Page 206 of Chasing Hope

I was robbed that day and every night after. I stayed silent, weighed down by the terror of him killing the brother I adoredwith all my heart. And so, the abuse continued, day after day, weeks passing as months turned into years.

Caleb doesn’t touch me. He remains silent beside me as I go on, my entire body shaking as I explain how our dad went from touching me and himself to fully raping me at five years old.

The details he doesn’t need to know, I keep to myself. There’s some things I’ll never share, not with the police, not even with Matteo. There are some things I don’t ever wish to speak of, truths that if I so much as think about them for too long, my entire body locks up. If I speak of them, it means it truly happened, and I don’t want to admit that.

I finish with everything our mother said and did, how the memories came back while I was with Carter, and how Felicity and Carter became close as they talked of ways to “help me” through my pain, only to end up adding to it.

It isn’t until I’ve purged everything within my soul that my brother turns to me with bloodshot eyes and asks, “The nights you begged to sleep in my room… Did you…did you know that he was coming for you?”

I know the answer will crush him, know that it will break his already vulnerable heart, so I stay silent. But that’s an answer in its own way.

“Evie…” he whispers. He takes one look at me and turns his head away, dropping it between his knees. My brother—my strong, stubborn, charismatic, playful brother that always has a smile on his face—shatters into a broken man. “I hate myself.” Caleb’s chest heaves. “I fucking hate myself. I’m so sorry, Evie. I’m so goddamn sorry for all of it, for how I treated you these past weeks, for not being there for you. I’m just so fucking sorry.”

Caleb’s shoulders shake violently, the tears pouring from him landing on the ground.

And there is nothing I can do to fix it, so I sit beside my brother as the truth of my secrets build a grave large enough for him to be suffocated by the actions of our father alongside me.

Chapter 59

Caleb

MOM

MOM

honey where are you?

please pick up

we need to talk Caleb

ICEHAWKS BITCHES

CRAWFORD

we’re here for you boys, whatever you two or Evie need. an ear to listen, a smash room recommendation, fists to pummel a face…one text is all it takes

ASHFORD

take all the time you need and let Evie know our PR is on it and trying to get the articles taken down. Layla has started hunting for some books to distract her whenshe’s ready

O’CONNOR

Cindy is collecting fancy wine for Evie as we speak

CRAWFORD

Bella is also baking up a storm

IRVING

I’ve asked a few of my bunnies to kick anyone out of chats that are spreading it

LEWIS

who knew the bunnies would pull through for once

but same here boys, thinking of you both and Evie