and his face was a bit pale.
Once, someone yanked off his blanket. An empty pant leg was exposed, and his dignity was stripped bare.
He froze, fumbling to cover up, only to make it worse.
His family compromised, making a deal with Rebecca’s family, and they vanished.
The gallery buzzed with visitors, mostly young women. –
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