Chapter 38

As soon as I stepped into the apartment, a shard of glass shattered beneath my shoe. I looked down and saw that it had belonged to the large lamp that had been on the small table near the door.

“What on Earth!” I stumbled inside, almost tripping over the debris on the floor. I heard a set of keys jingling behind me and whipped around, my senses on high

alert.

Aria was standing in the doorway, gawking at the display. Her eyes met mine, wide and perplexed.

“I just got back from work…” she said softly, taking it all in. Her eyes scanned the room and her face twisted up. “What the hell happened here?”

“Someone broke in!” I shouted, rushing toward her. There was broken glass everywhere. The photos on the wall had been knocked down, leaving trails of wood chips and torn paper.

The couch had been slashed and the cotton was spilling from every own slit. Like everything else, the kitchen was in shambles. There wasn’t a piece of dishware that didn’t look shattered.

Aria took hold of my arms and clung to my side, fortunately more alert than before. Her wide eyes darted across the room. “Who could’ve done this?”

I already knew the answer to that. “He just won’t give up.”

Aria narrowed her eyes. “Who’s ‘he? You know who did this?”

I bit

my lip and looked to the side. “I just assumed it was a man that did this,” I said, and she looked far from convinced.

“You said he won’t give up,” Aria pointed out. “Which implies that there have been other instances. Who is he?”

When it looked like she wasn’t giving up any time soon, I sighed and plopped down on my bed. Aria sat beside me. I didn’t catch her being serious all too often, but she was at her scariest when she was.

“I think it might have been Bruce,” I said carefully, unable to meet her gaze. “He’d been sending me texts for a while, but I didn’t think he’d

go this far.

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Chapter 38

Aria stood abruptly, her hands clenched into fists. “Bruce? As in the Bruce, the scum bag that calls himself your family!?!”

I nodded weakly and she slapped a hand on her forehead, turning away.

“How could I not have known?? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to freak out!” I said, my voice cracking with the onset of tears. “Hell, I was freaking out so much, and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t even

to hear

huffed, gesturing to the whole room with a wave of her arm. “Well, he’s made his

he made it evident in the most destructive way possible. It felt like

out her phone and I

“What are you doing?”

away and frowned at me. “Calling the police, obviously. Whatever you

phone to her ear. It took a few

yes, I would like to report a break in.” Aria stepped out of the room, leaving me to curl into a ball and sob

leaving a letter. I guess he

would be good. Thank you.” Aria came back into the room and stopped with. her hands on her hips. “They

and wiped my nose. “Okay,

before her harsh stance weakened. After a moment, she sighed and sat beside me. She rubbed my arm and pulled the hair away

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Chapter 38

running her fingers through my hair. My sobs grew louder, as I didn’t have the strength

room and sat me down on the couch before answering the door. There was a male and female officer on

Officer Hills. We got a call from this address saying that there had been

that

apartment. They took note of the damages and

if this person was after

at me and shrugged. “Evie, you might have to answer this

attention to me, and I shrunk into the couch, wishing I could just disappear. I pulled my knees to my chest and shook my head.

family member done something like this before?” asked Brody. “If so, this may become

is the first time he’s done this,”

one another, then looked around

around her that incriminates him. It might be in your best interest

help but scoff at her

you have some place you can stay for

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Chapter 38

near here. He wouldn’t mind

and motioned for Hills to follow. He opened the front door and looked back at Aria

a tuft of cotton off the

door and into her room. She pulled out a suitcase and slammed it onto the hallway floor before heading into my

she said, practically out of breath. “We need

couch

move our bags into the car. Since she was still far from sobriety, she let me drive all the way to Lucas‘ apartment. He lived in

to Lucas‘ apartment. As late as

he asked between

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