HEALING THE SCARS

CHAPTER 35

PENELOPE

I can't believe this is happening. And Mabel, sitting there quietly, not even trying to support me? My best friend, silent as a mouse. I feel the betrayal like a knife in my chest. I'm beyond pissed. I'm so exhausted—I just need to shower and sleep. But how can I sleep when my mind is spinning with everything Dylan is doing to me? I need to figure out a way out of this nightmare. Maybe... maybe if I tried to seduce him, he'd stop. Maybe I could use the only power I have left over him.

"Joey, you and Mabel can take the guest wing you had last night. Dylan, you should leave," I say, standing up, trying to sound strong, even though I'm shaking inside.

"What? So you're not going to invite your husband to bed?" Dylan's voice drips with sarcasm, and that stupid smirk on his face makes my blood boil.

"Dylan, stop it," Joey steps in, his voice firm. I can see the tension in his jaw, the way he's barely holding back his anger. He's never liked how Dylan treats me. I know that. He's always been on my side, and right now, I'm grateful for it.

"You're not my husband. We are divorced. Joey, please escort him out," I insist, my voice wavering just a little.

Joey hesitates, looking at Dylan with an expression that makes my stomach churn. There's something he knows, something he's about to say that's going to change everything. "Actually, about that... Dylan, I think you should tell her."

My heart skips a beat, dread curling in my stomach. "Tell me what?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dylan, of course, plays it cool. "Could you guys please give us some room?" he says, like he's the one in control here.

"No!" I almost shout, the fear and anger mixing into something fierce. "I don't want to be alone with him. Whatever you want to say, say it now."

Dylan shrugs, like it's no big deal, like he's not about to drop a bomb on my entire life. "Okay then. We're not divorced. We're still married. After you signed the divorce papers and gave them to me, I couldn't bring myself to sign mine. I just... decided to burn them all. So we're still married."

I freeze. His words hit me like a punch to the gut. Everything I thought I had escaped from, everything I thought I had put behind me, is still here, still binding me to him. Anger surges through me, hotter than I've ever felt before. Without thinking, I raise my hand and slap him across the face as hard as I can. The sound echoes in the room, but it doesn't bring the satisfaction I thought it would.

He just stands there, looking almost amused, and that only makes me angrier. I start pushing him, hitting him, my voice rising as I scream, "Get out! Get out! Get out!" I don't care if I'm not hurting him; I just need to get him away from me. I need him gone.

Joey steps forward, trying to pull me back. "Penelope, stop," he says, his voice calm but firm. "This isn't helping."

I'm too far gone to listen. I keep hitting Dylan, even though I know it's useless. I can feel the tears starting to well up, and I hate that. I hate that he still has this power over me, that he can still make me feel like this. Finally, I collapse back onto the couch, too exhausted to keep fighting.

Mabel hesitantly walks toward me, probably thinking she can comfort me, but I push her away. "Don't you dare touch me, Mabel," I snap, the betrayal cutting deep. She was supposed to be on my side. She was supposed to have my back.

"P, please," Mabel says softly, her voice shaky. "I didn't know... I mean, I'm just trying to keep things from getting worse."

"By siding with him?" I spit, the bitterness clear in my voice. "By letting him keep doing this to me?"