Page 161 of Once in a Lifetime, Part 2

“You got that tattoo for him, didn’t you?” She held his gaze through tear-blurred eyes.

He didn’t answer. His silence said enough.

“And then you went on vacation with him and your friends… while I was sitting there worried you’d meet other girls,” she said, shaking her head. “Do your friends know?”

Ody squeezed his eyes shut, his lips parting on a shaky breath.

“Answer me,” she snapped.

He kept his gaze lowered and muttered, “Steve found out in Mykonos.”

Anna let out a short, bitter laugh. “Wow. At least I wasn’t the only one being lied to. That’s… comforting.” Her gaze turned sharp, cutting. “How could you do this to me? Who even are you?”

Ody looked at her, then covered his mouth as the sobs caught up with him. “I’m sorry...”

Anna stared at him. All expression drained from her face. “You’re sorry?” She closed the distance in two quick steps. “You’re sorry?” she screamed, slamming her fist against his chest.

Ody stayed still, his jaw tightening as he held the sobs in.

She hit him again, harder. “I hate you!”

Tears streamed down her face, her breath hitching as she kept hitting him.

Ody kept his eyes shut tight, his feet planted as the hits pushed against him.

She cried out, until her legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor. “I don’t even know who you are anymore… The Ody I knew would’ve never done this to me.”

Ody stood there with his eyes closed, not moving.

Anna pushed herself up, unsteady, her vision blurred by tears. “I hate—” Her voice broke. “I hate you.” She stared at him while he kept his eyes down.

She steadied her breath. “I hate you.” She opened the door and left, slamming it behind her.

The sound echoed through the apartment.

Ody didn’t move. Then the last of his composure shattered. He covered his face, the sobs finally tearing out of him.

Chapter 33

Ihate you. It kept looping in his head. He couldn’t shut it off. His phone rang, dragging him out of it. He answered without speaking.

“Hey. How are you? Did you eat?” Steve asked.

For a moment there was nothing. Then Steve heard it, uneven breathing. Crying.

He shot to his feet. “You’re crying? Again? Fuck…”

“Anna came by,” Ody said, the words breaking apart.

Steve went still.

“I told her everything.” A breath caught in his throat. “I destroyed her, Steve.” Another sob broke out of him. “If you’d seen her… you wouldn’t forgive me.”

Steve pressed his fingers to his forehead, exhaling hard.

“How could I do that to her?” Ody went on, like he wasn’t even talking to him anymore. “How do you do that to someone? I’m… I’m fucking trash. I deserve the worst. I deserve to suffer.”

“Stop,” Steve snapped. “Don’t talk like that. Don’t even think like that, I’ll beat the shit out of you.”