Page 126 of Between Secrets and Obsession

So much meaning in those words.

Sorry for what he did, sorry this happened, sorry it has to be over.

Nothing can fix us now.

Tears fall down my cheeks without permission, but I don’t have the strength to wipe them away. I gave him my heart, myvirginity,and trusted him amongst all the Victoria drama. I’dfallen for him so effortlessly and he lied so easily. Liam kept the truth from me and used me as a distraction to his reality.

My body shakes as the tears come faster now, soaking my pillowcase. Curling up into a ball, I pray for the ache in my chest to take me under.

It’s sometime after midnight when I get up to use the bathroom and grab a banana from the kitchen. Everyone’s passed out, and by morning, Liam and Victoria will be gone. None of this feels real.

Once I’m back in bed, I fall asleep with my heart shattered into a million pieces.

“Maddie, wake up,” someone whispers, shaking my shoulder. “Wake up. Time’s running out.”

Huh?

“What?” I ask, blinking and holding up a hand to cover the bright light coming from my lamp. “Victoria? What time is it? Is Liam okay?”

She rolls her eyes as if me worrying about him annoys her. “It’s after three and you need to get your ass moving. Pack a bag. You’re leaving.”

That gets my attention enough to sit up and glare at her. “Excuse me?”

“You need to do exactly as I say, Madelyn,” she roughly whispers.

I scoff. “And why should I? In case you haven’t realized, I hate you.”

A slow, smug smile spreads across her face. “Listen, little girl.” She closes the gap between us, leaning down until our eyes meet, and jabs a finger into my chest. “I know you’ve been fucking my husband and that stopsright now. You’re a distraction he doesn’t need. If he’s gonna keep up with his part of the deal, then I need you out of the picture.”

I swallow. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“I’ve got it covered,” she confirms. “And unless you want Liam to get killed for betraying me and my family, you’ll do what I say. Trust me, it’s for the best.”

“For you, maybe,” I mutter. “I’m in college, so I can’t just vanish. Plus, my sisters and Liam would look for me.”

“Don’t worry, princess. You can defer for a semester, leave your sisters a note, and I’ll keep Liam plentybusy.” Victoria grabs one of Sophie’s suitcases from the closet and throws it on the bed. “Hurry up, Maddie. It needs to look like you left of your own free will. Take what’s important.”

“Where’s my phone?” I ask when I notice it’s not on my nightstand.

“You won’t be needing it.”

“You can’t just kidnap me and expect I’ll go quietly…” I stand, wondering if I can make it to the door without her grabbing me first. If she’s as crazy as Liam’s said, she could be carrying a gun.

Victoria smiles, not at all bothered by my words. “Oh, you’ll go willingly. Trust me.” She rubs a hand over her small belly bump. “Because if you don’t, Liam will suffer the consequences.”

My heart stops, thinking about what they’d do to him. I have no doubt she’d take it out on him, considering the bomb she dropped tonight. Her father’s bodyguards have been following him for weeks and probably have all the evidence she’d need to prove his infidelity. Lord knows what they’d do to him once revealed.

“Tick tock.” She taps her wrist where a watch would sit. “Take what you want or I’ll pack for you. And trust me, it won’t be those sports bras and booty shorts you wear around my husband.” She clicks her tongue. “And during yoga and those car rides.” She dramatically rolls her eyes. “It’s like you two weren’t even trying to hide it.”

“You’re the one who had us followed.” Liam relentlessly asked her to ask her father to stop watching him, but it was Victoria all along.

“And you’ve underestimated what I’ll do to get what I want. I saved Liam’s life and heowesme. So unless you want my family to know what my husband’s been doing behind closed doors, you’ll do what I say and walk out of here. Got it?”

I grind my teeth, knowing I have no choice. She doesn’t love Liam like I do—even if she pretends she does—so she won’t think twice about ending his life. All she cares about is getting her trust fund money and doesn’t care what happens to him in the process.

“Fine,” I say begrudgingly. Grabbing my necessities, I watch as she types on her phone. “Do I at least get to know where I’m going?”

“On a plane,” she says dryly, not taking her eyes off the screen.