I KNOW THE END

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Act Two: Chapter Four, September 14th, 2023

THE PARKER RESIDENCE

LILA

I slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing down the hallway like a gunshot. My hands were still shaking, fingers curled into fists so tight my nails bit into my palms. I didn't stop until I reached my room, the walls closing in like a trap.

I could still hear his voice, raw and venomous, tearing through the silence. The words replayed in my head, each one sharper than the last.

Useless. Ungrateful. Just like your mother.

My stomach churned, a mix of rage and nausea. I pressed my back against the door, trying to breathe, but my chest was too tight. Tears blurred my vision, but I blinked them back, refusing to let them fall. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Not again.

Footsteps pounded up the stairs—too heavy to be Grace's. A moment later, Alexander was at my door, his eyes dark with barely restrained fury.

"Lila," he said, voice low and urgent. "Open the door."

I hesitated, wiping at my face hastily before twisting the lock. The door swung open, and Alexander took one look at me and cursed under his breath.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded, though I could tell he already knew.

"It's fine," I muttered, pushing past him. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Like hell it's fine," he snapped, grabbing my arm. His grip was gentle, but firm enough to make me stop. "I heard him. That bastard—"

"Alex," I warned, my voice cracking. "Please. I just... I can't right now."

His expression softened, but the anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface. He let go of my arm reluctantly, raking a hand through his hair.

"I hate this," he bit out. "I hate how he talks to you. To all of us."

"You think I don't know that?" I shot back, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "You think I like this? That I want to fight with him every damn day?"

"I didn't say that," Alexander said quickly. "I just—dammit, Lila, you shouldn't have to. None of us should."

I took a shaky breath, the fight draining out of me all at once. My legs gave out, and I sank onto the edge of the bed, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes.

Alexander was quiet for a moment, then he sighed and sat beside me. The mattress dipped under his weight, and the silence stretched, heavy and oppressive.

"He's not going to change," I whispered, hating how small my voice sounded. "No matter what we do. No matter what we say."

"I know," Alex muttered, jaw clenched. "But that doesn't mean we just let him win."

"What else can we do?" I asked bitterly. "Run away? Hide? We don't have a choice, Alex. We're stuck here."

"Maybe," he admitted. "But not forever. We'll figure something out. I promise."

He said it like it was a fact, like he could just will a way out of this nightmare into existence. I wanted to believe him—I really did—but the doubt was a weight in my gut that I couldn't shake.

LATER

Dinner was a silent affair, tension hanging thick in the air. I stared at my plate, pushing food around without really eating. Grace kept glancing between us, her eyes wide and anxious, but she didn't say anything. She never did.

He sat at the head of the table, a king surveying his broken kingdom. Every move he made seemed calculated, every glance a challenge.

When he spoke, it was without warning, voice cold and clipped. "Done sulking, Lila?"

I stiffened, fork clattering against the plate. Across the table, Alexander's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Not now," he growled, the words a warning.

"Oh, am I not allowed to speak in my own house?" he sneered. "How generous of you."

My hands trembled beneath the table, and I dug my nails into my palms, trying to keep my voice steady. "I wasn't sulking."

He chuckled, a low, mocking sound that made my blood boil. "Is that so? Could've fooled me, slamming doors like some spoiled brat."

"Shut up," I snapped, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "Just—shut up."

The room fell into a deadly silence. I barely registered Grace's sharp intake of breath, or the way Alexander's chair scraped back as he shot to his feet. My pulse roared in my ears, hot and furious.

For a moment, he just stared at me, eyes dark and unreadable. Then he rose slowly, the scrape of his chair loud enough to make me flinch.

"What did you just say to me?" he asked, voice dangerously soft.

My mouth went dry. The anger was still there, raw and pulsing, but it was threaded with fear now, cold and paralyzing.

"Lila," Alexander said sharply, stepping between us. "Go upstairs."

"No," I shot back, my fists clenching. "I'm done running."

His eyes met mine, something like panic flickering there. But I couldn't back down—not this time.

"You think you're so brave," he sneered. "But you're nothing. Just a scared little girl pretending to be strong."

The words stung, each one a deliberate strike. But I forced myself to hold his gaze, teeth gritted so hard my jaw ached.

"Better than a coward hiding behind threats," I spat.

For a heartbeat, no one moved. Then he lunged, hand snapping out so fast I barely had time to flinch. But Alexander was faster, shoving me back with one arm and blocking the blow with the other.

"Try that again," Alex snarled, eyes blazing. "See what happens."

The two of them stood there, inches apart, fury radiating off them in waves. I stumbled back, heart pounding, breaths coming fast and shallow.

Grace was at my side in an instant, her hand slipping into mine, trembling but steady. I squeezed back, the gesture wordless but desperate.

"We're leaving," Alexander growled, not waiting for a response. He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the door, Grace following close behind.

I didn't resist, too stunned to do anything but let him drag me outside into the cold night air.

The door slammed behind us, and for a moment, the silence was deafening. My legs gave out, and I sank onto the porch steps, hands shaking uncontrollably.

Alexander crouched beside me, his voice low and urgent. "Are you okay?"

I nodded numbly, though the world was still spinning, the adrenaline crashing hard. Grace wrapped her arms around me, and I leaned into her, eyes burning.

"We can't stay here," Alexander muttered, voice tight with barely controlled rage. "Not after that."

"Where do we go?" I whispered, the words a fractured plea.

"We'll figure it out," he said, fierce and certain. "I won't let him hurt you. Not ever again."

I wanted to believe him. God, I wanted to.

But as the night stretched on, cold and endless, I couldn't stop shaking.

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