“She’s been incredibly volatile. Are you sure you want to go in alone?”
“I can handle her,” I say.“I’ve been handling her for the past twenty-something years.”
I am led down to the visitation room. When Valeria’s eyes land on me, she instantly throws herself against the glass partition separating us.
“Is this how you treat me?” I ask through the little intercom speaker as I take a seat on the metal chair.“I got you that room upgrade, Valeria.”
She sneers.
“You’re the fucking reason I’m in here in the first place!”
Even at her absolute worst, she is still beautiful. Her hair has grown out quickly, the dark roots showing through the bleached blonde, the length spilling all the way to her knees. But without access to Botox and fillers, her features have softened. Looking angelic.
“Don’t blame me,” I say.“It was your choice to marry him.”
Where the hell is this backbone coming from?
Valeria’s eyes track me from head to toe.
“Covered in jewels, I see,” she spits.“Enjoying my husband, Maya? Enjoying the life you stole from me?”
I slowly shake my head.
Anger consumes me at the word stole.
He was never hers.
“We both know he only married you to get closer to me, Valeria.”
Valeria stands up, slamming both palms against the glass and screaming obscenities at me.
Down the hall, the security guards move to cut the session short.
I raise a hand toward them, my eyes never leaving my sister.
“I’ve got this.”
I watch her crash out until she completely runs out of fuel.
Why the hell did I ever let her intimidate me? She looks so incredibly small behind that glass. And despite the ugly urge Ifelt earlier to put her down the exact way she’s put me down my entire life… my compassion ultimately wins.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper into the mic.
Valeria wipes a string of saliva from her cracked lips.
“I know you’ve fucked him, Maya. You walked in here with his marks all over you. Like an absolute slut.”
The new voice inside my head—the one Graham planted there—screams at me to fight back.
“Yes, I did,” I say, lifting my chin.“And he’s really good in bed, Valeria. Not that you would know anything about that. He never touched you, did he?”
Valeria’s face turns ghostly pale.
“Your own husband wouldn’t share your bed,” I press on.“He was too busy looking at your sister instead. Fantasizing about me. Like you were absolutely nothing.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, I clap a hand over my lips. It feels like the literal fires of hell are licking at my soul. I am going to hell for this.
“I’m sorry, Valeria,” I splutter desperately.“I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean it. I swear to God, I didn’t mean to say that.”
