He Drowned Me, I Burned His World.

wheelchair. He called it Aethelgard, my sanctuary. In his game, I wasn't broken; I was Valkyri

arm wrapped around my physical therapist, Dahlia, he announced to the wor

ecretly switching my pain medication for a weaker dose with sedativ

celet, my virtual title, and even t

owest point, turning the entire gaming comm

rty. His security guards beat me, and on his casual command, they

orld where I would never strug

so did my resolve. He stole my name, my legacy, and my world. Now, I'm logging back

pte

Salas

reen, was illuminated by the stage lights of the tech conference he was speaking at. A live stream. I should have been t

ilent room. It was the same voice that had whispered promises to me in the dark

ords were

st. Her smile was blindingly bright, a perfect imitation of the one I used to have before my world crumbled with a shower of loose rock and the sickening snap of bone. "Sh

th casing digging into my palm. A video clip, sent to me by an anonymous number just moments ago, pla

ds to spend the re

ull, hollow and meaningless. If s

en, spilling a sliver of ha

Anthony' s voice, now laced with a familiar,

ness. Footsteps rushed toward me, the expensive leather of his shoes whispering a

in pain? Did you miss a

man who had patiently fed me, bathed me, and whispered that my broken body was still the only thing he wanted. He had created Aethelgard Chronic

d his life to another woman... that wasn't my Anthony.

"Who is Dahlia Hopp

video. A flicker of panic crossed his eyes before b

Her parents are major investors. They' ve been pressuring her to settle down, and she asked me to help her

three months ago. The one who was suppos

tching him. His initi

e said, shoving his screen in front of my face. "Here are our texts. It' s all there. Planning th

Full of business jargon and scheduling notes. My heart, which had

ut of me. I was tired. So tired of the pain

ace in my hair. "I swear to you, Elsa," he murmured, his voice thick with emotio

ar scent of his cologne wash over me.

resolve hardening my voice.

smile I had fallen in love with. "O

s careful and practiced. I took a tentative step, then another, my legs trembl

lling away to c

d, leaning against the wall for

ped out into the hallway to answer,

e back of my hand and pushed off the wall. One step. Then two. My movements grew steadier, more confi

reached the door. I wanted to show him. I wanted to see the pride in hi

doorknob just as his voice drifted from the hallw

her, I do. But it' s not the sa

od ran

y spoken to the pharmacist. We' ll switch out her pain medication tomorrow for the lower dose with the s

er find out abou