Chapter 3
I went home.
The mansion that was supposed to be seized was lit up like Christmas.
Today was Olivia’s birthday. They were throwing a party.
String lights hung everywhere. The fountain played movies on a projector screen.
A few girls sat by the pool–Olivia’s friends, probably.
When they saw me at the gate, their faces twisted with disgust.
“Ew, where’d this homeless chick come from? Shoo! Get lost! We’re not giving you money!”
I ignored them and punched in the code, walking straight through.
Their jaws dropped. They didn’t dare stop me after that.
I pushed open the door and locked eyes with Caleb.
He was holding a birthday crown, about to place it on Olivia’s head.
The second he saw me, his face went white. The crown crumpled in his fist.
Olivia froze too, gripping her fork like a weapon.
Awkward silence. They exchanged a glance. Neither spoke.
I sat down and grabbed the four–tier cake, shoving it toward me. Ate with my bare hands.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d tasted something this good.
Things I used to have whenever I wanted–for five years, I could only smell them through bakery windows.
When the craving got bad enough, I’d dig through trash for leftovers. Didn’t care if they were dirty.
“Sophia…”
Caleb’s brow furrowed as he moved to stop me.
“Wash your hands first. They’re filthy-”
Filthy?
I looked up at him.
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So You Wanted Me Gone? The Comedy Show from My Ghost Perch Is Savage!
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Chapter 3
Then slowly–deliberately–I put each finger in my mouth and sucked them clean. One by one.
His jaw clenched tight, his expression darkening.
Olivia bit out through gritted teeth:
“Sophia, what the hell are you doing?! Caleb didn’t mean to lie! He just saved your LIFE!”
My stomach wasn’t used to rich food anymore. The sweetness made me nauseous.
I shoved the cake aside, then grabbed a baseball bat from the corner and SMASHED it into the dining table.
“BIRTHDAY PARTY?! I almost DIED and you’re throwing a birthday party?!”
“You punished me for FIVE YEARS over ONE slap?! Fine! NO ONE gets to be happy!”
I screamed like a woman possessed, bat swinging again and again.
Caleb stood there with a face like stone, just watching.
Olivia hid behind him. Didn’t make a sound.
The table splintered under my blows.
But was it enough?
No.
I turned toward the living room.
Couch. TV. Coffee table. All of it shattered.
Each crash louder than the last.
Caleb didn’t stop me–not until I lunged at Olivia.
Then his hand shot out and crushed my wrist in his grip.
“Haven’t you caused enough damage?”
My chest heaved. I couldn’t speak.
He stared into my eyes and squeezed harder, until tears welled up.
Only then did his lashes flutter. He let go.
But the next second my hand cracked across Olivia’s face.
The SLAP echoed through the room. She screamed.
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So You Wanted Me Gone? The Comedy Show from My Ghost Perch Is Savage!
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Chapter 3
Something snapped in Caleb.
He didn’t think. Just hit me back.
I hit the floor, ears ringing.
His voice came down like a hammer.
“Sophia, I can’t believe you STILL don’t get it! Yeah, I punished you. But it wasn’t REAL. Was it really that serious?!”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
It took me a long time to force out words.
“I swallowed a whole bottle of pills…”
“And I saved you.”
His voice was sharp, almost regretful–like he was second–guessing his decision.”
“Now that you know the truth, just come back. I won’t let you suffer anymore. Isn’t that enough?”
I wanted to laugh. But tears came first.
“Caleb… where were you these past five years?”
He wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Didn’t want you finding out. So I took Liv traveling. Overseas.”
My heart plummeted straight to hell.
So while I was scraping by and digging through garbage, he and Olivia were vacationing around the world.
I realized coming here was a mistake.
I nodded, got up, and headed for the door.
Just as I reached it, Olivia shouted:
“Sophia! Don’t act like you got screwed over! You OWE me this!”
I turned back and looked past her, straight at Caleb.
He didn’t deny it. His eyes were cold. Distant.
1 gripped the doorknob to keep from collapsing.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
