Chapter 5

The slap caught me full force. My legs were paralyzed. I had nothing to catch myself with.

I toppled from the wheelchair. People gasped around me. My temple hit the floor hard. Blood ran down my face.

Lucas stood over me, sneering.

“I saw what you sent.”

My head snapped up.

“Why…”

My voice shook. My chest ached, deep and constant.

“You almost had me. Almost believed Vivian set you up.”

He pulled a box from his pocket—PEP medication—and threw it in my face.

“Vivian found this in your locker. In your personal things. Explain that.”

My eyes went wide.

“Major General, you’re mistaken! This is—”

My colleague didn’t finish. Lucas kicked her in the stomach. She doubled over, gasping.

He raised his boot again. I screamed, tried to crawl toward her.

His boot came down on me. Once. Twice. Ground into my damaged spine.

Everything went white. Cold sweat soaked through my shirt.

Lucas grabbed my jaw, forced me to look up. His eyes held nothing but disgust.

“Evelyn, you really fooled me.”

“Acted so cold, so untouchable. Made me chase you for two years before you’d even say yes.. Turns out you were filthy all along.”

“I knew it couldn’t have been just some ointment that infected Vivian.”

“You gave her your disease—infected her yourself. And then you tried to push her down the stairs, tried to cripple her!”

“I didn’t…” I forced them out through gritted teeth.

I looked up at him, desperate. “The medication—it’s—”

“Shut up!” He roared. “Still lying to me? I’m done believing a word you say!”

He let go. I hit the floor like trash.

“Before, I thought you used bad medicine on Vivian, faked those records—I thought it was revenge for me missing the engagement. I even felt sorry for you. Thought I’d just scare you, let Vivian get some payback, and call it even.”

“But I didn’t think you’d actually do something this sick. Not this time. I won’t let you off.”

Lucas turned away.

“The engagement is off. I will never marry you.”

I closed my eyes. “Fine.”

His fists clenched, knuckles cracking.

“You think that’s it?”

“Vivian wants you to feel what she felt. Those infected soldiers are already on their way. I’m handing you over.”

“This is what you deserve, Evelyn. Your punishment.”

He stared, waiting. Waiting for me to break. To beg.

I just lay there. Closed my eyes. Felt nothing.

“Bitch.” He spat the word. The door slammed behind him.

Minutes later, the door opened.

Hope surged—desperate, nearly painful. My eyes filled with tears.

“You came…”

But when my eyes focused, it wasn’t him.

It was men. Sallow faces, skin covered in weeping sores.

Behind them, Vivian.

I screamed. Tried to pull myself backward, away from them. My legs wouldn’t move. My broken wrist gave out when I tried to push myself back.

Vivian watched me struggle and laughed.

“Look at you now. Pathetic. You actually thought you could take Lucas from me?”

“You didn’t know, did you? I’m his first love.”

“Years ago, he wanted to be with me so badly that Father beat him within an inch of his life. Fractured his leg. He still wouldn’t give me up.”

“You thought he married you because he loved you? He didn’t. Father said he had to get married before I could transfer back to Fort Blackwell. So he looked around, and he picked you.”

Her eyes glittered, vicious.

“Want to know why he picked you? Because from behind, in the dark, you look like me. He told me—when he fucked you with the lights off, he could pretend it was me.”

I couldn’t breathe. Tears came, hot and unstoppable.

I remembered. Our first time—I’d reached out in the dark, accidentally turned on the bedside lamp.

His face had changed. Something in it went cold, distant.

When he finally returned, he gathered me into his arms, his voice low and edged with apology.

“Sorry. First time… nerves.”

I’d thought it was sweet then. Thought he was just shy, reserved.

The truth was so much uglier.

She saw it on my face—the devastation. She clapped, delighted.

“Go ahead. Ruin her. I want her so filthy even Lucas won’t be able to look at her.”

The door locked. Heavy. Final.

…

Lucas sat in the next room. One thin wall between us. He could hear my screams—my pleading. His hands trembled where they rested at his sides.

Soft hands covered his.

“Don’t worry. I told them to just scare her. Once she passes out, we’ll get her treatment.”

Lucas made a low sound—agreement, relief. He pulled her close, kissed the top of her head.

“Thank you for being so forgiving, Vivian.”

His voice softened.

“I did want to marry her. But she can’t accept you in my life. I’ll send her away—to a recovery facility. Give her time to think about what she’s done.”

Vivian’s eyes glinted—cold calculation. She tilted her face up, kissed him.

“Then while she’s gone… stay with me?”

They kissed. Then—a crash. Sharp and violent, from the next room.

From outside, a scream. “Someone jumped! Someone jumped from the window—it’s Dr. Brooks!”