Chapter 2
“Mr. Hamilton, this is a human life!”
“So?” Julian’s voice was cold. “This is a Hamilton family matter. I’ll find her myself and make her apologize to you for her little prank.”
Julian’s eyes were dark and heavy. I knew he was truly angry.
Angry that my “act” had gone too far.
Suddenly, I wanted to laugh. See? Even with the torture devices laid out before him, he still firmly believed I was playing tricks, trying to deceive everyone.
Even though the night before the wedding, I had knelt, begging him not to force this marriage. Even though it was Blair who had been involved with Gary, I was the one cleaning up her mess. Even though the Hamiltons had other solutions, this marriage wasn’t necessary.
But what did he do? He lifted my chin with a cold laugh. “This is your chance to atone.”
So many obvious truths, yet he steadfastly believed I was deceiving everyone…
Even on the night I died, my last phone call was to him, but he just irritably snapped, “Then just let yourself get beaten to death. The world will be a quieter place when you’re gone.”
Despairingly, I watched Gary burst into the bedroom, tie me up, beat me, abuse me, and eventually, kill me.
“Riley, where’s Willow? Tell her to get back to the Hamiltons!”
Riley was my only friend. For all these years, she was the only one who had ever protected me.
Now, I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her.
“Julian, what the hell is wrong with you?! I should be asking you! Where’s Willow?! I haven’t seen her in days!”
“You tell her! Tell her to get her butt back to the Hamiltons! Trying to play dead to escape her sins? No way!” Julian sounded agitated, his voice trembling slightly.
He suddenly turned and looked in my direction. My body tensed. I thought he could see me. Then, he bolted out the door as if escaping.
I stood there numbly, a self-deprecating smile on my face.
It seemed only death would truly be atonement.
It was a strange mix of luck and misfortune that I was really dead.
When I caught up to Julian, Riley was still furiously yelling into her phone. “Julian, are you and your whole family insane?! Forcing Willow to marry an abuser! If anything happens to her, I swear I’ll never forgive you!”
Julian let out a sarcastic laugh. “She put you up to this, didn’t she? Be careful, she’s a master at using others.”
“You’re sick!” Riley cursed and hung up.
In that moment, my heart felt like it had been hung and died too.