Chapter 14
Rosa had lied to them for so long–how could she just go and marry their uncle? Was the wedding even real?”
The same question haunted all three of them.
Ley, Austin, and Aiden kept trying to convince themselves maybe it was all for show–maybe Rosa had roped everyone in for some big act
But no matter how hard they tried to rationalize, they couldn’t unsee that kiss. The way Rosa and Phil clung to each other, the heat between them–it was burned into their memories, impossible to erase!!
Frustration and jealousy twisted inside them, sour and raw. They needed answers, desperately
Why did in hurt so much, watching her marry someone else?:
Why, when they saw her kiss Phil, did every part of them ache with the wish that it was them instead?
As soon as those thoughts took shape, the three of them paused, stunned.
Did they actually like Resa??
ke some bad joke. They kept denying it, over and over, hoping it would disappear if they just pushed it down hard enough
The realization felt ridiculous–like co
But the more they fought it, the louder the truth echoed inside.
And yet, tonight was Rosa and Phil’s wedding night
One of them glanced at his phone. 11:59pm!
Time was up
Right now, anything could be happening between Rosa and Phil.
She was really mamed now. Mamed to someone else
Worse–mamed to their own uncle
None of them slept that night. They lay awake, staring at the ceiling, numb and hollow, lashing out at each other in a silent, desperate attempt to feel something Bruises and blood marked the room, but still not one of them told the others to stop.!!
They couldn’t. They didn’t know how
Eventually, exhaustion dragged them under. They passed out, battered and broken.
When they woke up again, it was on hospital beds
Phil was already there looking down at them with a bored, almost careless expression
“Oh, you’re up? The punishment from Mother was nothing, really,” he said, voice breezy but sharp. “Wh
“Whatever you did to Rosa–don’t worry, you’ll pay for it. One by
He tossed the words their way and headed for the door. But before he left, he looked back, eyes cold and deliberate
“Remember who you are now Next time you see Ross, you butter call her by the right title. Call her wrong, and you’ll be punished again–until it finally sticks.” “And another thing–Abigail is already promised to one of you. Figure out who’s going to marry her
Lens Austin, and Aiden sat there in silence, faces ghostly pale!
Piel was barely older
them, but the power he held was undeniable. They could never measure up
Even now just sitting up in bed was impossible the pain in their bodies sharp and all–consuming like their skin was peeling away from their banes Hopelessness filled the room, thick and suffocating
They were adults–they couldn’t pretend not to notice the love bites at Phil’s collar, or the satisfied look in his eyes
Everything was over The wedding the certificate it was all
The three of them had lost, completely and utterly!
Despair pressed down, suffocating until even breathing felt like a struggle i
Suddenly, the door swung open, and a famihat, comforting scent of perfume drifted in al
“Rosa =” they called out, hope flaring for just a second
But it wari Hosa
it was Abigal. Her smile faltered, freezing on her face, and her hands tightened around the food container she canted
