"I'm the bastard here! Don't degrade yourself like this! I'm the one who wronged you. I shouldn't have lied."
Then he turned on me, his gaze vicious, as if everything were my fault.
But pretending to be poor hadn't been my idea. And their first time together? I hadn't known a thing about it.
Once, I would have lost my mind trying to explain myself. I would have seized every chance to clear up every misunderstanding, every shred of hostility he held against me.
But now, I simply picked up the lamp and set it back on the nightstand.
I pulled the door shut behind me, careful and quiet.
"Enjoy yourselves."
Then I turned and walked to the guest room.
One more night. That was all I had left.
I didn't sleep well.
In my dreams, I kept seeing the Victor from when we were young. Back when everything between us had been so good. Back when he'd never once said a harsh word to me.
A sob crawled up my throat, and tears burned the inside of my nose.
My whole body ached, sharp and bone-deep, as if I'd plunged into ice water.
I woke with a gasp, eyes red and stinging.
The first thing I saw was Victor's face, twisted with disgust.