Chapter 14

"Oh, don't worry. Everyone's treating me like a princess right now. They won't figure it out. The real Marissa died a long time ago..." Ronan's eyes were bloodshot. His fingers clenched so hard they nearly cramped. He replayed Marissa's voice over and over, then listened to Cassandra arguing with her afterward. So, it hadn't been Cassandra who pushed her down the stairs. Marissa had thrown herself down, and she was a fraud. Ronan's mind flashed back to Cassandra on the floor, taking hit after hit from the whip, repeating the truth over and over while no one believed her. She had looked stubborn, furious, and completely hopeless all at once. It felt like there was an invisible hand wrapped around Ronan's heart, squeezing until he couldn't breathe. He shut his eyes. He bit down so hard his lip split, and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Then, he started to laugh. There was no warmth in it, only a glacial calm, as if a blizzard were gathering behind his eyes. He grip