His hands were on her arms.
She was naked—in his bed.
Time stopped. The world went silent, then unbearably loud. It felt as though the floor had vanished beneath me, as if I were falling straight into an endless dark with nothing to grasp, nothing to save me. And suddenly I was transported back in another hallway, years ago—standing outside Harper’s door.
The same sickness crawled up my spine now.
Caleb sprang back the instant he saw me. “This is not what you think,” he said, the words tumbling out too fast, already scrambling to explain.
I couldn’t hear him.
Caroline slid out of his bed, unhurried, pulling on his shirt.
“Nothing happened!” Caleb grabbed my shoulders, desperate, while my eyes stared straight through him. “You have to believe me. I don’t know how she got in. I don’t know when she got into my bed. I swear to you—nothing happened.”
“Why deny it, Caleb?” Caroline said smoothly, her voice almost amused as she looked directly at me. “Just tell her what happened last night. We make more sense than you and her. I mean… look at her. She’s not stupid. Just be honest.”
Bitch.I had been so wrong about her. I’d thought she was nice. Thought she stood apart from Eleanor, aligned against her cruelty. The expression I’d noticed at Caleb’s party hadn’t been jealousy—it was resentment. Spite sharpened into intent.
“SHUT UP!” Caleb turned to her, fury breaking through his panic. “Just shut up! You’re lying. Nothing happened.” He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “Tell her the truth. Tell her nothing happened. TELL HER!”
I turned away.
Nothing made sense anymore. My chest ached like something vital had been torn out of me. I stumbled down the stairs, then ran,slamming the elevator button again and again, as if speed could erase what I’d seen.
Behind me, Caleb shouted my name.
The elevator doors opened.
I jumped inside.
I didn’t stop running until I reached my car and drove, barely aware of where I was going, only that I needed distance—space—air.
My phone rang.
Again.
And again.
I didn’t answer.
I ended up in a small mall parking lot and just sat there, hands locked around the steering wheel, shaking so badly I could barely breathe.
Devastation came first. Then disappointment. Then shame. Then confusion—each emotion colliding, folding into the next.
I turned off the engine and stared straight ahead, my thoughts spiralling.How could he? I thought he loved me. He said he would never hurt me.Is that why I hadn’t seen him all week? Was he seeing Caroline? How long had it been going on?
I needed answers.
I called Taylor.
He didn’t pick up, which felt wrong.
When he finally called back, his voice was measured and careful. “Hi, Ms. Nyah. Sorry, I missed your call. Is everything okay?”
“Taylor,” I whispered. “Please. I need the truth.”
“I’m sorry,” he said at last. “I’m not allowed to discuss anything regarding his personal life. I work for him. That information is confidential.”
