Chapter 3

Nora's POV

Clara called to Evan from outside the room before I could finish.

"There's a high school reunion tomorrow," Evan said quickly. "Clara invited you herself. Getting out might help with your depression. I'll come with you."

He brushed a hurried kiss against my forehead and hurried after Clara without looking back.

…

The following day, Evan came back for me as promised. He left me with little choice but to go.

In the private dining room, Clara slammed a glass of liquor down in front of me.

"Let's drink and forget about yesterday."

"Go on," Evan said, pushing the glass closer. "She's trying to apologize. Don't make it hard for her."

I didn't reach for it. I just looked at him.

I remembered our wedding night. Alcohol had triggered an allergic reaction so severe that I'd been rushed to the hospital. Evan stood beside the gurney, still in his wedding suit, sobbing as he looked at me.

"I didn't know you were allergic. This is my fault!"

After that night, there hadn't been a single bottle of alcohol in our home. Yet here he was, telling me to take a drink.

I slid the glass away. "I can't drink this."

Evan's expression hardened. "Clara's only trying to be kind. Don't humiliate her."

The men around him joined in.

"Come on, Nora. We've all been patient with you. Don't make everyone uncomfortable."

"We're taking a risk just drinking with you. You can't manage one sip?"

While they talked over me, someone forced the glass to my mouth. I struggled and tried to pull away. My hand found a steak knife on the table. Without thinking, I grabbed it and held it between us until they backed off.

Clara made a show of trying to take it. Then she brushed her arm against the blade.

"Ow! I was helping you! Why would you come at me with a knife?" She covered her bleeding arm and started sobbing.

The whole room seemed to freeze for a second. Evan wrenched the knife out of my hand before I could speak and threw it to the floor. He didn't try to hide the hatred in his eyes.

"Trying to kill yourself is bad enough. Now you're hurting other people? Do you expect me to clean up after you for the rest of my life?"

I trembled under the anger in his voice.

A few people cried out in panic. Others hurried over to bandage Clara's arm. Those who weren't helping her kept their distance from me.

"She's as crazy as her mother. That's terrifying."

"She belongs in a psychiatric hospital. If she hurts anyone else, it'll be her fault."

"Clara organized this for you, Nora. What did she do to deserve that?"

My legs almost gave way. My vision swam, and their accusations faded into a dull noise. Then Evan's face came slowly back into focus.

"When will you leave me alone?" he demanded. "Stop wrecking other people's lives. Can't you let me have a normal life?"

All those times I'd cried out for help while struggling to stay alive, he'd seen it only as an inconvenience.

My last hope of reaching him disappeared. I managed a faint smile, grabbed the knife off the floor, and pointed it toward my stomach.

Evan went pale. "Don't you dare touch her!"

He thought I meant to attack Clara. He rushed at me and shoved me aside.

I hit the floor hard. A sharp pain tore through my lower abdomen. The last thing I saw was Evan staring at me in shock before my vision went black.

Blood pooled under me.