30. SOUR DESIRE.

ISAAC’S POV The door clicked shut behind them, and the apartment sank into a heavy, aching quiet. My chest rose and fell sharply as I stayed on the floor, legs folded beneath me. Blood slid warm and sticky from the split in my cheek, its coppery taste sharp on my tongue. The silence wasn’t empty. My pulse throbbed in my ears. My heart still echoed her voice. I love him. I love him. God, she said it. In front of them. I should’ve fought back. I should’ve said something, anything. But what could I say? Uncle was right, I'd betrayed his trust. I’d betrayed her. Only my mother remained. She stood a few feet away. I saw both her hands trembling and her fingers twisting at the edge of her blouse. Her eyes glistened with tears she wouldn’t yet let fall. They glowed with disbelief as the betrayal was etched into every line of her face. “Why… Why Anastasia?” she whispered. The sound cracked halfway through, small but sharp. I raised my head. My neck was stiff from the beating, and I met