I closed in on her, staring into her fear-dilated pupils, my voice icy.
“Lily, have you forgotten? This stone is the one that smashed obstacle after obstacle, paving the road Ethan Blake walks today. The wealth and glory you enjoy now—even the life you barely held onto—every bit of it is stained with my blood.”
I flung her wrist away like filth.
“Go run to him, tell him this stone isn’t just hard—it can crush everything he holds dear.”
Lily had meant to retort, but when she saw the figure at the doorway, she changed instantly.
Clutching her wrist, her face went pale as tears streamed down.
“Rachel, I only came to check on you, why would you… sob…”
“What’s going on?”
Ethan had just arrived, hearing the sound of crying inside.
Lily threw herself into his arms like she’d found her savior, weeping pitifully.
“Ethan… I came with good intentions, but Rachel suddenly lashed out. She hurt me, and said such frightening things…”
Ethan’s eyes flicked to her reddened wrist before finally resting on me, filled with disappointment and disgust so sharp it was almost tangible.
“Rachel Adams! How much longer will you stay insane?! Lily came out of kindness, and this is how you treat her? Where are your manners?!”
“Manners?”
I gave a cold laugh, unwilling to explain.
“You talk to a thief and a mistress about manners? Ethan, are you blind in both eyes and heart?”
“Enough!”
Ethan’s voice cracked like a whip as he pulled Lily protectively behind him.
“Rachel, look at yourself! Bitter, vicious, bristling with thorns—nothing but a raving madwoman!”
