The Tamed and Broken

Well, Dylan had a point.

I had changed. No longer was I the cocky, big-spending socialite of Hedgewood’s upper crust.

Now, I was a lapdog, circling Dylan and Tammy at their feet.

Stepping into the car, I sat in the back.

The city blurred past the window as I tightened my grip.

The road seemed to lead to the cemetery in the western suburbs.

The moment the car came to a halt, I flung the car door open and lunged out.

I was taken aback by what I saw.

The orderly headstones were gone, replaced by rows of boxing bags and training equipment. Several young people in gym wear sparred across the grounds.

I staggered forward and grabbed ahold of one of the staff members.

“Where are the graves? Where are the graves of the Todds?”

The staff member stared at me in bewilderment.

“The graves are moved to a different location. Mr. Crewe bought the land to build an open-air boxing gym, just for Ms. Bates to train at.”

“I know, right? Dylan gives Tammy the world. Apparently, there’s a great vibe to the place. A former billionaire chose it as a prime site before.”

Not too far away, Tammy sneered.

“Sarah, I made sure to dump your parents’ graves on the back hill in case you couldn’t find them.”

As a shrill noise pierced through my head, I dashed to the hill like a madwoman.

Heavy rain poured down without warning. The slippery slope nearly buried me under a wall of mud.

Time was a distance as I clawed away the stone and dirt pinning me down. My nails cracked open as my new and old injuries ripped open in the rain.

I was a bloody mess.

An hour later, I finally spotted the headstones with my parents’ names on them.

As my chest tightened, I dug with my mangled fingers and wailed hysterically.

Dylan’s voice echoed from a distance. “Sarah! Get here right now!”

Tammy was the first to track me down. With rage taking over, she kicked me down and stomped on my head, grinding her heel back and forth.

“Sarah, why can’t you just die?

“Dylan would have been mine had you died on the island.”

Drained, I sprawled across the floor as Tammy took out her anger on me.

As my lungs gave out, I caught Dylan approaching.

Tammy leaned close to my ear and laughed menacingly.

“Let’s take a guess on who he is going to save this time.”

Holding me tight, Tammy rolled off the cliff. She forcefully switched positions with me so that I would bear the brunt of the fall.

My back slammed into the jagged rocks, and the sharp edges cut through my shoulder and abdomen.

The last thing I saw was Dylan darting over to embrace Tammy in a panic.

The moment brought me back to when there was an office fire. He rushed to bring Tammy to safety without hesitation while locking me in the office.

As the last of my body heat dissipated, I reached my hand out with a struggle.

“H-Help me…”

Dylan cocked his head back, his eyes widened. Tammy nestled in his arms, waving her vulnerability right in his face.

“I think I sprained my ankle, Dylan…”

Dylan shifted his gaze away from me.

“Hang in there, Sarah. I’ll call you an ambulance once I get help for Tammy.”

Helping Tammy up, Dylan walked away without looking back.

As Dylan walked out on me, I spotted the rain washing over the words on my parents’ headstones.

It felt as if my parents were talking to me in the rain.

“We believe in you, Sarah. Live on!”

Blood spilled from my lips, but I bit my tongue to stay conscious.

“I can’t die just yet!

“I have not gotten my revenge!”