A Body Double For His Obsession

harsh sound in the quiet apartment.

I said, my

p, controlled voice of Mrs. Miller. "So soon? I'm

words carefully. "He's found something to focus on." Or

rd conveying her satisfaction.

e words tasting like poison. She had saved my art studio fr

the amount meant to impress, to put me in my place. "After that, I expect you to disappea

, my voice colder

." The lin

escending tone echoing in my ears. A tool. A means

the money, I would vanish. I would

xpanse of the city. It was a beautiful, lonely view. This cage of glass and

again. This ti

ysian. 1

text from Kane. He never texted. And he

w? After telling me he

part I thought was dead, wanted to go. Mayb

part of me screamed

f hiding. Tired o

red lipstick he liked, the one he said made my lips look like a "perfect wound." My ha

al features were what drew him in. I knew now it was because it

d shimmering lights. The air was thick

's business associates stopped me

over me with a knowing smirk. "H

ed with something tha

ed here, the lighting more intimate. And there was Kane,

sn't

at something he'd said, was

er look angelic. A stark contrast to my black. She saw m

er voice dripping with false swee

d, my voice barely a whisper. "W

pression genuinely c

rse you did. I used your phone. I thought it would be a

he look in her eyes was p

at the table sneered. "Making sure t

ed in, their voice slurring slightly.

ing. He just looked from me to Coral, his expression a mask of

just months after my own mother' s funeral. Coral, with her innoce

ion until I was the villain and she was the wounded party. My fat

understanding," he would

She was a

lations were smoother, her lies more believable. But I could

to Coral, my voice low and

e women laughed. "Ooh, feisty.

s the same look of obsession I' d seen on his face when he watch

e from my own home. I was no longer the daughter of the house; I was an unwanted guest. The day I finally packed a bag

nto a dull scar. But seeing Coral here, basking in Kane's attention,

as talking about Coral

h. Keegan Marks is a genius, even if he's.

prettily. "We'

kled with his jealousy. It was a strange feeling, to see him jealous over th

g back in high school?" one

h, heavens no. Kane and I have always just

flat. He looked at her, and in his ey

hought was already shatte

e. I couldn't breathe i

I said to no on

raight, my head held high. I didn't

r bay, my hands tremblin

so soon

ace her, the elevator doors sliding open. The tw

him?" she asked, her t