Chapter 5

The injustice of it all burned in my throat like acid.

I took the framed photo from the box, the one of me and Caleb at graduation. I walked into the kitchen, found the red lipstick Krystal had left in his office, and smeared it across his grinning, treacherous face.

You want to erase me? I thought. I' ll erase you first.

I finished packing my last bag just as I heard his key in the door.

He walked in, looking surprised to see the suitcases. "Brooke? What is this? A little dramatic, don' t you think?"

He tried to smile, a weak, condescending curve of his lips. "Look, I know today was rough. I was hard on you, I admit it. But it' s for the good of the company. Sometimes a leader has to make tough calls."

He took off his coat, trying to act normal. "I was thinking we could go out tonight. To our favorite Italian place. To celebrate the deal."

Just then, the door opened again, and Krystal walked in, carrying a takeout bag. She didn' t even have the decency to look surprised.

"I got that pasta you like, Caleb," she said, her voice cloying. "The one with the truffle oil."

Caleb beamed at her. "See, Brooke? Krystal is a team player. She anticipates needs. That' s what I need in a partner."

He reached for my arm. "Now, come on. Let' s go put your bags back. We can talk this out."

I pulled my arm away as if his touch was fire.

"No."

His face darkened instantly. The mask of the charming CEO fell away, revealing the monster beneath.

He grabbed my wrist, his grip like steel. "What did you say to me?"

"I said no," I repeated, looking him dead in the eye. "I' m not your partner. Not in business, and not in this."

"You' re being irrational," he hissed, his face close to mine. "You' re hormonal. Krystal is vital to this company' s future. You will go unpack your bags, and you will make this right."

Krystal stepped forward, a look of faux concern on her face. "Brooke, maybe you should just listen to him. He knows what' s best for you."

Caleb' s grip tightened, his knuckles white. I could feel the bones in my wrist grinding together.

"You' re hurting me," I said, my voice a low warning.

"Then stop fighting me!" he roared, his rage finally erupting. He dragged me towards the bedroom. "You' re going to stay here and think about what you' ve done!"

He shoved me into the small walk-in closet and slammed the door, the lock clicking shut from the outside.

The force of the shove sent me stumbling backward. I tripped over a stray shoe, my body twisting as I fell.

A searing, blinding pain shot through my abdomen.

It was a cramp so violent, so absolute, that it stole my breath. I crumpled to the floor, gasping.

"Caleb!" I screamed, my voice raw with panic. "Caleb, let me out! Something' s wrong!"

I heard him hesitate on the other side of the door. A flicker of hope.

"Please," I begged, the pain making my vision swim. "The baby... I think something' s wrong with the baby!"

His voice came through the door, cold and distant. "Stop being so dramatic, Brooke. You' re just trying to manipulate me."

Then I heard Krystal' s voice, a poisonous whisper. "Don' t fall for it, Caleb. She' s just trying to get attention. Let' s go eat. She' ll calm down when she gets hungry."

I heard their footsteps fade away down the hall. I heard the front door close.

I was alone.

I curled into a ball on the closet floor, clutching my stomach as another wave of agony ripped through me. I felt a horrifying, warm gush between my legs.

I looked down.

Blood. So much blood.

My world, my future, everything I had fought for, was draining away from me on the cold, hard floor of a dark closet.