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Every piece of a conversation I should have known existed six years ago.

My eyes filled.

No… this can’t be real.

Chalis suddenly shouted toward the room, “Who the fuck playing this shit?!”

The lights snapped back on all at once.

Every person in the mansion seemed to be focused on Chalis. Some wore confused expressions, others looked horrified, and whispers moved through the crowd faster than the music had.

Willow appeared beside me, all the humor and excitement she had carried earlier were gone.

“Lakelyn, what the hell is going on?”

I grabbed her arm out of nervousness. “I don’t know, sis. But I think if we keep listening, we’re about to find out.”

“Yeah.”

Chalis had already reached the front entrance and was yanking on the handle. “Let me the fuck out!”

The door refused to budge.

One of his friends rushed toward the windows while another headed toward the rear doors.

Nothing opened.

Then Caspian’s voice filled the mansion again.

“Go ahead, mothafucka. Do it. Just know, though, if you shoot me, yo’ ass better kill me.”

My hand flew over my mouth.

Chalis’s recorded voice answered, angry and loud, but my brain could barely process the words because Caspian spoke again.

“Even if you kill me, Lakelyn still ain’t gon’ want yo’ ass.”

A gunshot ripped through the speakers.

I screamed and covered my ears.

Another shot followed… then another.

After that, there was nothing but complete silence.

I stood there shaking as the truth began settling into place.

Chalis had killed Caspian.

The man who had spent years trying to convince me to give him another chance… the same man who had stood on my porch talking as if he knew Caspian wasn’t coming back, had known exactly why.

Because he had killed him.

I felt sick.

Tears were already sliding down my face when I faced him.

“Chalis?”