These things had to end.
After saying goodbye to Hunter, I got into my
car and opened social media.
(53)
I hadn’t even had an account before Jack set it
- up.
It was all just a way for Sierra’s fans to hate
- me.
Since day one, my comments had been a
dumpster fire.
“If it wasn’t for you, Sierra would’ve never left
Jack. She wouldn’t be sad.”
“Die, you trash.”
“Plastic surgery couldn’t save you, you look so
fake.”
I never checked it, I didn’t care.
<
12:37
Crawford Inc. was just coming back from the
dead, and I had other things to deal with.
Besides, Jack had saved the company, and I
had to do what he said.
53
The cheating drama made my comments worse.
“You go after Jack, and now you are hurting
somebody else?”
“You’re disgusting.”
One comment, though, was on the top.
“Jack and Sierra had issues, yes, but you can’t
cheat. It’s about moral choices.”
I stared at it, just as Hunter messaged me.
“Don’t look at social media. Not for the next
few days.”
<
“Chloe, say something?”
Hunter’s voice pulled me back.
“Yeah, I saw it.”
I managed a small smile. “They’re not wrong,
you know.”
Hunter scoffed. “What? The dude wanted two
women at the same time. You’re just protecting
yourself.”
He was weird.
I giggled. As I pulled in front of my office, I was
ready to hang up.
But then I felt bold.
“Hunter?”
“Yeah?”
<
12:37
53
“Did you read the comments? They all said that
Jack looks a bit like you.”
11
My dad slapped me as soon as I walked into my
office.
My face turned and my ear rang.
“What the hell did you do!”
He pointed a finger at me. “You trying to screw
things up? You gonna divorce Jack!”
I touched my throbbing cheek, and turned my head toward him.
“Your mother is sick, because of you. Apologize
to Jack. Or I’m going to disown you!”
Jack was sitting at my desk, a cold smile on his
face “I told you Chloe” he said
<
12:37
face. “I told you, Chloe,” he said.
“I will make you beg for me.”
I closed my eyes.
So many images ran through my head.
It was seven years ago, the night before I went
to the beach with Hunter.
My mother was on her knees, asking me not to
hurt her.
“Your boyfriend is not rich enough. Do you have
to go after him? If the company fails, I can’t
live.”
She slapped herself.
My dad was sitting there, annoyed. “Chloe, don’t do this to yourself.”
“… dighton will not Hinata har life
22
<
12:37
“My daughter will not waste her life.”
53
He said that if I was set on dating Hunter, he’d
ruin his family.
After that, they turned me into a product,
showing me off at parties and events.
Later, when Sierra’s fans started calling me
names, I just let it happen.
I was always going to be a pariah.
When the company was doing fine, I learned
dance and piano.
My dad made sure that they were my selling
points.
And if I refused…
He wouldn’t hurt me.
<
He’d go after my mother, forcing me to give in.
It went on for so long, until one night at a bar,
when I met Jack.
He was drunk, and he saw me and jumped up
and hugged me.
“Sierra,” he said in my ear.
I thought: “Hunter.”
There were details, but the similarities weren’t
as big as Sierra and I.
I was just missing Hunter so badly.
“Chloe?”
Jack’s voice made me come back to reality. He
stepped closer and choked my neck.
“I’ll forgive your little stunt with Hunter if you
12:37
can be good for me.”
