Chapter 4

His voice came out low and rough, thick with blame.

So, he finally checked. Finally believed she was gone for real.

"Tell me—why did Vivian jump? And what about that plane ticket? Was she gonna leave me?"

I laughed, my voice cold and sharp. "Not just gonna."

His face twisted. Whatever fake calm he had earlier? Gone. Just shadows now.

I didn''t flinch. Didn''t care. Watching him crack felt... right.

"In a few days, you''ll get the divorce papers. Her last gift to you. Not that it matters—she''s already gone."

"Reena Rayne!"

He spat my name like it burned.

Then he snapped, slamming me into the wall, his hand tight around my throat. His eyes were pitch-black, like they could swallow light.

"Tell me! Why''d she wanna leave? Was it you? Did you tell her to?"

I stared him down, smile still there. "You seriously don''t know? Wow. That''s even sadder than I thought."

"Answer me!" he roared, tightening his grip.

He looked ready to kill me.

I let out a bitter laugh. That diary, page after page soaked in Vivian''s pain, flashed through my mind.

And with it, my hate for Pedro just kept building.

My stare went ice cold. I hit him with each word, slow and sharp. "Let me ask you—when Vivian lost both her parents, where were you?

"When she got cornered in that alley, where were you?

"When she was sick in the hospital, begging you to come, what did you say?

"Do you even remember these things?"

I only knew the details because of her diary.

I''d always known Pedro was distant to Vivian. I just hadn''t realized how deep he''d cut her.

Back when I asked Vivian why he wasn''t there after her parents died, she said he was on a business trip.

Now I knew the truth—he was off on vacation. With Niama.

Vivian got attacked, and he was in bed with someone else. Brushed it off like she was making it up.

Vivian never told me. Never told anyone. She just took the pain and kept going.

Pedro''s face went blank, like someone yanked the plug.

His grip on my neck loosened.

"I-I— Back then—"

He couldn''t even finish.

Then someone shoved him hard.

He hit the floor with a thud.

It was Marco.

"Pedro, I told you—control yourself," he snapped.

He stood in front of me like some kind of shield. It didn''t move me one bit.

And then I saw Niama.

She rushed in, with all dramatic gasps, kneeling beside Pedro.

Tried to help him up—he shrugged her off.

She bit her lip, eyes going glassy. "Marco, what''s wrong with him?"

Marco frowned. "Leave him. He''ll talk when he''s ready."

Then he turned to me.

"I don''t feel safe leaving Niama alone, so she''s staying here for a while. Get a guest room ready."

I didn''t even blink his way.

My eyes stayed locked on Pedro, crumpled on the floor.

Marco''s voice snapped like a whip. "Reena, I''m talking to you."

I shot Marco a deadpan look.

Then walked over, grabbed the diary, and dropped it in front of Pedro.

"This is what Vivian left. Go on—read it. See what you did to her these past three years."

I used to think he never loved her.

But now? The way he looked at that diary... it messed with my head.

If he felt nothing, he''d laugh it off, toss it aside.

But if even a piece of him cared—it would wreck him.

Vivian died without closure. And I wasn''t about to let the ones who broke her walk away clean.

What I didn''t expect was the way Pedro''s hands shook as he reached for it.

He looked terrified, but still clung to that book like it was the last piece of her that existed.

He didn''t even flinch when Niama kept calling his name.

He just sat there, cradling her diary like it was sacred.

I gave a small, bitter smile.

Still couldn''t breathe.

The weight in my chest was crushing.

I turned to leave—

And Marco grabbed my arm.

"Reena, what did you do to Pedro?"