Before I Leave

Stella's head snapped up, noticing Ethan was standing in the doorway. She had no idea when he arrived.

Her heart dropped.

"Did you drug my orange juice?" Her voice trembled with anger. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

Ethan gave a cold laugh and walked over, gripping her chin roughly. "I should be the one asking you that—why did you drug Rachel?

"You decided to humiliate her in public just because she broke your mother's piece by accident?

"She's just a kid! How could you be so vicious?"

Stella stared at him in shock. "What are you talking about? I never drugged Rachel!"

Ethan shoved her away. "Stop lying! The only thing she drank today was that glass of water you gave her. Who else could it have been?"

It hit Stella then—what it meant to be completely unloved. Ethan never questioned everything Rachel said, yet he sentenced Stella on the spot.

"Unbelievable," she laughed bitterly.

She struggled to grab her phone and call an ambulance, but Ethan stopped her.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled.

Ethan looked down at her, voice ice-cold as he said, "That drug is strong. An ambulance won't help. Your only way out is to beg me."

Stella froze. "For what?"

"To help you relieve the effects, of course," sneered Ethan. "But I don't come cheap. Get on your knees and apologize to Rachel if you need help."

Stella stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend how ridiculous Ethan's request was.

Ethan kept leaning closer, pinning her in place. "Stop acting, Stella. Isn't this what you've always wanted?" His voice dropped to a low hiss. "You used the same tricks to force me into marrying you. Now I'm just asking you to pay for your sins."

Stella snapped. She shoved him away, grabbed a pair of scissors, and stared him down with a deadly calm.

"You want me to kneel and apologize to Rachel? Keep dreaming."

With that, she drove the scissors straight into her own thigh.