Love Ends, Wind Fades

After my boyfriends sister was raped and took her own life, I learned the truth. And I said nothing.
His parents knelt before me, begging, but I turned them away with a cold heart.
When reporters came to my door, I chased them off with a kitchen knife.
But my boyfriend, Ross, didnt leave me. Against his familys furious objections, he married me.
And after we were married, he tormented me day after day. He brought men to our home, forcing me to experience what his sister went through, over and over again.

Six years later, my body finally reached its breaking point. Using his familys immense wealth, he subjected me to a Memory Trial.
Tina, youre not even human! Do you have any idea how good Lila was to you? How could you do this to her?!
I lay on the medical bed, a ventilator breathing for me. My body was too heavy, too broken, to even attempt a rebuttal.
Stop playing the victim! You protected a monster. Everything thats happened to you, you deserve it!
The machine that would extract my memories was being connected. I looked at Ross, shaking my head with all the strength I had left, my eyes welling with tears.
Ross sneered. Dont waste your energy. So you feel regret now? Its too late. Think of the suffering Lila went through! Why didnt you speak?! You deserve to die.
He leaned in closer, his voice a venomous whisper. They say the pain from this memory extractor is worse than being electrocuted. Today, youre going to experience it firsthand.
Ross had staged my trial in the citys Grand Auditorium. Twenty thousand people filled the seats, and the entire event was being broadcast live across the nation.
The case of Lila Cole had been a national sensation, a story that shocked and horrified everyone. The police had given it top priority, but with my steadfast silence, the investigation stalled. Her death was officially ruled a suicide.
Rosss parents were here. When Ross and I married, theyd had a bitter falling out and had cut him off completely. But now, knowing their son was doing all this for his deceased sister, their hearts were filled with a complex, bitter grief.
Mrs. Cole pointed a trembling finger at me, her voice cracking with rage. You worthless bitch! You curse! All these years, and you still wont tell us who that animal was! Did a dog eat your conscience?!
Mr. Cole supported his wife. The loss of their daughter, followed by their sons marriage to methe woman who knew the truth and said nothinghad aged them decades.
Lila was their adopted daughter, but they had raised her as their own flesh and blood since she was a baby.
Ross and I started dating in high school. Lila was still in middle school then, a bright, bubbly girl who would follow me around, playfully calling me sis. Ross had always let her get away with it.
The audience below the stage seethed with righteous anger. Someone hurled an egg, and it splattered across my forehead, the foul-smelling yolk dripping into my eyes.
To ensure the trial could proceed, Ross had security calm the crowd.
The moment the machine switched on, it felt like a thousand needles were piercing my skin, my scalp. My pupils dilated in shock, and broken, whimpering sounds escaped my lips. The pain wracked my already shattered body, making everything worse.
Ross stood nearby, a cold smile on his face, watching my struggles without a flicker of sympathy.
A doctor, fearing I would pass out, prepared a syringe with a painkiller. Ross snatched it from his hand and replaced it with a powerful stimulant.
Sir, a dose this strong her body might not be able to handle it. After the trial, she could
Ross cut him off. Use this.
As the stimulant flooded my system, the sharpest edges of the pain receded, replaced by a buzzing, frantic energy.
Memories churned in my mind, a chaotic storm set to the soundtrack of the crowds curses and jeers.
On the massive screen above, my memories began to play.
The first image was of Ross. He was sitting with his back to me in a memorial hall.
It was for Lila.
The hall was draped in white mourning cloths. A large photograph of Lila sat in the center of the room. The girl in the photo had a brilliant, open smile, but the black-and-white of the portrait made it feel jarringly wrong.
Lilies rested on her casket, which was surrounded by a sea of daisies.
They were her favorite flowers.
In the memory, Ross was a shadow of his former self, gaunt and withered. The scene played out from my perspective.
I walked forward, placing a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He violently shrugged it off.
The words I wanted to say caught in my throat.
He whipped around, grabbing a fistful of my hair and dragging me toward Lilas casket.
Youre hurting me, Ross.
I clawed at his hand, trying to pry his fingers loose, my feet scrambling for purchase.
He didnt let up, throwing me to the floor in front of the coffin.
My forehead struck the sharp corner, and I felt the warm trickle of blood.
What right do you have to be here? How dare you show your face to her?!
When the police questioned you, why didnt you say anything?! The security cameras caught you there! Who are you protecting?!
I trembled, looking at the rage in his eyes, but I remained silent.
The image on the screen blurred. The audience grew more agitated.
Shes putting on a show! Trying to make us feel sorry for her by showing us Rosss anger. What a manipulative bitch!
Someone like her should just die!
Amid the roaring insults, the scene shifted.
This time, it was our wedding.
The announcement of our marriage had stunned the city. All of Lilas friends had turned on Ross, spitting his name, saying he had forgotten how his sister died to marry such a venomous woman.
On the way to the chapel, our limousine was vandalized by a masked group of people demanding justice for Lila.
But after that, the day proceeded without any major hitches.
I think, on that day, I must have been happy.
It was my own naivety. I actually believed what Ross had told me.
There were hardly any guests. The few of Rosss employees who did show up were only there because hed forced them to be. But still, in that moment, I felt a surge of happiness.
On the screen, a single tear from my memory-self fell onto our wedding rings.
I looked up, and Ross was smiling gently at me. We had no officiant; the ceremony was simple. But for me, it was enough. I knew he didn't want a life with me, to grow old together.
The scene cut abruptly. I saw myself in our basement, my hands cuffed tightly above my head.
Ross sat in a chair nearby. The warmth was gone from his eyes, replaced by an icy resolve.
What are you hiding?
I closed my eyes, a tear tracing a path down my temple.
If you wont talk, Ill make you understand real pain.
His voice was like an icicle piercing my heart.
He lit a cigarette. When it was half-smoked, he pressed the glowing end into my skin.
My own scream was drowned out by the sickening stench of scorched flesh.
A wave of dizziness washed over me. I didnt know if it was from weakness or something else, but in the real world, I could almost feel the phantom touch of that cigarette against my skin again.
My mouth opened, but no sound came out.
The insults from the crowd were vile, but they were nothing. Compared to what Id endured over the years, words couldnt hurt me anymore.
Maybe death would be a release.
I bit down hard on my own tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Shes trying to kill herself! a doctor shouted.
Ross, who was sitting right beside me, lunged forward. He clamped his hand around my jaw, forcing my mouth open. A spray of blood choked out of me.
Youd rather die than betray him?!
His eyes were bloodshot, ready to burst, his teeth grinding together.
Doctors rushed in to treat the wound on my tongue.
The effort had drained the last of my strength. I lay limp on the bed, a doll at their mercy.
I managed a weak smile at Ross. It was the spark that reignited his fury, and the crowds.
So arrogant! How does a piece of trash like her deserve to live?!
Go to hell! You piece of shit!
Amid the chaos, the screen changed again.
The image was from high school. The desks and chairs were an old, familiar style.
I was walking out of a classroom with Ross, my backpack slung over my shoulder. We were heading to the middle school building.
We waited at the entrance for a moment before a voice as bright and cheerful as a songbird called out.
Bro! Sis! Im here!
Lila came bouncing toward us, her own backpack bouncing on her shoulders, and linked her arm through mine.
I casually pulled a lollipop from my pocket and handed it to her.
I knew it! Youre the best, sis!
Lila beamed.
Dont be silly, I chided, my cheeks flushing.
A wave of sorrow rippled through the audience. Mrs. Cole broke down completely.
Lila my sweet girl Why couldnt you just tell us who the monster was?! Why couldnt you let her rest in peace?! My poor baby!
Her cries turned to choked sobs. You you deserve a horrible death!
The crowd was visibly moved. Mr. Cole, though a man accustomed to maintaining his composure, couldnt bear to see his wife in such pain. He pulled her into his arms, murmuring comforting words, but his eyes, fixed on me, were filled with a burning hatred.
The memory continued. After school, the three of us went to our secret hideout.
It was in an old, abandoned park not far from the school, with a little creek running through it. We had pitched a small tent there. Almost no one knew about it. Wed often bring snacks and have small barbecues there.
A collective gasp went through the auditorium.
This was the place. This was where it happened to Lila.
When the case was semi-public, this location was mentioned in the news as police searched for clues. But the place had been derelict for too long; they found nothing.
Watching the screen, Ross began to weep.
Its all my fault, he choked out. If I hadnt taken her to that place, none of this would have happened.
Then his grief curdled back into rage. He turned on me.
Lila adored you! How could you be so heartless?! Is your heart made of stone?!
He slammed his fists against the metal guardrail of my bed, as if the violence could expel the fury inside him.
His tears fell onto my hand, hot and stinging.
I I tried my best, Ross, I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Your best? You protected a criminal! You helped him escape justice! Thats against the law! he roared, losing control.
I closed my eyes, picturing the girl with the sun-drenched smile, a smile so warm it could melt glaciers.
Mr. Cole
One of the doctors started to speak, then hesitated.
Ross shot him a look so cold it made the man shiver.
Speak.
It seems shes actively resisting. Shes trying to block that specific memory.
A humorless smile stretched across Rosss face. Good. Very good.
Then increase the voltage. Lets see just how tough she really is.
The doctor hesitated, but he obeyed.
A powerful current shot through my skull, my limbs. My body began to go numb. I was losing feeling. I knew I didnt have much time left.
I clenched my jaw, refusing to make a sound.
Who are you protecting?! Rosss voice was a raw, desperate roar.
I opened my eyes. Tears blurred my vision, and for a moment, through him, I thought I could see the bright, cheerful boy he used to be.
I I cant say, I rasped.
Rosss face darkened. He stood up and loomed over me.
You dont have to. I have my ways. The pain Lila felt was a thousand times worse than this. What youre feeling is nothing.
I closed my eyes again, praying silently.
Please, let this end soon.
As the voltage increased again, my body spasmed, on the verge of shutting down. A doctor plunged a needle into my arma shot of adrenaline.
The numbness vanished, replaced by an agony that felt like being crushed under a steamroller. Cold sweat soaked the sheets beneath me.
Ross watched it all with detached cruelty. He was going to get the truth today, no matter the cost. He was going to get justice for Lila.
You brought this on yourself, Tina.
Youve denied Lila peace for six years. You owe her this.
Then, just as I felt my consciousness slipping away, the screen flickered back to life.
The scene was a dark basement. I was huddled in a corner. The door was kicked open.
Several grotesque-looking men walked in. The last person to enter was Ross.
Are you sure you wont talk?
Some of them are sick. Im giving you one last chance.
I shook my head frantically, tears streaming down my face.
No, its not that. I really cant say. Ross, please, believe me. Theres a reason.
He strode forward and grabbed my chin, his grip like steel.
What reason could possibly be more important than Lilas life?! Tell me!
Fine. If you wont talk, then let them take good care of you.
He turned and walked out, leaving me alone with them.
No matter how much I screamed his name, he didnt look back.

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