Chapter 4

The mention of her past, of her time as a charity case living under his family' s roof, was the one thing that could always shatter Chloe' s composure. It was her deepest shame, the one vulnerability she kept buried under layers of arrogance and designer clothes.

Her face went from red to a terrifying, dead white. The look in her eyes was no longer just anger; it was pure, unadulterated hatred.

"You shut your mouth," she hissed.

She lunged at him. This time it wasn' t a slap. She balled her hand into a fist and swung wildly, connecting with the side of his head.

Pain exploded behind his ear. The world tilted, and a loud ringing filled his head, drowning out the sound of the party. He staggered back, his vision swimming.

Chloe hated being reminded that she had ever been anything less than the star she was now. She hated the memory of being the poor, orphaned friend, the one who relied on the Millers' generosity. In her twisted mind, their kindness was a constant accusation of her own inadequacy.

"You' ve always looked down on me!" she screamed, her voice cracking with fury. "Standing there in your big house with your perfect family, thinking you were so much better than me! I' m the star now! And you? You' re nothing but a dog we kept in the house!"

Brody rushed to her side, pulling her into a hug. "Shh, baby, it' s okay," he murmured, stroking her hair. But over her shoulder, his eyes met Ethan' s with a cold, triumphant glint. He wasn' t calming her down; he was validating her rage. He was stoking the fire.

His gaze flickered towards Ethan' s open studio. "Hey," Brody whispered to Chloe, just loud enough for Ethan to hear. "His laptop is still on. The application portal is still open."

Ethan' s heart seized. His college applications. His future.

"NO!" he yelled, a raw, desperate sound. He tried to push forward, to get to his studio, to his laptop, but the two massive guys grabbed him again, their grips like iron vices.

"Don' t you touch that!"

He was completely helpless, forced to watch as Chloe' s rage-filled face slowly transformed. The anger faded, replaced by a smile that was cold, cruel, and utterly terrifying.

"You think you' re going to Yale?" she said, her voice dripping with venom. "You think you' re going to leave me behind and go off to be some big-shot musician? No. Even if you get in, you' ll still be my dog. You' ll do what I say."

She turned to Brody, her smile becoming playful and grotesque. "Where should we send him, honey? Somewhere... fitting."

Brody pretended to think for a moment, tapping his chin. "Hmm. How about the Northwood Vocational School for Automotive Repair? I hear they have a great program. He could learn to change my oil."

A wave of cruel laughter swept through the room.

"Yeah, he' d be good at that!"

"He can rotate my tires!"

Ethan' s mind went blank with panic. "Chloe, please," he begged, the words catching in his throat. This couldn' t be happening. "Please, don' t. That' s my whole future."

His plea only fueled their amusement.

"Your future?" Chloe laughed, a high, ugly sound. "Your future is whatever I say it is. And I think it would be very convenient to have you nearby. That school is only twenty minutes from my new apartment."

Brody nuzzled her neck, playing along with the sickening charade. "See? She' s thinking of you. She wants you to be able to keep serving her."

He deliberately emphasized the word "serving," his eyes full of malicious glee.

The crowd roared with approval.

"Yeah, serve us all a beer, Ethan!"

"Fix my car, pretty boy!"

The world was spinning, a nightmare of laughing faces and vicious words. His future was being destroyed as a party gag, and he could do nothing but watch.

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