And I was her fucking cousin!
Adopted, but still!
It was madness.
Then again, it was Junior, so… we kind of let it pass. We were each a little mad in our own way.
I sighed and walked past their room, making my way into the rec room. Violet was sitting in the corner like she always was. Confident and calculating.
I wondered if anyone saw what she was about the way I did.
She had this outer persona of class and control.
But I knew the truth.
She was dying inside.
She was a woman trapped with expectations on her shoulders that nobody should have to deal with on their own.
Hell, even her smile was fake, I remembered her going on all those press tours with Chase when he got re-elected for a second term, she was slowly dying inside.
And I hated it.
Because I’d always liked her, but also because I’d always had a massive crush on her, I’d stayed far, far away. You know, death and all that.
I gulped.
My first mistake was kissing her when I was fourteen.
My second mistake was telling her I was in love with her.
And my third? Betraying her the minute I had a chance.
I took what wasn’t mine, I took the prettiest thing on the shelf, destroyed it, then tried to put it back.
And now she was broken.
Because that’s what I did.
I broke things.
Not just hearts.
I fucking broke her soul.
And now she was leaving.
And it was all my fault.
“Breaker!” Izzy ran over to me. “It’s a party; you’re supposed to look happy!”
“I’m happy.” I had exactly zero smile on my face; my eyes kept flickering toward Violet.
I shoved away from Izzy and pulled out my phone, sending Violet a text.
Me: Can we talk?
Violet: Go. To. Hell.
Me: I live there. Try again.
Violet: Eat shit.
I smiled, well at least she was still angry? Was that a good thing?
And then I looked up.
Tears streamed down her face.
I had done that.
I was stuck between needing to confess my sins or let the one person I loved walk away forever.
And I hated that right then and there as she slowly walked past me, I chose the latter.
And damned love in the process.