Chapter 350
Chapter 350
A sob clawed out of my chest. “He forced me to the ground. He held me down. He forced himself on me. He said disgusting things to me. in my head. ” My voice wavered. “No one believed me. Not even my mother. Then he did it the second time because I dared to speak about the first assault.” Things I still hear
Chloe gasped – a small, broken sound. I barely heard it, but it was enough to keep going.
“ I remember everything,” I whispered. “The smell of his desk polish. The coldness of his wedding ring pressing into my hip. Every rotten word he said and laughed about. I can still remember how I reeked of him the entire day. I couldn’t wash him off for days. For weeks p>
Roman tugged me gently. “Baby…that’s enough. ”
But I wasn’t done. But I wasn’t finished. Not until the truth was out. Not until she understood that I had carried this alone for too long.
“Then I found out I was pregnant, ” I said, voice trembling hard enough to shake my whole body. “Yes, just like you accused me. I got pregnant for Kingston. But not because I loved him. Not because I was trying to break up a marriage. Not because I was dumb, stupid or reckless p>
My chest heaved. Tears blurred everything.
“I got pregnant because the man I trusted violated me. Because no one believed me. Because I was alone and terrified. People called me a liar, a homewrecker, a slut. I was humiliated, Chloe. I was slapped. I was screamed at. I was told to keep my mouth shut and give the truth a new definition.” I shook my head fiercely. “So forgive me if I refuse to let you take away the tiny bit of peace and joy I’ve managed to build in my life now p>
“Savannah, that’s enough, ” Roman hissed, stepping closer, his voice tight with anger. “You don’t owe her a damn exp‘
He glared past me at Chloe, protective and furious.
Chloe tucked her hair behind her ear, refusing to meet my eyes. Her voice came out thin, uncertain.
“ I … didn’t know you went through all that. That wasn’t what I heard. ” she whispered. “I’m … sorry you had to. No one deserves that. No one should ever go through that p>
Her words should’ve felt like relief, but instead they felt bittersweet–half–formed and still wrapped in doubt. Her mind was so poisoned, so manipulated, that even now she was unsure whether to believe me or the lies she’d been fed.
I swallowed hard. If she couldn’t believe me … then she needed the one person she couldn’t deny.
So I played my final card.
“If you can’t believe me, ” I said quietly, “then talk to Mom. She knows the truth, Chlo Chlo. She’s the only other person who knows everything. Come home. Let her tell you herself. She’s been desperate to see you again p>
That broke something in her. The dam inside her crumbled all at once. “No, ” she choked out, backing away a step. “I can’t. She’s not going to—” Her voice cracked.
Before she could finish, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her.
She stiffened immediately then the next second she began fighting me like a wildcat. “Nol Let go of me! Savannah, stop–stop! Don’t touch me p>
eakly against
Her words were muffled by her sobs. Her fists beat weakly against my arms.
24
OGN p>
O
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Roman moved forward instantly, trying to pull me away from Chloe. “Savannah, enough. You’re pregnant, she’s going to hurt you. ”
I held tighter. “No,” I whispered fiercely. “She won’t p>
Chloe kept struggling, her voice raw. “Don’t touch me! I hate you! I hate you so much p>
“Then hate me,” I said through tears, holding her as tightly as 1 dared. “But I’m not letting you go. You’re my sister p>
Her strength gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, dragging me down with her. She collapsed fully against me, hands fisting kind of grief and exhaustion only someone who had been carrying too much for too long could produce.
“He ruined my life,” she cried, voice cracking open. “He took so much from me p>
obbing with the
“I know,” I whispered against her hair. “But that doesn’t have to ruin the rest of your life. Come home, Chloe. Please. Mom wants to see you before she dies. She misses you. Everyone’s worried. Even Dean p>
Her sobs slowly quieted into soft hiccups. She sniffed, trembling. “I tried to get back at him,” she whispered. “At Dean p>
I nodded softly. “I know p>
“He betrayed me,” she cried, “He humiliated me. He was just like Kingston p>
The truth burned at the back of my throat–she had started that entire storm–but this wasn’t the moment to fight. Not now. Not when she was breaking open in my arms.
“That bastard, Dean, turned against me.” She continued.
My jaw clenched. She was wrong–so wrong. She had started the entire mess herself. She had manipulated Dean first.
But looking at her–broken, exhausted, hurting–I pushed my own anger down. This wasn’t the moment. There would be time for truth later. Right now she needed a place to collapse.
“Come home,” I murmured again. “Face Mom. Let her explain everything. She’ll believe you. She believes me now. She’s different.” A small, shaky laugh left
“We’re all different p>
Chloe lifted her head slowly, her eyes swollen and wet. “But… Asher. He’s dead. And there’s no way Mom will believe I was defiled without Asher confessing the truth. No way she’ll think I wasn’t lying p>
“She’ll believe you,” I promised. “And Asher…” I looked back at Roman, then met her eyes again. “If Roman hadn’t kille stabbed him myself for what he did to you p>
or touching me, I would have
hloe’s head snapped toward Roman so fast I winced. Her eyes widened. “You… you killed him?” she whispered, voice trembling.
Roman didn’t blink. He simply nodded once.
Chloe turned to Paula, eyes shining with stunned realization. “Guess you were wrong p>
– 2/3
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.