Chapter 77: Shattered Trust
Josie
Kiel looked at me like I had just shattered his entire world. His eyes were wide and glistening, his brows furrowed in that way that used to make my heart ache with concern. But now, it just pissed me off.
He had no right to look heartbroken. None.
"You don’t get to do that!" I snapped, my voice cracking like a whip in the air between us. "Don’t you dare look at me like that—as if you’re the one who’s been wrecked, as if I’m the villain in your damn story!"
His lips parted like he wanted to explain something, but I didn’t let him. I couldn’t.
"I believed you!" I screamed. "I trusted you, Kiel. I gave you every part of me—even the broken ones. And you... you took them and crushed them like they were nothing."
My voice cracked again, and I felt myself unraveling. My knees buckled as a sob clawed its way out of my throat. I hated that he was the one seeing me like this. I hated that he still had this much power over me. I broke down in front of him, the tears hot and violent as they spilled down my cheeks.
I felt his hand touch my arm, warm and hesitant, and it made my skin crawl. I shoved him back, hard. He barely moved, but he let go.
"Don’t touch me," I breathed out, trembling. "Just leave, Kiel. I don’t want to see you."
His voice was low and strained when he spoke. "I’m a lot of things, Josie. But I’m not a cheat. I swear to you, I didn’t do what you think I did."
I scoffed, wiping my face with the back of my hand, smearing tears across my cheeks. "Really?" I asked bitterly. "You didn’t do what I think? So who was that in the video, huh? A clone? A ghost? Kiel, it was you! It looked graphic because it was graphic. Don’t stand here and insult my intelligence."
"I was set up," he said, stepping forward.