Chapter 1
427words
The car had barely stopped when the door flew open with a violent jerk.
A large hand seized my long hair, dragging me straight into the muddy downpour.
"Ah——!"
My knees crashed against the gravel, skin tearing open on impact.
"Why the hell are you playing dead?"
Damon Sterling, stinking of whiskey, dragged me forward like roadkill.
"Damon... please... it hurts..."
I trembled, reaching for his hand, desperate to find some flicker of compassion in those eyes.
"Hurts? You have the nerve to complain?"
Damon's boot slammed into my shoulder.
I crashed into a mud puddle, my carefully styled hair instantly matted with filth.
"Get up!"
He jabbed his finger toward a solitary black tombstone. "Crawl there. Now!"
Lightning split the sky.
The black and white photograph on the tombstone caught the ghastly flash, coming alive for an instant.
The woman in the photograph wore a green dress identical to mine, her smile regal and untouchable.
—Here lies my beloved Elena Valentine.
I stared at my own name.
Looking at the "dead" version of myself from three years ago.
Before I could process this madness, Damon grabbed my collar and shoved me down before the tombstone.
"On your knees!"
"Open your damn eyes and look at her!"
Rain streamed down his contorted face.
"Three years ago today, she burned to ash! Not even a fragment of bone survived!"
"And you?"
His fingers roughly traced down my spine. "Wearing her clothes? Flaunting yourself? Who exactly are you trying to seduce?"
"Riiip—!"
He violently tore the expensive silk dress from behind.
My back lay exposed to the cold night air.
Ugly burn scars snaked across my skin—permanent souvenirs from the inferno three years ago.
Damon stared at those scars, then spat in disgust.
"Disgusting."
"Beneath that skin, you're nothing but rotting flesh."
"You're not even worthy to touch her shadow."
Shame coursed through me, making my entire body tremble.
I lowered my head, my voice barely a whisper:
"I'm sorry... Damon..."
"Since you admit your guilt, time to atone."
Damon crouched down, pointing at the foul mud before the tombstone.
"Bow to her. All the way down."
"Press your face into the mud and tell her what you really are—a cheap impostor."
I froze.
He wants me to bow to my former self?
"Having second thoughts?"
Rage blazed in Damon's eyes. "If you want to be Vera, then get used to being treated like the dog you are!"
His hand slammed against the back of my head, forcing it down violently!
