a's

at the kitchen counter in my white robe, my hair was damp from the shower, watching Ethan scroll through his phone like I didn't e

ed his coffee beside him. No

nown something was wrong, but when you've been un

o idea that I would be clawing my way out of a shallow grave, buried al

Ethan's hands on my throat. They didn't bury me deep, just enough to forget me, but the earth isn't

en the taste of soil and blood, the pain throbbing in my skull, crush

ke something feral and reborn, and when I broke through the soil, it was

oken marriage. Ethan had been cold for over a year. We used to talk about babies, vacations, and threesomes. Ethan wa

c, no lights, and no Ethan pretending to wo

nd walked upstairs, heart pounding. I opened th

ack in ecstasy, hair wild. Her nails raked down his

s gasping, Ethan's hand was between her thighs, fingers thrusting deep, a silver vibrator humming at her ent

into Mara like she was his only source of air while devouring Jade's body like he'd waited years fo

me first, her gaze locked

it. She's

she said sweetly. "You want to join? You alwa

dn't s

e looked straight in

't have come

e here," I

ily, wiped his hand on th

n," he said. "Always too

exposed, and her wrists were still tied. "And n

g with sweat. "You're just dead weight, Z

t droppe

cold. "Because now w

pened

abbed my legs as I fell. Ethan dragged me by the ha

always thought you were better than us, the precious

everything to you. And y

eam. Ethan cov

ear. "You were a fucking investment. A stup

me for mone

orrected. "And now,

't worry, love. We'll make sure you're rememb

s limp in the back of the SUV. I heard them laughing and heard the

unk, Jade poked my chee

ked her pulse twice, a

ough." They carried me out like trash. Du

it," Jade whispered. "T

t get sentimental now. She was not

"Even as kids. Perfect grades, perf

ded. "And weak things do

uickly, like they were cover

ul muffled

one last time," Jade murmured

coldly. "That's what

I heard was M

he moment I broke free, my nails torn and my body numb, but I crawled. I didn't even k

if I was alive, Ethan, Mara,