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“Is that why you haven’t been acting like my designated shadow the past couple of days?”
“You said you didn’t like that.”
“Didn’t stop you before.” I step closer so that I’m staring down my nose at her. “So let’s hear it, Nila. What’s the reason that pushed you to be so transparently avoidant of my company?”
“I just have a lot of schoolwork.”
“Are you sure that’s the only reason? It couldn’t perhaps be due to a certain fuckup on your part, now, could it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”
Her words are cut off when I grab strands of her hair and pull until tears gather in her eyes. “The time where you can bullshit me does not and will not exist, Nila. Did you possibly think I wouldn’t find out that you were the one behind Rory’s foolish idea about Mia? He’s as thick as a brick, but you’re not. You’ve always been a conniving little bitch who uses your looks and resources to get anywhere you want. But here’s the thing, Nila. I taught you half of what you know, which you should’ve thought about before you went against your fucking maker.”
Her face reddens as I pull harder with every word. She tries to claw my hand free, but it’s no use. If I choose to, I can squash her faster than a cockroach.
“You’re the one who turned your back on the club and us for that bitch!” Her voice grows in volume as she lets her true face show through.
Greed and contempt stare back at me like a disgusting mirror of my old self. I’m no saint and fortunately never will be, but these types of frivolous, shallow emotions Nila represents have long since been washed out of me.
“So you decided to inflame Rory’s rage and point him toward Mia. Is that it?”
She purses her lips. “So what?”
“You had the audacity to touch what’s mine, Nila, and as I’m sure you found out through Rory’s state, I don’t react well to anyone threatening what belongs to me.”
Her lips lift in a snarl. “What does she have that I don’t?”
“Figures. One thing’s for certain, you fucked up and this is me telling you, I’ll fucking destroy everything you stand for. The friends you think you have? They easily switched to my side after a few words from yours truly. Your beloved papa’s company can effortlessly be crushed if my dad somehow pulls his investments. So here’s a helpful suggestion. Be afraid, Nila. All your worst fears will come true.”
I release her and she crashes against the side of her car, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“She’ll eventually see you for who you truly are and abandon you, Lan!” she shouts at my back. “You can never maintain a relationship, not with her or anyone else!”
I don’t listen to her blabbering as I head to where I parked my car and pull out my phone.
Eli was a good sport and sent me some information. Though it’s not much and by no means concrete evidence, coupling his findings with what I discovered on my own, I’m getting close to the whole truth.
Another text pops up at the top of my screen.
A smile lifts my lips when I find it’s from Mia. She attached a picture of the flowers she’s grown in the garden.
Ever since I found her there three days ago, she’s been going to the haunted house—that’s not so haunted anymore—whenever she has time.
It’s for the flowers, she says. But I often catch her trying to sneak and take a look in the art studio like a curious kitten.
When she was asleep, I hid the piece I was working on in a closet and locked it with a key. Other than that, she’s free to roam around—which can’t be said about anyone else who’s not Mum or Bran.
Lately, I often catch her looking at anything that casts a reflection—mirrors, the refrigerator door, the glass top table—opening and closing her mouth as if she’s trying to speak. She’s probably doing it subconsciously since she usually looks startled whenever she takes note of the situation.
That happens during sex as well. Twice now, she’s opened her mouth, struggled, and then only released a guttural scream.
In a way, it feels as if she’s battling to remove the mental shackles that stole her voice. I have confidence that after I get rid of the vermin who threatened her life, she’ll be able to finally be at peace with her younger self.
I stare at the text she sent with the picture.
Mia:Claudia, Stephan, and Emilia say hi.
Landon:Either you’re crazy and actually gave those flowers names or you’re also crazy and started talking to the resident ghosts of the house, who are in the process of sending me a stern letter about the recent renovations. No clue which crazy is more serious.
