Chapter 31

• The memories of that night haunted her dreams. She tossed and turned in her bed, sweat dripping down her face and body as it became harder for her to breathe. Her hands trembled uncontrollably. She let out a loud scream as she relived the incident again for what felt like the millionth time.
• Breathing heavily, she gazed at the door, hoping her mother wouldn't come running after hearing her scream. Once she was sure no one was coming, she stepped out of her sweat-soaked bed, wrapped her long brown hair in a bun, and headed to the bathroom. She bent over the sink and splashed cold water on her face, hoping it would help her feel better.
• With both hands gripping the sides of the sink, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, wondering if the torture would ever end. For years, she had been plagued by one nightmare after another about Jordan, her little brother. For years, she had made everyone believe that Charlotte was the cause of his death when, in reality, it was her. She had let him drown. She had run into the house and seen her brother playing with a doll next to the pool. As a child, she was incredibly possessive. The moment she saw it, she wanted it for herself. She went to him to get it, but he wouldn’t let it go. Out of anger, she pushed him into the pool and ran off. To this day, her parents believe he has gone in to get the doll and blame Charlotte for letting it happen. But the truth haunted her. She couldn’t tell her parents about her trauma because then they would hate her, just as much as they hated Charlotte for letting him die, and she couldn’t bear to add their hate to her suffering.