My Brother's Betrayal, My Lover's Lies

ra Hoff

almost impossible to see the road. Each sob wracked my body, tearing at my chest. The car swerved, but I bare

iew mirror, a persistent, terrifying presence. He wanted to stop me. He wanted to prevent m

s go. I wasn' t going to cower in shame. They had humiliated me, lied to me, betrayed my trust. Th

too oblivious to see it. I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles white, and pressed harder on the accelerator. I knew exactly where he

I slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching, and jumped out. My legs s

a, of course, was by his side, beaming. She caught my eye first, her smile faltering, a flicker of pan

re getting ready for the dinner," she ch

? You look... like you' ve seen a ghost." His smile faded

ut before I could utter a single word, my phone buzzed. It was an unknown number. Karla' s

ust lit up with a message. His eyes, usually warm and familiar,

with Jaxon, are you?" His vo

be. Not already. Unless... unless Karla had twi

t found them in the parking lot! She' s been sleeping with him for three years! She

this up? Did you plant the video? Because I just got a video, Alex. A very clear video, from an a

and manipulated. Karla. She was always one step ahead. She had framed me. She had spun the web of deceit so tightly, makin

as looking at me with an almost detached curiosity, as if observing an interesting

ng to protect herself because I caught them! She reported it first to make it

ar us. Jaxon jumped out, his face pale and contorted with a mixture of fear

ng me of sleeping with you! She' s trying to ruin everything!" Karla cried, her voice trembling, her

, a silent plea for me to keep quiet, to ju

ether! They' ve been together for years! Jaxon, tell

urned to Hanson, his voice calm, measured. "Hanson, I don' t know what Alex is talking about. She' s obviously upset. We had a... disagreement earlier, and

son' s face. He was choosing her. And he was painting

xon broke up recently. But please, don' t drag Hanson into this. He doesn' t deserve this. I love him, Alex. I wou

round her, pulling her close. He looked at me, his eyes filled

his is a new low, even for you." His voice was laced with a chilling disappointment. "T

ocodile tears, Jaxon' s practiced lies, over his own sister. The sister

telling the truth!" I cried, d

y cheek that sent my head snapping back. My ears ran

heek. The raw pain was nothing compared to the shock, the utter dis

I had never seen directed at me. "You stay away from Karla. You stay away from Jaxon. And you stay away

He looked at me with pure hatred. And then, something snapped inside me. The

bbing Hanson by the collar. "Don' t you ever lay a hand on her again!"

"She deserves it! She' s

ind! You' re being played!" Jaxon yell

lf at Jaxon. They fell to the ground, a tangle of limbs and furious blows, rolling in the manicured grass

es a mixture of horror and confusion. My father pulled Hanson off

going on?" my father bellowed,

, his eyes still burning with resentment. "She' s trying to rui

"I' m sorry, Alex," he muttered, his voice barely audible. The apology was hollow, meaningless. It