When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Vinson looked like he had just dashed off a construction site, still clad in his work gear, his face smeared with dust, and breathing heavily.

But he couldn't care less, "What's up with Clyde?"

"What else could it be? It's all about that Rachel!"

Jade clenched her fists, seething with anger.

"Even if Clyde's been a mess, he couldn't have forgotten everything, could he?"

"And that Rachel, knowing full well the situation, how dare she try to step into your shoes?"

She and Eliana started ranting, while I closed my eyes, taking it all in.

Rachel might have fallen for Clyde back in college, and perhaps that's where her resentment towards me stemmed from.

Every time I bought her lunch, making excuses for not wanting it or being unable to finish it, I could see a glimmer of resentment in her eyes.

Back then, I thought she resented her own lack of means or her background.

It never occurred to me that she resented me.

She might have felt I was insulting her with my charity, or that I was just discarding things I didn't want onto her.

this resentment had sharpened into a

she did

was for a fleeting

gathering still echoed in

death of my parents, to the years of agony being married to Clyde had brought me. She even overlooked

I

but their words were becoming a blur to me. Warren thought they were too noisy and sent them out to grab some comfort food and essentials for me. Eventually, it was just

by the bed, silent, just watching my hand as the

"Vinson..."

"Does it hurt?"

once, then fell silent

head, replying, "No, they gave me

wanting him to

could it not hurt? The injection hurt,

in my hand, I felt an

would be too painful,

knew pain was

strayed, when I was sick, he'd be by my

he couldn't even offer me the basic respect, thinking everything I did

out to me, bleeding, I saw Clyde hesitate, but he didn't turn back

he saw Rachel