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...

Luke going to Chedor to

and reckless, yet there had been moments when he treated me

such complicated beings, full of contradictions and

you think saying that will make me forgive you? I won't. I can

he was the first to step up

cried out in anguish, "Dad, you can't die. Chloe, kill me instead. Let my blood

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

them, they'd likely laugh

hate myself for not

the use of holding onto this

all I needed to do was cut

on the

against us because you kept targeting the Sanders. I'm stupid; I even wanted to kill you for the

around it, my voice losing its usual calm. "Do you think ... I won't do

lifted his gaze to meet mine, his face twisted with

His pitiful expression a stark reminder of that

a girlfriend as nice as you one day. No one could ever love me the way

will always love

end, he broke that promise. After that, he

year of junior high at the time, overwhelmed with studies. He would occasionally bring me gifts to

acquired sports

that

to skiing, drinking, and

my parents found out, he was harshly reprimanded. Yet, despite the scolding, he was winking at me with a grin on his face while receiving punishment in

provocation, maybe he'd still be as

drink and women, living for the moment. But he would still carry me out when I

said that on that day, he won't let Ethan

you idiot, could you be any

wouldn't be so

need your apologies; I just

be involved with