Shattered Heart, Rising Spirit

unned. The red mark on Brittany's

me stumbling against the wall. He wrapped a prot

ind?" he roared, his f

c sobs. "It was an accident, I swear.

uined sketchbook. Pages of my work, my ideas, were blee

e looked down at the sketchbook with contempt. Then he looked a

d came back out holding my

id, his voice dripping with malice. "

n cold. "Ja

she could barely hold a brush, right? So much sentimental value." He laughe

r his knee. The crack of the wood was the loudest sound I had ever heard. T

of my mother's soul on

for the destroyed pieces as if I could somehow put them back toge

my head back. "Now, you are go

were the ruined sunflowers. All I could feel w

"Apologize, Chloe.

saw the rage, the entitlement, the absolute ce

tarted

g up from the emptiness inside me. I la

step back as if I were a veno

ng, at Brittany hiding behind hi

with a combination of laughter and grief. "You have noth

"Jake, she' s lost it. Maybe you should ca

er. "You have no idea what my mother went through. She was in a t

at's not what the

just saw the bill and decided it was too much to pay f

lent, his arroganc

he muttered, turning away from me. "I'll ca

him, my heart