Chapter 6
Caleb stared at the blood snaking across the floor. His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
The next second, he kicked the door in with a deafening CRASH.
My body lay in a pool of blood. The gash on my wrist was raw and vicious.
Caleb’s face went ghost–white. His eyes went wide with disbelief.
“Sophia…”
He choked out my name, then stumbled into the bathroom.
“Sophia! SOPHIA!”
His whole body shook as he pushed at me, trying to get a response. When nothing happened, he pressed trembling fingers under my nose.
I was dead. Completely, utterly dead. No breath left.
His legs gave out. He collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down his face as he frantically pulled my body into his arms.
Olivia was terrified too–first time she’d ever seen a corpse.
Her
eyes
filled with horror. She covered her mouth and dry–heaved.
Caleb didn’t spare her a glance. Just carried me straight to the hospital.
By some cruel twist of fate, Dr. Stevenson was on duty again.
When he saw that this time I was really gone, even he–a man who’d witnessed countless deaths–teared up.
But bringing me to the hospital was pointless. All they could do was confirm what everyone already knew.
The team went through the motions of trying to revive me, then handed Caleb the death certificate to sign.
My body was covered with a white sheet and wheeled into the morgue.
Caleb stood in the hallway, hands shaking so badly he couldn’t hold the pen. His signature never came.
He looked so much like me that Dr. Stevenson couldn’t help but ask:
“You’re Sophia’s brother, right? Caleb? The one who was in prison?”
Caleb froze. “You know me?”
Chost Porch Is Savage!
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Chapter 6
Dr. Stevenson shook his head. “Sophia mentioned you. She tried to kill herself three times. I was the one who saved her every time.”
Caleb’s eyes went wide with shock. “Three times? I thought it was only twice?”
Dr. Stevenson looked at Caleb’s stunned expression with something close to pity.
“Three times. First time, she jumped from a building. Didn’t die. Dragged herself to the hospital.”
“I was on shift that night. Thought maybe it was a bad breakup, tried to comfort her. But she said… it was because of her
brother.”
Caleb’s mouth opened, but no words came out.
His entire presence seemed to collapse inward, eyes filled with anguish.
Dr. Stevenson continued. “That’s when she told me about you.”
“I knew right then she had severe depression. Wanted to refer her to a therapist, but she said she didn’t have the money.
Refused.”
“Second time, she slit her wrists. Nearly bled out. Then called an ambulance herself.”
“She looked dead inside. I asked her why she’d try to die and then save herself. She said… the apartment wasn’t hers. Dying there would bring bad luck to someone else.”
“I thought last time would be the final time. But… well.” Dr. Stevenson sighed heavily.
Caleb stood there, eyes bloodshot.
When he finally spoke, his voice came out strangled, barely more than a rasp.
“Can you… tell me why she wanted to die?”
“Wasn’t it because of YOU?”
Dr. Stevenson gave him a strange look. “You went to prison. But your enemies didn’t.”
“They sabotaged Sophia’s job searches. Sent her threatening messages. I heard they even mailed her an urn and a funeral photo of herself.”
“I’m just saying–Sophia’s a young woman. The fact that she lasted this long is honestly a miracle…”
“I–I never told them to-”
Caleb started to protest, but the words died in his throat.
Then his gaze snapped to Olivia like a blade.
“It was YOU. You set ALL of this up!”
…from Mu Chost Perch Is Savage!
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Chapter 6
Olivia shook her head frantically. “Caleb, I didn’t think they’d go that far! I just wanted to teach Sophia a lesson!”
Caleb’s face turned ashen. His jaw clenched so hard it looked like his teeth might crack.
“You told me you’d find a way to bring Sophia home. THIS was your plan?!”
“I didn’t mean for it to go this far! How was I supposed to know she’d be so fragile? That she’d actually kill herself–ugh!”
Before she could finish, Caleb’s hands were around her throat.
“You BITCH! Sophia was my SISTER! How could you do this to her?!”
Olivia’s face turned red as she clawed at his hands, gasping for air.
Dr. Stevenson watched the scene unfold, shock deepening in his eyes.
Then realization hit him like a freight train. His mouth fell open.
“Wait… so this girl ISN’T Sophia’s neighbor?”
“You… you were never in prison at all?”
Caleb flinched like he’d been struck. His grip on Olivia loosened.
Dr. Stevenson looked at him like he was staring at a monster.
“I never thought the ‘good brother‘ Sophia always talked about… would be someone like YOU.”
He turned and walked away, disgust radiating from every step.
Those few words shattered Caleb completely.
“I didn’t think it would go this far…”
Watching Dr. Stevenson disappear down the hall, tears suddenly streamed down Caleb’s face. He covered his face with his hands and collapsed to his knees.
“It’s my fault. I killed Sophia.”
“I just wanted her to admit she was wrong. I never meant for her to DIE…”
Seeing him break down like that, I floated above, letting out a soft sigh.
Caleb… it doesn’t matter whose fault it is anymore. I’m not coming back.
Your punishment worked.
C
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.
