My fingers shake as I type.
I overheard some things…
My phone vibrates in my hand from an incoming video call.
“I’m going to kill him,” Violet seethes.
“What did you overhear?” Delilah, the voice of reason, asks.
“Hold on.” I enter my bathroom and turn on the shower to drown out any noise. “I’m not entirely sure what I heard.”
Oh, you’re sure. You just don’t want to be.
I slide down the wall and cradle the phone against my chest. Panic builds, so I take a few deep breaths.
“Alana, talk to us.”
“I feel so stupid.” My voice quivers.
“You’re not stupid. He is,” Delilah says.
“You don’t even know what happened.” If Cal kept his secret about his inheritance from me, I doubt anyone else is supposed to know.
Why are you still being loyal to him?
Because I stupidly fell in love with him despite having every reason not to.
God.How did I put myself in this position again?
The skin surrounding Violet’s eyes softens. “We don’t need all the facts. If it makes you upset, then that’s all the information we need.”
I prop my head against the wall. “What am I supposed to do? I’m stuck here with him.”
“Come home.” Violet’s lips press together into a thin white line.
I sniffle, fighting the tears threatening to fall. “No. I can’t do that to Cami.”
“She would understand,” Delilah offers.
“No, she won’t. You know how much she wanted to go on this trip.” I don’t have the heart to take it away from her no matter how much I am hurting.
“How can we help?” Delilah’s soft voice soothes the throb in my chest.
“I’m not sure if you can. I’m the one who got myself into this mess.”
Not just yourself.
Fuck. Cami.
If I hadn’t been so naïve, she would have never gotten close to Cal. I could have kept my defenses up instead of letting my heart rule over my brain.
Did you seriously learn nothing from the past?
The realization makes me lose the battle against my tears. A few fall, sliding down my cheeks before landing on my dress.
You let them form a bond together.
“Alana,” Violet calls.