Page 72 of Bittersweet Revenge

I parked on the side of the road and kept the door locked. At least she’d have to listen here.

I removed the cufflinks and handed them back to her. “Here. I don’t want them. They are much too tacky and frankly, childish.”

She looked down at her hands. “But I bought them for you,” she whispered, the look of pain and rejection so plain in her face.“You said you liked them.”

“We all lie, Esmeralda. You and I both know that.” I shook my head with weariness. “I don’t know what game you’re playing. Hell, I don’t even thinkyouknow what game you’re playing, but you have to be careful as some players might not have some of the moral consideration - ”or stupid feelings -“as I have.”

I threw the folder onto her lap. “Don’t rely too much on Archibald; he is not foolproof.”

She looked at the photos and took a sharp intake of breath. “No.Caleb, I swear, this is not what you think,” she claimed waving the last photo at me.

“No?” I turned in my seat to face her, crossing my arms on my chest. “It is not a secret meeting with your former boyfriend in Port Harbor? A secret love tryst sanctioned by brother dear?”

“No.” Her silvery bewitching eyes stayed locked with mine, her voice strong andunwavering.

“What was it then?” I asked challengingly as a treacherous, poisonous hope filled me.Lie to me if you have to. Just make it stop hurting.

“I – I can’t tell you,” she whispered, breaking eye contact and looking down in shame.

I felt it right through my chest. The last fragments of trust. It was so painful that I had to show her who she was putting her trust into.

She couldn’t treat me as both her savior and her enemy. I could not be both. Iwouldn’tbe both.

“Fine.” I started the car and turned left.

“This is not the way home.” Her voice carried a fear that angered me even more. She was scared? Ofme?

I growled. “You’ve got nothing to fear from me Esmeralda. Not anymore.”

“Anymore?” Her voice was small, but I refused to look at her, to let her make me feel guilty.

“I’m done with all of this, but you need to see something.”

I drove past the ‘private property’ sign attached to the faded sign that had once said Fairmont Park and stopped the car. My lights illuminated the reminiscence of the burned gazebo that used to be in the middle of the park.

“This is your brother’s doing, Esmeralda!” I pointed to the gazebo. “This is what he does and this is what he’ll do to your life too!”

“He burned that gazebo?” She asked with puzzlement.

“No, the gazebo is a reminder of what your brother did. This abandoned park is a screaming truth of his nature.”

“I don’t–”

“This is what his actions toward Taylor Oppenheimer caused! I have half a mind to tell you everything and let you see your brother for the spineless monster he really is.” But the story depicted me as a monster too, a vile manipulator with no morals. “But it would sound petty and unbelievable. Just– Get out.”

She frowned. “What?”

“I’ve had enough of you for now. Get out.I need to unwind and you won’t like how.”

She opened the door, but remained seated. “You can’t just let me out here! It’s night and my phone’s at home.”

I shrugged. “Don’t care.” I pointed to the left. “You better start walking.”

She didn’t know it, but the property was just behind the high trees. She would be back inside in less than ten minutes, but I needed to be away from her now…or I feared I would break down and show her the extent of my scars, the extent of my broken mind…the extent of the weaknesses she caused in me.

“Out.”

She sniffled and I knew she was crying even if it was too dark to see.

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