HIS DOE HIS DAMNATION (by Vivienne) novel Chapter 28

CHAPTER 0028

Meadow’s POV:

I had no idea how I ended up here.

One minute, I was surfing the internet, searching for psychiatric facilities that were in the area or at least in close range–yeah, I know. I told Alaric that I didn’t care about my sister anymore.

And the next minute, I was looking at schools. Online college programs.

Like I said, no idea how I ended up here.

I let out a slow breath, pushing my glasses up and onto my hair.

I had no plans of going back to school after I had to leave the last one because of Juniper, but when Alaric had mentioned it to me, truthfully, I felt a little small. It wasn’t just the embarrassment of him knowing, it was the shame that came with remembering why.

Because here this man was–handsome, sexy, smart, a fucking billionaire, for fuck’s sake, and he seemed to know it all.

And here I was–plain, college dropout with nothing going on for her all because her sister had set out to ruin her life.

It never used to bother me. Not with Tyler. As long as I played house and stayed sweet; I was good enough. I told myself I didn’t need more. That serving tables and smiling through bullshit was fine.

But now?

Now I was living in a mansion wearing a ring that felt too heavy for my finger, surrounded by silence and space. Time, and I hated how empty it all felt.

Maybe this could be it. Keeping myself busy.

“You’re quiet,” Nova said through my phone speaker, her voice light with suspicion: “You’re never quiet this long. What’re you doing, googling p**n categories?”

I snorted, half–laughing as I leaned back into the plush velvet chair in the living room.

“Just… looking at online schools,” I admitted. No use in hiding anything from her.

Nova was quiet for so long, I had to pick up the phone to confirm that she was still on the call. And then she appeared into the frame, her eyes wide and blond curls bouncing,

“Wait, seriously?”

Her grin was so wide and infectious, I had to bite down on my bottom lip to keep from returning the smile. “ Mmm hm.”

“Oh my god, Meadow, that’s fucking amazing!” she exclaimed. Her excitement made something warm flutter in my chest.

I had to leave Nova halfway through college after the fiasco that had occurred, even though she’d pleaded multiple times not to let my sister derail me.

“You think so?”

“Hell yes!” she replied, practically bouncing on the edge of her seat. “What exactly are you looking at?”

“Uh…” I glanced at my laptop. “I don’t really know, seeing as I just made that decision right now.”

When I turned back to my phone, Nova was grinning non–stop.

I rolled my eyes. “Can you not make a big deal out of this?”

“No, I can’t not make a big deal out of this,” she scoffed. “I’m so proud of you, Meds. You’re already thinking clearer now that Juniper’s locked up.”

I froze, the smile slipping from my face.

Nova didn’t notice. She just kept on going. “Girl, I’m telling you, dumping her in the loony bin is the best thing Alaric did for your mental health.”

I tried to ignore the sting in my chest, but I couldn’t.

“Is it?”

I tried to sound casual, but the quiver in my tone exposed me.

I risked a glance at my phone, watching Nova get all up in the screen as she squinted. “What?”

“Was it really the best thing to do?” I asked, fingers tightening around the phone. “Locking her up in a place like that?”

“She deserved it, Meadow,” Nova’s voice was firm. “She beat you up, tried to get Tyler to rape you…

I flinched.

But she continued. “And those aren’t even the worst things she’s done to you over the years. So, I need you to tell me one good fucking reason why that bitch shouldn’t stay locked up in there. Permanently.”

My jaw twitched. I had no good reason, but still, the guilt was eating at me slowly. “We don’t know what it’s like in there. It’s going to mess with her head, Nova. I-”

“Meadow”

“Later,”

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