DON'T CHEAT ON ME!

CHAPTER 34: Pretend

Patricia's POV:

I stood under the shower, the water cascading over my body, washing away the blood, sweat, and the grime of the nightmare I was trapped in.

But no matter how hot I made the water, I couldn’t scrub away the horror of what I had done—or what
I was about to do. Dave’s taste lingered in my mouth like poison, and the thought of it made my stomach churn violently.

I wanted to vomit so badly, but I couldn’t. Not here. Not now. If Jordan saw that, he’d know. He’d see my disgust, my rebellion, and I couldn’t risk that.

Not when he was already on edge.

I pressed my palms against the cold tile wall, my knees weak as sobs wracked my chest. I tried to keep them quiet, swallowing the sound as much as I could. The last thing I wanted was for Jordan to hear me. He was outside, burying the bodies. Dave’s body. My lover’s body. The man I had betrayed Jordan for.

God, what have I done? How did it come to this?

I wiped at my eyes, but the tears wouldn’t stop. The shower mixed with my crying, creating a melody of despair that echoed off the walls. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Dave’s headless body—not how he was before, but how he looked on that plate. Pieces of him.

His flesh. His life, reduced to… food. And I ate him. I ate him because I had no choice.

But I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep living like this, under Jordan’s control, pretending everything is fine when my entire life is crumbling around me. I have to escape. I have to.

But how?

The question burned in my mind as
I stared at the bathroom door, half-expecting Jordan to burst in at any moment. Every minute I spent in here felt like borrowed time, a temporary reprieve from the madness that awaited me outside. I needed a plan. I needed to figure out how to get away from him before it was too late.

——

When I first met Jordan, he was charming, sweet, and everything
I thought I wanted. But now? Now he’s a monster, someone I barely recognize. And yet, despite everything, I saw the flicker of love in his eyes when he untied me. That’s what I need to hold onto. That’s my leverage. He still loves me, and I can use that against him.

But the thought of manipulating him, of playing into his twisted game, made me feel sick all over again.

He killed Dave. He killed the farmer. Who’s to say he wouldn’t kill me too if I pushed him too far? I had to tread carefully, find the right moment to act.

My fingers curled into fists as
I replayed his words in my head:

“If you ever betray me again, I will kill you like I killed the farmer and Dave.”

I shivered despite the heat of the water. He meant it. I’d seen the way he looked at me, the fire in his eyes when he spoke. He wouldn’t hesitate to follow through on that threat.

If I made a mistake, there wouldn’t be a second chance.

I took a shaky breath and turned off the shower. The silence that followed was deafening, a stark reminder of the hellish reality I was living in.
I reached for the towel Jordan had left for me and wrapped it around my body, my mind racing with possibilities.