Never as We Were in Youth

“Michael Carter, do it!”

He froze when he saw my hand outstretched. Step by step, he walked toward me with the knife.

His hand rose, blade poised, but just inches from me he stopped.

Pressing his lips together, he dropped the knife and turned to Olivia White.

“Rachel, one last time. I’ll give you one last chance.”

His voice was soft, yet it pierced straight into my ears.

Watching him support Olivia as they left, and seeing her cast me that sorrowful, resentful look over her shoulder, pain nearly suffocated me.

After that, Michael didn’t return home for several days. Meanwhile, I tried to adjust to life outside of prison.

But I never expected Olivia to show up a week later, holding my parents’ heirloom jewelry.

“Be smart and hand it back to me.”

I aimed my gun at her, but she only covered her mouth and laughed.

“Rachel Evans, Michael loves me. Why won’t you just leave?”

“My business with him is none of yours. Give it back.”

The bullet was already chambered.

“And if I say no?”

Olivia’s smile widened. With a sharp crack, the bracelet shattered into pieces.

At the same instant, without hesitation, I pulled the trigger.

As the deafening gunshot tore through the air, a dark blur rushed in front of me. Michael shielded Olivia with his body. The bullet grazed his shoulder, blood seeping out.

“Rachel, have you had enough?”

He held Olivia protectively behind him, his gaze sharp and dangerous like a wolf.

“Michael, if you can’t control your delicate flower, then I’ll do it for you.”

I pointed at the shattered fragments on the ground.

“We could’ve stayed in peace, but your delicate flower insisted on coming here to court death. Shouldn’t I grant her wish?”

Michael’s eyes flickered at the broken pieces, but he quickly regained his calm.

“Your parents have been dead for years. Keeping things from the dead around only brings bad luck.”

“Michael, I dare you to say that again.”

His words made my blood run cold.

He had gone through fire with my father. My father had saved him more than once. And yet, now he said this.

Unable to contain the storm inside me, I fired again.

“Look out—”

The thunderous sound echoed once more, but Olivia shoved Michael aside at the last second. The bullet missed him, grazing her pale neck instead, streaks of blood trickling down.

“Rachel Evans…”

Michael’s eyes burned red as he saw her blood. He rushed forward and clamped his hand around my throat.

“Why? Why do you always have to hurt her?”

His furious eyes made my heart ache. This was the second time he had raised his hand against me—for Olivia.

“All that for just a scratch?”

I arched a brow.

“Kill me then. Make way for the two of you.”

“Rachel, don’t push me.”

I knew Michael wouldn’t kill me. Just as I knew that even with Olivia by his side, he still loved me. The madness we once shared couldn’t be replaced by Olivia.

Shaking, he released me, then lifted Olivia into his arms.

“Rachel, I’ll make sure Olivia disappears from your sight. But you—stop hurting her!”

His voice was hoarser than ever.

Holding her tighter, he looked back at me from the shadows, his eyes unreadable.