I froze at his words, the irony of them crushing me under their weight. How could someone who claimed to love me so deeply hurt me so profoundly?
As his breathing evened out and he fell asleep, I lay there, my mind spinning. The countdown in my head began anew.
Five more days, I told myself. Five more days and I’ll finally be free.
***
The next morning, I woke to an empty bed. Harry had already risen and the faint sound of laughter floated up from the kitchen. I recognized Evelyn’s petulant giggles and his indulgent chuckles.
The sound of them together was like poison, spreading through me. But I swallowed it down, straightened my spine and prepared to face another day of this charade. Only five more days—five agonizing, endless days—until I could disappear from this nightmare.
The sound of Evelyn’s saccharine giggles greeted me as I descended the stairs. The morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen windows, bathing the room in a glow far too warm and cheerful for the coldness within me.
“You need your brother to feed you breakfast?” she teased, her voice playful yet laced with something sharper.
Harry chuckled helplessly, his smile indulgent as he picked up a doughnut and held it to her lips. “Here, eat,” he said, his tone affectionate.
But instead of taking a simple bite, Evelyn leaned forward and sucked his fingers, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Mmm,” she purred, her eyebrows raised suggestively.
“Evelyn!” Harry exclaimed, flustered. He reached out to tickle her and the kitchen was soon filled with their laughter, a sound that grated against my ears like nails on a chalkboard.
But when he looked up and met my eyes, the laughter died. The air shifted, heavy with unease. Harry quickly pushed Evelyn aside and walked toward me, his expression suddenly full of concern.
“Honey,” he began, his voice soft. “Are you feeling better today? Look—I bought you your favorite breakfast: doughnuts.”
Before I could respond, Evelyn inserted herself between us, her smile bright but her eyes sharp. “Sister, look how thoughtful Harry is! He went out early this morning just for you.” She gestured to the table, where an assortment of breakfast items lay neatly arranged. “Doughnuts, tofu pudding, peanut milk—all your favorites! No wonder you’re so full of life and… curves.”