The question catches me off guard.
"What?"
“Do you think people are toys? That you can pick them up, break them, and walk away?”
Callum's voice climbs with every word, and this time it’s me taking a step back.
"I... no, I jus—"
Control, get control!
Callum doesn't let me, he just keeps going, his voice a snarl now.
“What did you come here expecting? That I’d see you and forget Sophie exists? That I’m so weak I’d just... what,fold? Foryou?”His jaw tightens. “This some sick, twisted game you play?"
My mouth opens and closes, my throat constricting. Because he's got me, he sees right through me, and I'm tempted to just sprint out of this store right now.
“You really thought this was a game,” he continues, quieter now, which somehow makes it worse. “That you could walk in here and hurt her, just because you felt like it.”
He’s pointing to Sophie, who's looking at him, seemingly in shock at his ferocious anger.
"She's the sweetest, kindest goddamn woman I've ever known, and she's never done anything to you. And let's not get confused, Paul is just as complicit, but you—you knew about Sophie. That's... God, that's not just cruel.That's fucking evil.Why?"
Why did I do it? Because I wanted to, because I needed to. Because I saw Paul as a way out. Because I take what I want and I get my way. That's how it's been, and that's how it always should be. I did it because that's the way the world is.
According to my mother.
"Callum," Sophie says gently, laying a hand on his shoulder. His face softens slightly at her voice, and he turns to look at her, nodding once, like he's checking that she's okay and assuring her that he is as well. He lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses it, before turning back to me.
"You know what, I don't even care why. Because you're just a pathetic bully, Elise." Callum shakes his head and laughs, the sound holding no humor, "You know, you could have walked in here naked, and I wouldn't have been tempted. Not for a second. I'm not Paul. I can recognize when I have something real and wonderful."
That lands hard, and I flinch, feeling myself unravel further. I feel exposed, completely pathetic as I stand in this store in my best dress, fully confident that I could have seduced this man. And I fucking failed.
Pathetic,my mom cackles in my mind.
You are my greatest failure, Elise.
"Get out," Callum's voice has dropped to a low growl, and the temperature in the whole store drops with it. He steps in front ofSophie slightly, as if to protect her from me. "And don't ever try to come back here. You're not welcome. Not ever."
"Like I'd want to spend another minute here," I scoff, though my voice is too high and thin. I cross my arms over my chest to push up my cleavage—my Hail Mary. His eyes don't even move from mine, still dark and angry. The humiliation I feel is scalding me, and I smirk, "You guys are so...cute.Enjoy your time together.What's left of it."
Callum's eyes flash dangerously at that,"Get out!"
His roar echoes off the walls of the empty store, and I jump, before stomping around them to the door.
"Elise?"
I should just keep walking. I don't want to hear what she has to say. But I stop in my tracks and turn around, Sophie’s tucked into Callum's side, and I could claw that look off of her face.
Not smug, not cruel, not victorious—pity.
Thatburns me more than anything. The absolute fucking audacity of her to pity me. She's the one with cancer, she's the one who's dying, this frumpy little nobody, and she's pitying me. Unbelievable.
"What?" I snarl at her, trying to get her to react, to jump back in fear, cower, or anything!
She doesn't, she just looks at me, tilting her head like she's studying me. I expect her to give me some snarky insult, some stupid little retort that I can bury without breaking a sweat. Instead, she does something I was not anticipating.
She smiles at me, the sight bright and true and genuine.
