The Prank That Broke Her

t I was pregnant. He was my savior, the man who r

sister, Kenya. My entire life was a lie. The assault wasn't random

fended her. They leaked a private video of me, destroying my reputation at school. When I

ed me for losing the baby. He then told me the

to "compensate" his sister for all the trouble

al mistake. They thought

llar empire from a secret aunt. And I was about to

pte

surprise for Cooper. My heart was beating fast, a nervous but happy rhythm against my ribs.

nt. Music and laughter spilled from the living room. I paused

her, Cooper. It's

, sharp and spoiled. C

of the hallway, hi

riend of theirs, chimed in. "The fun was

nst the cool wall, the gift box

savior, the man who pulled me from the darkness after the assault tha

at the exact same moment I he

Don't worry, I

ompromise. A prom

n lit up with

at work. Stuck here for a

asual, eff

of the party visible down the hall. Laughter. M

d it felt like my blood had turned to ic

are. Don't w

hone buzzed from in

lained. " 'Take care, don't work t

t," someone else suggested. "I can'

mused. "It's fine. We'll be

assault. The one that destroyed

e said, but there was no anger in his tone. Only a

d tilte

left for dead in an alley. The night my parents

voice full of indignation. "Besides, it was worth it. It ma

y since you're the one who really saved him f

eement. They were all i

ull roar. The foundation of my life, the one truth I had clu

s all

twiste

shot through my core. I couldn't br

al? Was any

talking about this anymore." There was a pause. Then, his voice dropped, la

oken. It's been fun putting her back to

scrib

. She does whatever I say. Sh

the smile i

ing edge to her words. "You're not actually

hed. A cold

family material. She's just a place

escaped my own throat

. I didn't know where I was going. My brain was a fog of white n

ed against the wall in the empt

my head, each one a

ll. Pla

thought about my parents, gone forever. I thought about Cooper arr

e. A meticulou

roat, and I retched,

rents. He had stayed by my side when I tried to end my own life, whispering words of hope and a f

s just another link in th

inside me. The surprise I had been so excited to shar

. My family, my safety, my sanity

g so badly I could barely dial. I called

g. "I need your help. The study abroad pro

as full of concern. "Yes, of course

the words coming out in a r