No.
I won’t let my brain finish that thought.
My phone dings, and I apologise, pulling it out to shut it off. The name on the text notification stops me in my tracks.
Cole.
It’s almost like a sign. He messages me now to stop me before it’s too late.
My heart thumps so loud as I open the text.
Cole: You and Aiden deserve each other. You’re a bitch and he’s a psycho. One day, you’ll fall, Butterfly, and I’ll stand there and watch as you burn.
Something breaks inside my chest.
I hear it, feel it, I just can’t see it.
My eyes burn with tears, but I inhale deeply, disallowing them from spilling.
I’m a lady.
Ladies don’t cry in public.
“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, Princess.” Papa smiles at me with so much warmth, I want to hug him all over again. “You know I’ll never force you to do anything.”
“I want to do it.” I manage a smile. “I’ll be engaged to Aiden.”
I’ll help Papa.
And most importantly, I’ll get over the cancer that’s been eating at me for years.
The cancer without a cure. Cole.
7
Doll Master
I’ve watched for long eno
ugh.
Waited for long enough.
The time has come to take the next step.
My beautiful doll has been growing up into a woman every day in front of my very eyes. She’s been becoming this next upgrade I cannot wait to touch, to run my fingers over.
To taste.
The problem with my pretty little doll is that she spends a lot of time with non-important people like her bitch mother whose only good quality is that she gave birth to her.
Or those friends who make her look stupid when she’s anything but.
My doll will keep growing up, and the more I see her, the surer I become about how she deserves to be number one in my collection.
The others aren’t like her. They never will be.
I used to be fine watching from the sidelines, being proud of my creation and of how she was turning out.