Betrayed By Her Seven Protectors

RA

ng tide of rage and betrayal. The phone in front of my face showed an image so vi

crack of my palm across Savannah's cheek was s

ng to her face, her eyes wide wi

corner. They saw Savannah, tears welling in her eyes, a red mark blooming o

shouted, rushing to Savanna

burying her face in Wade's chest. "She

victim. The

ment that felt like a physical blow, even though I no longer loved him. He d

ome. My heart wasn't broken anymore. It was a cold, hard stone. I knew, with chilling certainty, that this was not over. Savannah would not

ther beamed beside me, oblivious to the storm that had just broken

ge, drawing all eyes. "Thank you for coming to ce

of applause f

h," he continued. People began to whisper, glancing between me and Sterling, who stood w

a question in his eyes. I gave him the smallest, almost

ing to the massive projector screen behind him, "w

lickered to life. But it wasn't

oken. A video, secretly recorded. It was me,

n't he love me? I love him so much. I would do anything for hi

crowd. My deepest, most private moment of pain was being broadc

as staring at her hands, the picture of innocen

d probably racing to figure out how to stop

, his face a mask of

threw a champagne bottle at the project

is voice shaking with fury. "Lock

eston. His face wasn't full of pity, but of cold, protective anger. His eyes met

This was my b

icrophone from my stunned father. His voice

t," he announced, his arm wrapping around my waist, pul

loyalty that I had taken for granted my w

Clara, and for me." He raised my left hand, his voice ringing with absolute con

silent. I could feel

e. The cold mask had shattered, replaced