Even after Her Death by Rita Bond

What have you done? It doesn't matter anymore.

I smiled and ignored her. I didn't want to endlessly repeat my suffering to others.

Kate stumbled toward me, arms outstretched as if to pull me into an embrace.

"Chloe, I'm sorry..."

I had fought my way out of hell, not to witness her feigned remorse.

If she really cared about me, she wouldn't have seen me as so wicked and broken. The most ironic part was that the one trying to defend me was the same person who had shoved me into the depths of despair. "Mrs. Sander, I don't deserve this."

She extended a shaking hand, her eyes clouded with tears as she gently brushed my cheek. "My poor daughter... I'm so sorry. How could I have thought of you like that when you've always been the most well-behaved one since childhood?" Yes, I was always obedient.

After my sister disappeared, I understood there was a lingering tension in the Sanders, so I tried my best to be the perfect sister and a dutiful daughter.

But my kindness and compliance ended up being the very reasons they stabbed me in the back.

Before she could lay a hand on my face, Wisteria yanked at her hair, her voice dripping with the same false sweetness, "Mom, I didn't reveal the truth to help you reunite with your daughter."

Exactly, she wanted to make everyone in the Sanders suffer!

How could physical pain even begin to compare with psychological torment? Those were wounds that would never heal, no matter how much time passed.

She shoved Kate aside. "Mom, do you understand why I left Greg unharmed? Ethan and Jake died too quickly-I'm not satisfied. I've been waiting for this moment for so long. How about we play a little game, shall we?"

She turned to me. "Chloe, you're just as pitiful in the Sanders. You must hate them as much as I do, right? I'll give you a choice. Pick one person, either Josh or Greg, and cut off their legs, and I'll let you go."

Josh and Greg both stared at me, and I expected them to beg for mercy.

This time, Josh shut his eyes, hiding whatever emotions were behind them.

"Cut off my legs. It's ..." His face seemed to age by ten or 20 years at that moment. No longer as vigorous as he was half a year ago.

Standing beside Dominic, he appeared more like the elder of the two.

Tightening his grip on the fabric of his pants, his lips quivered with uncertainty as he muttered, "It's my fault."

Dad...

of him and Luke going to Chedor to find me

and reckless, yet there had been moments when he treated

are such complicated beings, full of

with emotion as I spoke, "Do you think saying that will make me forgive you? I won't. I can never forgive you for everything you've done to me!" "Then kill me. This is what the Sanders owe

this life-or-death moment, he was the first to step up

can't die. Chloe, kill me instead.

me handed me an axe, bringing back memories of what I'd seen in Yael's

likely laugh and strike without a second

I hate myself for not being

use of holding onto this

the ones who caused me this pain, and all I needed to do was cut

on the

had turned against us because you kept

axe, each finger locking around it, my voice losing its usual calm.

meet mine, his

and snot streamed down. His pitiful expression a stark

as you one day. No one could ever love me the way you do." "Idiot, you're my brother. How could I love anyone else

will always

promise. After that, he wandered through countless romantic entanglements, no longer captivated by any

junior high at the time, overwhelmed with

his newly acquired sports car and race down the coastal

waste and that we should embrace it and not lock ourselves

to skiing, drinking,

the scolding, he was winking at me with a grin on his face while receiving punishment in the family chapel. He was the most undependable

maybe he'd still be as careless as he

his days indulging in drink and women, living for the moment. But

let Ethan carry me.

idiot, could you be any

I wouldn't be so

don't need your apologies; I just need

to be involved with you