Chained To Me: A Billionaire Enemies To Lovers Romance

Chapter 6 -Everly

I arrive at Shining Stars Rehabilitation Center knowing I must do this. I have to face my sister.

I leave the Uber, take a deep breath, and look up at the ominous building.

It's gray, adorned with a few windows with actual bars on them, and equipped with a set of imposing doors.

I shudder.

She's locked inside, devoid of freedom, and it's all my fault.

I fully expect her to hate me. I know she does, as she's expressed it on my past visits. But I need her to stay in treatment, to get better, even after she turns eighteen.

Walking up to the front doors, I press a button that buzzes. It has a little camera attached.

"Name?" a voice rings out from seemingly nowhere.

"Um, Everly Hunter. I'm Kaley's sister."

"Do you have I.D.?"

I nod, pulling out my driver's license.

"Good. Present it at the front desk." I'm buzzed in.

Walking into the foyer, I face another set of locked doors.

This place is a prison.

But I remember it well.

The night I dragged my sister here, I promised her it wouldn't be so bad. I promised her she'd only have to stay for a few weeks if she allowed me to check her in. Now, she's been here for three months.

I give my identification to the front desk person. "Can I see my sister, Kaley Hunter?" I ask.

He checks his clipboard. "She's in a group session right now. But if you wait, you can see her after."

I look at my watch, realizing the time and that I'll have to hurry to catch my plane. "I'm sorry. I really can't wait. Is there a way I can talk to her now for just a minute?"

He looks me up and down, analyzing me and if he should break the rules. "Fine. I'll get her. But you only have a few minutes. She'll need to return to her group session."

"Okay, thanks," I say, grateful.

The locked doors buzz open as I'm allowed into the inner sanctum of the rehab.

I walk in, taking a seat on one of the available couches. There's soft, soothing music playing, and a fountain sits on the table next to me. It truly seems like a place to heal if only the doors were open to the outside world. There's no freedom here, no freedom for Kaley.

I try to imagine what it must be like for her to be unable to leave. But then I remember how bad she was, walking the streets of Seattle, looking for her next fix.

She's only seventeen.

My parents disowned her when her addiction began to spiral, and I became her legal guardian at the age of twenty-four. I'm twenty-six now. In the two years since I've held responsibility for Kaley, I've done everything I could to help her. But after she ran away from my apartment where we lived and chose to live on the streets to get her daily dose of heroin, it was the last straw. I had to put her here in this place.

I remember the track marks on her arms, the hollow look in her eyes, and how she had no control over her addiction.

Now, she walks down the long white hallway towards me. And no, her face doesn't light up when she sees me. But at least she looks better than she was.

She stands before me, looking thin and pale, her long brunette hair stringy and unkempt.

While she's on the mend, I can't help but wish for a healthier version of her.

"What are you doing here?" she says with scorn laced in her voice.

I get up, hoping to hug her, but she flinches away. "I wanted to see you."

"Why? Haven't you done enough to ruin my life?"

"Kaley, you know this is the best place for you. Don't you feel better than when you came in?"

I remember the night we came here; she was strung out on drugs. She barely even understood where she was or what was happening. But I knew that she would die if I didn't do something to help her.

She shakes her head. "You're not my sister. You lied to me."

I nod. I lied to Kaley, telling her that her treatment would only take a couple of weeks. Now, she's been here for months, and all she seems to have gained is more resentment towards me. But, at least she's clean.

"I'm sorry. You know I am. We discuss this every time I come to visit you. You know you wouldn't have agreed to get treated if I didn't tell a little white lie."

I hope, eventually, as she gets better, Kaley will understand that I did what I had to do to save her life.

She shrugs, angry. "So why are you here this time?"

Now's the moment to tell her that I'm leaving. "I have to go," I admit. "I need to move to New York for a little while."

"What? You're leaving me?" Tears spring to her eyes, and for the first time in a long time, I realize how much she cares that I'm close.

I brush my hand along her thin arm, attempting to soothe her. "I need a job, and there's one in New York for me. It's not forever. I will be back to continue to check on you."

"You can't do this!" she cries. "You can't just dump me in this rehab hellhole and then leave me to rot."

"Kaley, I can't afford your treatment if I don't take this job. The most important thing is that you get better."

"Whatever." She looks away from me, avoiding my eyes.

"Listen," I say, reaching for her arm, which she pulls away. "I need to talk to you about your birthday. You're about to turn eighteen. When that happens, you'll be free to go. But Kaley, I'm begging you to stay here in treatment. It's for your health."

She glares at me. "If you think that on my birthday, I'm not busting out of here, you have another thing coming. I'm not staying here another second that I don't have to." She turns away from me, stomping away.

"Kaley!" I call after her, but she doesn't turn around to face me to say goodbye.

And now tears fill my eyes as I realize my sister may not receive the help that she needs. But I quickly wipe them away as the doctor approaches me.

"Dr. Blake. It's nice to see you again," I say, shaking his hand.

"Everly, I'm so glad you came to see Kaley today."

"Me too. I'm in a hurry as I have to catch a flight. But, how's her progress?"

"Unfortunately resistant." His eyebrows furrow. "We're working through some things in therapy. And I think Kaley has a shot at defeating her addiction. But, she needs more time here."

I sigh.

More time.

That's exactly what I'm trying to buy her by taking this job.

She might hate me for leaving her now, but it's ultimately in her best interest.

"I hope she has a breakthrough," I say. "This place is her only hope."

"I agree," he says. "I'll keep you updated on her progress."

"Thanks." I turn to go.

"And Everly," he says to me as I walk away. "Try not to worry too much."

I give him a half-smile.

Given Kaley's appearance and anger, I don't know how I can't worry. If she doesn't stay here, she'll likely return to the streets and her addiction. This treatment has to work. It simply has to.

I leave Shining Stars, intent on catching my plane and meeting Aston Thomas. I need to put his life in order to do the same to mine. Kaley's progress depends on it.