Chapter 3

Andrew and Emma sprang apart like they had been caught. Andrew scrambled to fix her clothes, all flustered. "Why are you back? I was just helping her out, putting some cream on a scrape she got on her back."

My voice came out all scratchy. "Is that all you were doing?"

Maybe he had grown accustomed to my humble demeanor, or maybe he thought I was challenging him.

Andrew scrunched up his brows. "Jessica, you're not seriously getting worked up over this, are you?"

He grabbed a box from nearby and shoved it into my hands like he was doing me a favor. "Emma picked this out just for you. It's chocolate from Belmar Island."

Three years together, and he still did not get me. He did not even know I could not stand chocolate. I chucked the chocolate to the floor and stomped on it.

"I don't want anything that's been touched by someone else."

That went for people too.

Andrew lost it. "What are you freaking out about now? I was just helping her to fulfill her wish. What's the big deal?! Emma was worried you'd be mad and had me rush back in the middle of the night. And this is how you greet me?"

"Jessica, are you still mad at me over the wedding? I'm so sorry. It just breaks my heart to think of Andrew marrying you..." Emma's voice quivered, barely above a whisper. Tears streamed down her face.

"All I wanted was to visit Belmar Island with Andrew just once. I'm so, so sorry..."

Andrew, with a heavy heart, wiped away Emma's tears and pulled her close, whispering words of comfort. He glared at me with revulsion and said, "Jessica, you owe Emma an apology."

I shot back, "Why should I?"

Before, I would have caved and said sorry. Andrew had never seen me stand my ground like this. He froze, taken aback.

Emma, clutching Andrew's phone, yelled, "Andrew, you've got a message from your mom."

Andrew's mom's voice came through the phone, full of complaints, "Jessica is out of line. She caused a scene and told me and your dad to get lost. And now, look at my arm. It was cut by glass! Andrew, you can't possibly marry someone like her!"

Mrs. Snyder showed the gash on her arm.

Emma was in a panic. "Jessica, how could you treat Andrew's mom that way?!"

Andrew's rage erupted, and he grabbed me by the throat. "How dare you?! She's my mom! Jessica, just because I missed the wedding, you think you can take it out on her? She's old. Do you have any idea how much that would hurt her?!"

His grip was so tight I could barely breathe. "I didn't..."

As my vision blurred, I saw Andrew take down my mom's ashes from the table. "Jessica, you're insane—using milk powder to pretend they're ashes and setting up your mom's photo... You're cruel and deranged!"

As he spoke, Andrew filled the urn to the brim with water and chucked the broken chocolate pieces from earlier inside.

Tears streamed down my face as I cried out, my mouth tasting of blood, "Andrew, you jerk! Those are my mom's ashes!"

Andrew froze for a moment. Then, he sneered, "You're such a liar, and liars have to pay the price."

He yanked my hair with a cruel grip, his voice icy. "You said you're allergic to chocolate? Let's see if that's true.

"This is just like chocolate milk. You don't like chocolate bars, but you can handle a chocolate drink, can't you?"

He did not wait for an answer and just forced the vile mixture of chocolate and ashes into my mouth. I clamped my lips shut, struggling like crazy.

"Don't do this, Andrew, please—mmph..."

Andrew's coaxing was like a twisted reward, heartless and harsh. "Be a good girl. This is your punishment. You should've behaved."

With tears in my eyes, I cried out, "I'm sorry, Andrew, I'm so sorry! Please, just stop..."

"It's too late for apologies!"

He gripped my chin tightly, insisting, "You're going to drink every last drop of this!"

Despite my tears, he poured the mixture into my mouth, the chocolate and ashes mingling with my sobs.

Finally, seeing my tear-streaked face, Andrew's resolve wavered, and he let go. I retched uncontrollably, my throat burning.

My heart ached as if it were being carved up. The pain was so intense that I could not catch my breath.

I whispered apologies to my mother, over and over...

"Andrew, I hate you!"

He scoffed, "Quite the performance… Jessica, consider this a lesson. If you ever again—"

However, his lecture was cut short as my face broke out in angry red welts, my cheeks flushed, and my breathing turned ragged. These were clear signs of an allergic reaction.

Andrew nudged me with his foot. "Faking an allergy? You think that's gonna make me go soft on you? Keep up this act, and you can forget about me chipping in for your mom's hospital bills ever again!"

I stayed curled up on the ground, not saying a word. Andrew's temper hit the roof.

His forehead veins popped as he punched in the hospital's number. "I'm done paying for Ward 306 this month! And if the patient kicks the bucket, don't come begging me for a dime!"

The nurse on the other end sounded shocked. "You mean Jessica Harris's mom in Ward 306? Didn't you hear? She passed away yesterday..."