Retreat to the Bathroom
I stumbled to the bathroom, my cheek throbbing with pain. The echo of Richard's words still lingered in my ears, and Carly's laughter was a serrated edge cutting through my thoughts.
As I locked the door behind me, the reflection in the mirror barely resembled me. My eyes were red, and my face was a map of bruises. I leaned against the sink, trying to steady my breathing.
Something caught my eye under the sink—a small, sealed envelope. I reached for it, my hands trembling. Inside were old divorce papers, signed by Richard, and a note. The note read, "Leave before the night ends. You're in danger."
My heart sank. Was this a warning from Richard himself? Or was it Carly, trying to protect me? The more I read, the more I felt the weight of a secret I couldn't yet understand.
I clutched the envelope, feeling a mix of fear and determination. I had to leave, but I needed to face Richard one more time, to understand what was driving him to such extremes.
Richard's Frantic Return
Richard stormed back into the kitchen, his face contorted in a mix of panic and rage. He noticed the empty space where the envelope had been and his eyes narrowed.
"Where is it?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing.
"Where is what?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"The envelope! You took it, didn't you?" He advanced on me, his eyes wild.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied, hoping to buy some time.
"Don't lie to me!" He grabbed my arm, his grip tightening. "You're trying to expose me, aren't you?"
I winced in pain, feeling the pressure of his fingers. "Richard, please, let me go. We can talk about this." My voice was a whisper, but it did nothing to calm him.
He forced me to the dining table, pushing me down into a chair. "I didn't want it to come to this," he said, his voice taking on a different tone. "But you leave me no choice."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a smartphone. "Do you know what this is?" he asked, waving it in front of me.
A video played on the screen—a compromising clip of Carly. "I've been blackmailing her with this," he explained, a twisted smile spreading across his face.
"Richard, this is疯狂," I said, trying to reason with him. "We can find a way to fix this."
He laughed bitterly. "Fix this? It's too late for that." He grabbed the hidden envelope from my pocket, his eyes flashing with anger. "I'll destroy the evidence, and you'll leave this house, or I swear to God, I'll make sure you never see the light of day again."
He slammed my wrist against the table, breaking a glass and spilling water onto the floor. The room was flooded with tension, and I was left trembling, my heart pounding in my chest.
Carly's Realization
Carly, who had been smirking, suddenly stood up, her eyes widening in horror. She realized something was terribly wrong. The video, she thought, was a deepfake.
Without a word, she lunged for the phone on the counter. Her hands trembled as she reached out, but Richard was faster. He grabbed the phone and yanked it away.
"What are you doing?" Richard snarled, his eyes narrowing.
Carly's voice quivered. "This video is fake. You know that, don't you?"
Richard's face contorted with rage. "It doesn't matter if it's fake. It's our insurance. You leave alone, or I delete it and you're finished."
He turned to me, his eyes blazing. "And you. You leave this house right now, or I'll make sure you regret it."
I could feel the fear in the air, thick and suffocating. Carly's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape.
Richard's grip on the phone tightened. "Do you understand me, mother?"
I nodded, my heart pounding. But inside, I knew I couldn't leave without a fight.
The Shattered Photograph
Desperate, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a crumpled photograph. It was the one from Richard's father's funeral. The scar on Richard's cheek matched the one in the photo, a stark reminder of a hereditary mental illness.
