A Love Beyond Betrayal

of the hospital, my leg in

s in order. "For Caleb to recover from the str

e was crisp, the w

course. She and Cal

on the porch, sketching in

are you drawing?" she asked, he

saw us talking. A flicker of something u

ice overly bright. "Come look at the

mble, he "tripped," his arms flailing. He pitched forwa

ed into the c

den immersion, took my breath

ghing, yelling. "Help! I can

swim perf

ithout a second's hesitation, she

noring me as I struggled to st

immediately clung to he

re you okay?" she cr

grab onto a low-hanging branch and pull m

ore, then rounded on me,

you try to drown him? How could yo

r than the cold water.

ghed weakly. "It's... it's okay, O

imity was

the commotion. They saw Caleb, wet

set before I c

fter that. The shock, t

I pass

lake house living room, wra

there, their f

than," my father said, hi

as been through," my moth

I said, my voice ho

"Olivia saw you. She s

b wanted her to se

ways jealous of Caleb. We saw it.

is eyes narrowed. "We know you had some... de

ting it. Admitting

aleb. You need to accept that

hen. Her hair was

e," she said, her voice fla

ly. "She's right, Davi

ed, looking at me without a shred of pity. "Perhaps

ightless. A childhood punish

arm, his fingers di

point. They dragged me, crut

hut, plunging me into da

e. A

into my bones.

inutes. Time lost meanin

livia. Not the cold, accusing Olivia o

id jokes, her fingers tracing the pat

ered, "Your voice, E., i

mall and wa

resh wave of pain. H

resence, and the woman who just co

my parents. They had poisoned he

trusting the wrong peo

The door opened a crack, le

od there,

son, Ethan?" she asked, he

beautiful face that had

voice raspy. "I've

r was my mistake. A mist

d closed the door, leavin

the bitternes