---- Chapter 6 Farah Moore POV: Brandon took one look at the scene-Caryl on the floor, her dress torn, sobbing hysterically, and me tied to a chair-and his rage became a physical force. He didn't even glance at me. His entire focus was on her. He kicked one of the hired thugs so hard the man doubled over, gasping for air. "Get out!" he roared. The men scrambled out of the room. Brandon rushed to Caryl's side, gathering her into his arms. "Caryl, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" "It was her!" Caryl shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at me. "She hired them! She said... she said she wanted to teach me a lesson for stealing you from her!" + | tried to speak, to defend myself, but the words caught in my throat. The sheer audacity of her lie was breathtaking Brandon's head snapped toward me, his eyes blazing with a hatred so intense it felt like | had been physically struck. "Farah," he gritted out, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "It wasn't me," | finally managed to say, my voice shaking. "She's lying. She tied me up. She set this whole thing up!" ---- He completely ignored my words. It was as if | hadn't spoken at all, "Explain yourself," he demanded. A hysterical laugh bubbled up inside me. "Explain myself? You should be asking her to explain! Ask her why she's not blind anymore, Brandon! Ask her why she's been faking for a year!" Caryl let out a heart-wrenching sob. "Brother, | don't know what she's talking about. | was so scared. | took off my bandages because they were hurting me, and then she... she brought those men in." Brandon's gaze softened as he looked at her, his hand gently stroking her hair. He believed every word. Of course he did. He always believed her. | gave up. What was the point? He was never going to see the truth. He was willingly blind. "You are vile," he snarled at me, his lip curling in disgust. "| knew you were spoiled and selfish, but | never imagined you were capable of something this depraved." The injustice of it all was a physical weight, pressing down on me, crushing the air from my lungs. | held up my bound wrists, the ropes digging into my skin. "Look at me, Brandon," | pleaded, my voice cracking. "Look at my wrists. She did this." ---- He glanced at the red, chafed skin for a fraction of a second, his expression completely unmoved. "It's easy enough to tie your own hands," he said dismissively. His words hit me harder than any physical blow. He thought my pain, my fear, my reality, was just another performance. He used to tell me | was too smart for my own good. Now | saw he believed my intelligence was a weapon | would use for deceit. "I'm leaving," | said again, the words tasting like ash. "Let me go." Caryl whimpered, "Brother, don't let her go. She needs to be taught a lesson." She then leaned in and whispered something in his ear, a malicious smile playing on her lips. "You're not going anywhere," Brandon said, his voice as cold as a tombstone. "You're right, Caryl. She does need to be taught a lesson." He turned to me, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "You resent Caryl so much. You think she's unclean, don't you? Fine. Then you can take her place tonight. You can entertain the men she was supposed to." My blood ran cold. The threat was unmistakable. "You're a monster," | whispered, staring at the man | once loved. Caryl suddenly clutched her head, a pained expression on her face. "Ow, my head hurts," she cried, conveniently creating a ---- distraction. "Brother, | think I'm bleeding." Brandon's attention snapped back to her. He gently touched the back of her head. There was nothing there, but he acted as if she were gravely injured. "You see what you've done?" he roared at me, his face contorted with fury. "You can't even stand the sight of her! You're so jealous you'd rather see her dead!" He was right about one thing. | was an orphan, raised by a distant uncle who saw me as a burden. | had never truly belonged anywhere. | thought | had found my home with Brandon. | was wrong. | was just a visitor, and my time was up "Let's play a game, Aurora," Caryl said, her voice dropping to asinister whisper only | could hear. "Let's see who he chooses." "You're a psychopath," | spat. | tried to stand, to run, to escape this nightmare. But his bodyguards, who had been waiting silently by the door, stepped forward, blocking my path. Brandon scooped Caryl into his arms and started walking towards the door. He didn't look back. "Brandon!" | screamed, my voice raw with desperation. "Don't do this! Please!" He paused at the doorway but didn't turn around. "Watch her," he ordered his men. "Don't let her leave until | say ---- so. He walked out, leaving me alone with the two hulking guards. The door clicked shut, sealing my fate. | sank to the floor, my heart a cold, heavy stone in my chest. He had abandoned me. He had thrown me to the wolves without a second thought. A dark shadow fell over me. | looked up into the leering faces of the guards as they advanced, and for the first time in my life, | understood the true meaning of terror.