Chapter 59 : Promise You Won't Stay

*Eliza*

After Jared and Abe disappeared after dinner, I went back to my room and changed out of the dress. I stared down at it for a while, wondering why I’d barely questioned Abe’s intentions for the dress in particular. Was it just to piss Jared off? To make him feel territorial over me? If so, I didn’t think it had worked as he intended.

I got dressed into a pair of simple cotton pajamas and washed the makeup from my face. I don’t think Jared had ever seen me wearing makeup, not even once. I stared at myself in the mirror for a while, trying to gather my thoughts. My mind felt… tangled.

Why had I so blindly trusted Abe, and for what purpose? Why had it been so easy to do so?

I blinked, using a rag to wipe the mascara from my eyes.

When I came back into the bedroom, Scarlett was there, but so was Archer. I lingered in the doorway to the bathroom as they spoke in inaudible whispers.

Archer noticed me first, his eyes widening as if he was shocked to see me there.