CHAPTER <b>0028 </b>


    Meadow’s POV:


    I had no idea how I ended up here.


    One minute, I was surfing the inte<b>, </b>searching for psychiatric facilities that were in the area or <b>at </b>least in close range–yeah, I know. I told ric that I didn’t care about my sister anymore.


    And the next minute, I was looking at schools. Online college programs.


    Like I said, no idea how I ended up here.


    I let out a slow breath, pushing my sses up and onto my hair.


    I had no ns of going back to school after I had to leave thest one because of Juniper, but when ric had mentioned it to me, truthfully, I felt a little small. It wasn’t just the embarrassment of him knowing, it was the shame that came with remembering why.


    Because here this man was–handsome, sexy<b>, </b>smart, a fucking billionaire, for fuck’s sake, and he seemed to know it all.


    And here I was<b>–</b>in, college dropout with nothing going on for her all because her sister had set out to ruin her life.


    It never used to bother me. Not with Tyler. As long as I yed house and stayed sweet, I was good enough. I told myself I didn’t need more. That serving tables and smiling through bullshit was fine.


    But now?


    <b>Now </b>I was living in a mansion wearing a ring that felt too heavy for my finger, surrounded by silence and space. Time, and I hated how empty it all felt.


    <b>Maybe </b>this could be it. Keeping myself busy.


    <b>“</b><b>You’re </b>quiet<b><i>,</i></b><b><i>” </i></b><b>Nova </b>said through my phone speaker, her voice light with suspicion. “You’re never quiet this long. What’re you doing, googling p**n categories?”


    I snorted, halfughing as I leaned back into the plush velvet chair in the living room.


    <b>“</b>Just… looking <b>at </b>online schools,” I admitted. No use in hiding anything from her.


    Nova was quiet for so long, I had to pick up the phone to confirm that she was still on the call. And then she appeared into the frame, her eyes wide and blond curls bouncing.


    “Wait, seriously<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    Her grin was so wide and infectious<b>, </b>I had to bite down on my bottom lip to keep from returning the


    smile. <b>“</b><b>Mmm </b>hm.”


    <b>“</b>Oh <b>my </b>god, Meadow<b>, </b>that’s fucking amazing!” she eximed. Her excitement made something warm flutter in my chest.


    I had to leave Nova halfway through college after the fiasco that had urred, even though she’d pleaded multiple times not to let my sister derail me.


    <b>“</b>You think so<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    “Hell yes!” she replied, practically bouncing on the edge of her seat. “What exactly are <b>you </b>looking at?” “Uh…” I nced at myptop. “I don’t really know, seeing as I just made that decision right now.”


    When I turned back to my phone<b>, </b>Nova was grinning non–stop.


    <b>I </b>rolled my eyes. “Can you not make a big deal out of this?”


    <b>“</b><b>No</b>, I can’t not make a big deal out of this,” she scoffed. “I’m so proud of you, Meds. You’re already thinking clearer now that Juniper’s locked up.”


    I froze, the smile slipping from my face.


    Nova didn’t notice. She just kept on going. “Girl, I’m telling you, dumping her in the loony bin is the best thing ric did for your mental health.”


    I tried to ignore the sting in my chest, but I couldn’t.


    <b>“</b>Is it?<b>” </b>


    I tried to sound casual, but the quiver in my tone exposed me.


    <b>I </b>risked a nce at my phone, watching Nova get all up in the screen as she squinted. “What?”


    “Was it really the best thing to do?” I asked, fingers tightening around the phone. “Locking her up in a <b>ce </b>like that?”


    “She deserved it, Meadow,” Nova’s voice was firm. “She beat you up, tried to get Tyler to rape you…”


    I flinched.


    But she continued. “And those aren’t even the worst things she’s done to you over the years. So, I need you to tell me one <i>good </i>fucking reason why that bitch shouldn’t stay locked up in there<b>. </b>Permanently.”


    My jaw twitched. I had no <i>good </i>reason, but still, the guilt was eating at me slowly. “We don’t know what it’s like in there. It’s going to mess with her head, Nova. I-”


    Nova raised a brow. “You mean the same way she messed with yours?<b>” </b>


    <b>I </b>tensed. “That’s not <b>fair</b>.”


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    <b>“</b>No,<b>” </b><b>Nova </b>said, her voice calm but sharp. “What’s not fair is the years of <b>your </b>life you spent being tortured by her, and looking over your shoulder to make sure she wasn’t there. <b>You </b>apologized for shit <b>you </b>didn’t do, paying for actions that weren’t your fault. Your sister used you<b>, </b>Meds, and you <b>know </b>that.”


    I stayed quiet. Shutting my <b>eyes </b>tight as the back of my eyelids burned.


    Nova sighed, and when she spoke again, her voice was softer<b>. </b><b>“</b>Look, I’m not saying it has to be <b>forever</b>.


    But maybe you deserve time to breathe. Really breathe.”


    I swallowed the lump in my throat. “She’s still my sister.”


    Nova looked at me for a long moment. “And are you hers? You continue to bleed because of <b>her</b><b>, </b><b>Meadow</b>.”


    That broke something in me. All of a sudden, everything felt too heavy to the touch. Including the phone in my hand.


    “I should go,” I muttered, rising to my feet.


    “Meadow-”


    “Later.”


    I ended the call before she could say anything else.


    My hands were shaking, and I hated it. The guilt, the second–guessing. The feeling that I was some kind


    of sadist for worrying about someone who had ruined so many parts of me.


    I needed something to focus on.


    Anything.


    Which was probably why I found myself walking upstairs toward ric’s study.


    However, the door was locked when I turned the knob, which was… interestingly suspicious.


    <b>Not </b>wanting <b>to </b>go back to myptop, I decided to head to his room instead.


    He wasn’t home, <b>yet </b><b>I </b>found myself hesitating before I pushed the door open and slipped inside.


    His scent hit me instantly, and for a second, I stood in one spot, eyes closed as I inhaled deeply. And then


    I forced my eyes open when I realized how fucking weird that was.


    ric’s bedroom was minimalist–dark walls, clean lines and not a single item out of ce. Arge bed with white sheets and a ck bed frame sat in the middle of the room, nked by ck nightstands.


    A single piece of art hung above the headboard, and that was the only ssh of color in the room.


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    And I didn’t even feel the need to question it. It was just so… him. Calm and controlled.


    I headed to the desk in the corner of the room, opening the drawers and searching for something. Anything, really<b>, </b>that could at least give me a hint to where Juniper was being kept.


    I wasn’t sure what I’d do with that information, but <b>I </b>just wanted to have it first. Some of the drawers were locked. And the ones that weren’t had nothing tangible in them.


    I let out a frustrated breath, about to walk back out of the room, when I saw it.


    A tiny sliver of interruption in the wall near the bed, barely visible if you weren’t searching carefully.


    It was a door. A hidden door.


    My heart mmed against my ribcage and my breath caught.


    Slowly, I walked toward it, my skin tingling with anticipation to find out what was behind the door.


    <b>My </b>eyes caught the keypad beside it, and my stomach fell in disappointment. Locked. Obviously.


    “Ugh!” I groaned, running my hand through my hair, and turned around.


    And I froze, all the breath leaving my lungs as my eyes met ric’s.


    He was leaning against the doorway<b>, </b>suit jacket off, sleeves rolled and tie loose.


    And his eyes were locked on me.


    But he didn’t seem surprised or annoyed to see me snooping around in his room.


    He looked amused.


    His voice was deep and dangerously low when he spoke.


    “Looking for something?”