I fixed my gaze on him, my words deliberate and sharp.
“Ethan, if my face had been destroyed, would you be using every resource, sparing no expense to save me like you’re doing for Lily?”
He froze, his eyes flickering. He didn’t answer right away.
“Rachel, you’ve always been strong. A face isn’t essential to you.”
Ha. Not essential.
“In that case…”
“I won’t apologize. I won’t hand over anything. Do whatever you want—kill me if you must.”
His face turned to stone.
“If you insist on being stubborn, then don’t blame me. Until you come to your senses, you’re staying right here.”
And so, I was placed under house arrest.
Ethan would sometimes come, always late at night, reeking of alcohol and exhaustion, his gaze heavy with conflicted affection.
He stood at the doorway, never stepping inside, repeating the same hollow words again and again.
“Rachel, stop making trouble. I love you, you know that. Once Lily’s condition stabilizes, once the storm passes, we’ll go back to the way things were, alright?”
Each time, I answered him with silence.
His cheap love made me sick.