CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Blair
I flipped the light switch on blindly and headed to the vanity table, tears rolling down my cheeks. During the entire Uber ride home, I felt like I’d been in a fog, the images of William and Zach intertwining. Each breath hurt, and I felt like curling into a ball in my bed and never getting up.
My puffy red eyes greeted me in the mirror, the notifications of messages, comments, calls, and Google alerts popping up silently in an endless list on my phone, but I ignored them all.
I’d already seen more than enough hate comments earlier in the car—on other people’s profiles because people had already shared it everywhere.
Some videos still weren’t taken down for the graphic content, and I could only imagine how much worse it would get.
Norton College would most likely rescind my admission, more brands would terminate their contracts with me, if not all, and I’d have to go through a literal PR nightmare.
I’d forever be remembered as a bully, slut, and a liar, all the work I’d done to keep my reputation squeaky clean effortlessly destroyed.
And the worst of it—I’d have to deal with the police.
My life was in shambles, but all I could think about now was how Zach had shattered my heart, marking me forever.
I unbuttoned my shirt and looked at the tattoo through the film, my shoulders rising with a sharp breath. It was an abomination. I tore my gaze away from it, crying out.
I’d thought I experienced real pain after he disappeared, when I realized how much I cared for him.
It had felt like my heart would split open and bleed out with all the pain I’d caused to both of us, but today’s pain topped it all.
I didn’t want to see him again. I couldn’t endure seeing him again.
But he got what he wanted. So maybe now he would finally leave me alone.
My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. I didn’t have an appetite, but I headed to the kitchen anyway, suppressing a fresh wave of tears.
I went downstairs and found Emily, Anna, and Melody in the foyer, their faces serious.
“What’s the matter?” I asked them.
“Emily just told us Tom has left,” Melody said.
“What?”
“Yeah. He left with his duffel bag just minutes ago.”
My heart squeezed hard with pain. He’s gone.
I looked out the window at the employees’ parking lot in the distance and swallowed a hard lump when I saw his bike wasn’t there.
So that was it. He was gone, and I wouldn’t ever have to see him again.
I curled my hand against the tattoo. I was supposed to feel relieved. This was exactly what I’d wanted. But I didn’t feel relieved. I only felt empty, knowing I’d never see him again, with the memory of what he’d done to me earlier to keep me company.
More tears threatened to spill, but I sucked them in.
“Where is he?” Dad’s voice boomed behind me.
I turned to see him stride toward us, his face twisted into an expression of absolute rage.
“Dad?”
“Where is Zach Curtis?”
I went still. “Zach?”
He grabbed me by my arm. “Don’t play dumb, you cunt. Lana called me and told me who he really is. And I just heard from William, who told me about some guy assaulting him earlier. A guy with a burn scar on the side of his face.” His grip tightened painfully. “And you knew it this whole time.”
Melody gave Dad an inquisitive look. “Dad, what’s going on?”
He ignored her, his gaze solely on me. “Where is he?”
“You won’t see him again. He just left.”
His eyes flashed with fury. “He left?”
“What are you talking about?” Melody asked Dad.
“Come here,” he said to me and started dragging me toward his study, past stunned Emily and Anna.
“Dad? What are you doing?” Melody moved after us.
Dad cut her with a scowl. “Stay here! This has nothing to do with you.”
I shook my head at her over her shoulder, signaling her to stop following us. Whatever Dad wanted to do, he wanted to do it away from everyone, and a tremor of dread rolled through me as he shoved me inside his study.
I winced when the movement made my tattoo ache harder. He slammed the door, and before I could counter it, he turned to me and slapped me across my face.
I fell back against the wall, a sharp sting exploding over my skin.
“This is for not telling me that boy was here.” He slapped my other cheek, and I cried out, tears collecting in my eyes. “This is for allowing that bastard to assault William. I almost lost my deal with him because of it.”
I would’ve slumped against the wall had he not grabbed my hair and struck my cheek again, making me see stars this time.
“And this, you fucking cunt, is for allowing that boy to slip away unpunished.” He shoved me away, and my knees collided with the floor as I used my hands to break the fall.
I glared at him, holding my throbbing cheek with my hand. “Stop.”
“Stop? I’m just getting started.” He began to unfasten his belt.
I froze. “Dad, what are you—”
“Silence!” He whipped the belt, and I screamed when it slashed across my butt.
“If I hit your face any harder, everyone will be able to see it, and we can’t have that.
But your ass is another matter.” He whipped it again, and I cried out, curling down against the floor as pain robbed me of all senses.
“So that’s why you went to that damn trailer park. You said it was to find out his whereabouts, when he was here all along. What was his goal? Did he want more money?”
“Does it matter? He’s not going to be a problem anymore.”
His hand shook around his belt, his eyes narrowing at me. “Did he fuck you? Did that piece of shit dare to touch you?”
I grimaced. “No! He didn’t!”
His lip curled, and I shuddered at the amount of cruelty in his gaze. “So he did fuck you. Son of a bitch.” He hit me again, and I screamed into the carpet.
“Stop! You can’t do this to me.”
“You can’t be trusted, Blair. You were always a disappointment, but at least I had use of your pretty face. But you’re turning out to be such a big hassle.” He whipped me again and again, and I sobbed, my butt stinging.
“Dad, please!” I cried silently into the carpet.
“I’d rather send you away, but fortunately, William is willing to give you one last chance. He’s holding a masquerade ball in his house this weekend. You’re going to be there and do whatever it takes to satisfy him.”
I sniffled, getting even more nauseous at the thought of coming any closer to William again. “I can’t do that.”
“What the hell did you just say?” He slashed his belt again, and I choked on my scream, seeing stars. “You can’t?”
“Please, stop . . .”
“You’re going to do it because you have no choice, Blair. You know what will happen if you don’t. I’m sure he’ll be happy to have Melody replace you. After all, nothing beats fresh, young pussy.”
I gaped at him, almost choking on the rage and hate filling me up.
I’d always known he didn’t give a shit about me or Melody. But this, hurting me so much, seeing us as no more than a commodity with absolutely no remorse or shame, wounded on a whole other level.
How much longer would I let him control my life? I’d gone along with everything he and Mom said, and even after finding the reason to fight against Dad’s wishes, I’d almost let William do whatever he wanted with me today. I was that pitiful, that weak.
But I couldn’t keep doing that. I couldn’t give him power over me anymore.
And I wouldn’t ever forgive him. I wouldn’t forgive him for constant control, for all the choices he’d imposed on me.
I wouldn’t forgive him for his cruelty and callousness.
But most of all, I wouldn’t forgive him for wronging so many people, like Paula and her husband.
I wished I’d seen that long before. I wished I hadn’t brushed Zach’s words off.
The door flew open just then, and Mom rushed inside with her tablet in her hand, her face registering panic. She took one look at us, but she didn’t even look perturbed by the scene.
“What are you doing?” she asked him.
“You can see what I’m doing. I’m punishing her for deceiving us all this time.”
“Deceiving us about what?”
“About Tom Ryde. He’s actually Zach Curtis.”
“What? Zach Curtis? How— When—” Her brows dipped low. “Where is he now?”
“He’s gone. He left the house, but I’m going to locate that bastard and make him pay for coming here. He messed with the wrong family.”
Fear spread through me. Although I knew Dad wouldn’t be able to find Zach, I was worried for him anyway.
“What do you plan to do?” I asked as Mom slashed her eyes at me.
“How could you keep quiet about it? He’s lived here for weeks! What has he been doing here?”
“He probably wanted more money,” Dad responded instead of me.
“No. No, this can’t be happening. He could go to the press with some sensitive information—” She swung her head back and forth, her hand shaking around her tablet. “This couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”
“What do you mean?” Dad asked.
My heart stopped. I knew exactly what she was referring to.
“Look at this. Look at this disaster.” She pushed her tablet into his hand, and I held my breath.
Dad’s face fell, and at some point, his belt slipped out of his hand, ending up forgotten on the floor. Anger contorted his face more and more, until he looked completely livid.
“It’s everywhere!” Mom said when the video ended.
Dad snapped his gaze at me. “What is this, Blair? Did you know about this?” He showed me the tablet’s screen, and I made sure my face showed shock, swiping my hand across my wet cheeks.
“I didn’t.” I pushed through the pain as I picked myself up. My ass smarted, and I knew walking would be hell these days.
“Who could’ve done this?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know.”
Dad jerked his head at me, his expression turning even more furious. “Is this Curtis’s doing? Did he post this shit as some act of revenge?”
My stomach twisted. “How could he? He’d have to have resources to pull something like this.” I didn’t know why I wanted to protect Zach, but I did.
“He obviously had enough resources to live here under a fake name!”