"FUCKING LIES''
I slip inside the house, heart still fluttering from the kiss, the scent of Cade's leather jacket clinging faintly to me. The hallway is dim and silent, the only sound is the soft ticking of the grandfather clock by the stairs.
But then I hear something.
A muffled thud.
And then… a voice.
Low. Slurred.
No, they are not supposed to be awake at this time.
Its coming from down the hall.
The study.
The door is cracked open—just slightly. It's never open this late. Uncle Ethan always locks it. It's his rule, second only to never, ever go to the attic.
I inch closer, every instinct in me telling me to turn away. But I don't.
I peek in.
The lamp on his desk is on, casting a warm pool of light over scattered papers and half-empty whiskey glasses. Ethan is slumped in his chair, tie loosened, white dress shirt's sleeves rolled up ,glass dangling from his fingers, muttering to himself.
I should leave.
I should.
But then I hear it.
"Thank god she went to that camp."
My breath catches.
He lifts the glass to his lips, misses, lets it tip onto the rug.
"But still it went how it was supposed to."
My chest tightens.
What is he talking about?
He lets out a bitter laugh, hollow and choked.
"And suddenly it's accidental overdose?fucking crap,I told serena to not go to her house and then Im the one who has to clean up the mess."
My blood runs cold.
I stumble back, heart pounding, the words echoing in my skull like gunfire.
No.
No, no, no.
Did he…?
It cant be..but..what if?
Ethan leans forward, slams the glass on the desk. "I didn't mean for it to go this far."
I can't breathe.
My mother didn't kill herself.
Aunt Serena was the last one to see her.
She told me they never went to meet her and saw her body when the police called.
But now…
Now I'm not sure she ever told me the truth.