Ruthless

50

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I kept chewing, forcing myself to stay calm despite the heavy stares surrounding me from every angle.

When I insisted on waiting for Edward before revealing everything, I never imagined I'd be sitting across from him at the dining table, with his family and girlfriend, just moments after coming downstairs.

This was happening far too quickly. I needed more time, which was the whole reason I asked to wait for Edward before saying anything. I had hoped I'd only encounter him later, in the evening, giving me a chance to find a way to lessen the damage. The consequences were unavoidable; I knew that much but I thought I could at least reduce the severity.

With a slight tremor in my hand, I swallowed the last bite and placed my cutlery down gently. I had deliberately taken my time eating to delay the confrontation, but I couldn't stall any longer.

The maid, who had been standing by, quickly stepped forward to take my plate. I gave her a tight-lipped smile, more out of politeness than anything else.

"Go ahead, speak," my mother-in-law's voice was sharp, leaving no room for hesitation.

My heart pounded in my chest, and a cold sweat prickled across my skin. I had no idea how they would react to what I was about to say, and the thought gnawed at me. I hadn't planned this far ahead, and now I felt cornered with no way out.

The more time I took, the worse it would be for me—I knew that. I had to come clean, no matter how much I dreaded it.

Shifting uneasily in my chair, I took a deep breath. "I lied," I confessed bluntly, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess or think about another quick escape.

I kept my gaze fixed on the table's surface, tracing invisible patterns in the wood as if it held some sort of escape. My fingers clenched and unclenched in my lap, the tension making it impossible to sit still.

Allison and her brothers had never held back their displeasure, and I had no reason to expect anything different here. I braced myself, half-expecting a slap or a snide remark. But instead, there was nothing—no outburst, no reaction at all.

Rather than feeling relief, the lack of response made everything worse. The silence was crushing, pressing down on me with an unbearable weight. It felt like they were toying with me, letting the suspense torture me from the inside out.

At that moment, I would have accepted anything to break this dreadful stillness.

Unable to bear the quiet any longer, I slowly lifted my eyes, expecting to see anger, resentment, something—anything. But they all remained seated, their expressions eerily unchanged, and the silence lingered, unbroken. I began to wonder if they had even heard me. Should I repeat myself?

"Take her back to the basement," Ruby commanded, her voice eerily calm, as if she were discussing the weather.

Her words had my composure slip away completely at that moment.

"No!" I screamed, shooting up from the chair. My hand instinctively gripped the fabric of my top. A typical behavior of mine when I am nervous or anxious.

"Please, don't send me there. I'll do anything, just not the basement," I begged, my voice breaking as tears threatened to spill.

Ruby's eyes narrowed, her gaze cold and unforgiving. "You dare to lie?" was all she said, her tone dripping with accusation.

I shook my head desperately. "I didn't mean to lie, but I had no other choice. Please, I just want peace. It doesn't have to be like this," I offered, my voice barely above a whisper.