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Chapter 30
Present
Andrew's POVWhen Katherine told me she needed to move on, it felt like a knife piercing through my chest. I could see it in her eyes, the determination. She was finally ready to let go of the past, to forget everything that had once bound us together. I'd always known that her heart was a fickle thing, easily swayed, but this felt different. It sent waves of panic crashing over me. How could she even think about leaving me behind? I had fought too hard for her to simply let her slip away.
That evening, I'd kept my composure, forcing a smile as I nodded along to her words. Inside, however, a tempest brewed. I watched her hug Matt, my blood boiling as I imagined all the things they might be talking about. That moment when they locked eyes-his hand brushing against her arm-it ignited something dark and primal in me. I wanted to stride over and pull her away, to remind her who truly cared for her. But I restrained myself, knowing I had to play it cool, at least for a little while longer.
After the scene ended, I walked back to my apartment, the weight of my jealousy pressing heavily on my chest. The walls felt like they were closing in as I replayed the image of her with Matt over and over in my mind. I needed peace of mind, a moment to gather my thoughts and plot my next move. I thought about how I would show her that Matt was just a fleeting distraction, a momentary lapse in judgment.
But just as I was beginning to find a semblance of calm, a knock shattered my solitude. I opened the door to find Oliver standing there, looking more disheveled than ever, eyes darting around as if he were searching for something-or someone.
"Andrew," he said, voice low and tense. "I need to talk to you about Katanya's death."
The mention of her name sent a chill through me. I felt a wave of panic rise in my throat. Was he really starting to piece it all together? Could he have figured out what I did? The walls of my carefully constructed world began to crumble, and in that moment, the fear morphed into rage.
"Now?" I shot back, my voice sharp as steel. "You want to talk about that now? What do you know?"
I could see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, and it only fueled the fire inside me. I couldn't let him have this power over me. I couldn't let him take Katherine away from me, not now when I was finally getting close to her again.
As I stood there, fury coursing through my veins, I felt the itch to unleash the chaos I'd been holding back. I needed to silence him before he could dig too deep. Before I could second-guess myself, I shoved past him, adrenaline pumping as I stormed into the night. I needed to find an outlet for my rage-someone to take the blame for all my fears and insecurities.
And then I saw him-Matt, leaning against a lamppost, that smug smile plastered across his face. I didn't think; I just acted. Every ounce of frustration, every pang of jealousy that had festered inside me came rushing to the surface.
I charged at him, fists clenched and heart racing. As I closed the distance, the world around me blurred, and all I could focus on was the satisfaction I'd feel when I landed my first punch. I wanted him to feel every ounce of my pent-up fury. I wanted him to know that I was the one who had been protecting Katherine, the one who truly cared.
In that moment, I became the monster I'd been trying to hide. And as I swung at him, I embraced the chaos, allowing it to consume me. I felt alive as my knuckles connected with his jaw, and for a brief, intoxicating second, it felt like everything was finally going to be okay.
The adrenaline still coursed through my veins as I wiped the blood from my knuckles. I had felt a thrill in beating Matt, the way his face crumpled in pain had ignited something dark and euphoric inside me. It was exhilarating to assert my dominance, to remind everyone-who truly held power in this twisted game we played.
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YOU ARE READING
Twisted love
RomanceHaunted by a painful past, Katherine Anthony confronts the betrayal of her first love, Oliver, after a scandalous recording surfaces. Just as she begins to heal with Oliver's brother, Andrew, a dark secret threatens to unravel everything. In a tangl...