Chapter 4 I was about to refuse when she cut me off , her voice sharp and cold . " You'd better come over right now , or I can't promise Mr. Johnson will be safe . " My chest tightened . In all the past lives I remembered , she had never laid a finger on my dad . Why now ? Half an hour later , I arrived at Lucy's house . She was waiting , seated in a chair . The moment I stepped inside , she shook the phone in her hand . " I've got something to show you . " She tapped on the screen , and pictures began to play . They were photos of her and Gary , tangled up too closely with one another . I counted in a daze . There had to be hundreds of them . I stared blankly , my heart racing . " What did you do to my dad ? " Her eyes were sharp as blades , cutting into me . " What the hell did you do to him ? Why won't he divorce you and be with me ? " All I could think about was my dad's safety . Swallowing back the burning in my chest , I begged , my voice trembling , " I'll ask for a divorce . Gary will be yours . Just please don't hurt my dad ! " If I could survive tonight , my dad and I would finally be free tomorrow . Seeing my desperation , Lucy burst out laughing . " Are you begging me ? Then show me how bad you want it . " My dignity was shattered and ground down to nothing . I dropped to my knees like some pitiful dog , choking out , " Please . I'll do anything you want . " Lucy's lips curled in mock amusement . " Good . Then let me show you something better . " Her finger tapped again , and this time , my dad's face appeared on the screen . A hand reached into the frame , gripped his oxygen tube , and yanked it out . My dad's skin drained of color as he thrashed weakly on the bed , gasping for air . The person filming only laughed while recording , right up until the moment his body finally stilled . " Well ? Did you enjoy watching him suffer ? " Lucy sneered . White - hot and blinding rage consumed me . I lunged at her , my mind nothing but blood and fury . However , before I could touch her , steel flashed . The knife slashed across my face , pain exploding as warm blood streamed into my eye . Then , someone shoved me down , pinning me to the floor . " Zoey , what the hell are you doing ? " Gary's voice thundered . I hadn't even noticed when he had come in , " I just walked in and saw you attack Lucy with a knife . How twisted are you ? " His roar rattled the walls . Tears poured down my face as I screamed , my voice raw with grief , " She killed my dad ! She killed him ! " Gary's face darkened , fury burning in his eyes . " Shut up! Lucy went to check on Mr. Johnson tonight and found him already gone . Yet , you still dare to slander her ? Apologize now ! " All the pain , all the humiliation , and everything I had swallowed until now tore out of me at once . I sobbed , my throat breaking . " Slander ? You cheated on me with her - that was my fault . She slashed my face , and you didn't even look . You just said it was my fault . Fine I was wrong . I was wrong to have ever loved you . But I won't apologize ! " His hand clamped down on the back of my head , forcing me forward until my skull cracked against the floor a few times . His voice was like ice . " Don't make me repeat myself . Apologize ! " Through the haze of blood and tears , I raised my face , staring at them with every ounce of hatred I had left . Their vicious , ugly faces burned into my mind like fire , and in that moment , I swore that I would make them pay in blood ! 1/1