Hard to Endure Chapter 06

Hard to Endure Chapter 06

I was sure Knox had seen my messages and found out I’d blocked him, and that was why he’d rushed home

overnight. Sure enough, he cared about me. He was just too stubborn to admit it.

Inside, I was thrilled, but on the outside, I looked crushed and bitter about Adrian and Vanessa’s beach trip.

“Knox, I feel awful. Nobody wants me anymore. I don’t even want to live.”

For more than two years, I’d worked hard chasing trends and filming videos. I wanted Knox to see them. I

wanted him to get jealous, rush home, and tell me he liked me too.

But he never reacted at all. If Vanessa hadn’t come back this time, he might never have come home.

I squeezed out tears as hard as I could. But I never expected Knox not to even look at me. He flipped through

some papers and spoke calmly. “Summer, find someone decent to date and stop messing around.”

I froze. Knox kept going. “I looked into Adrian Shaw. You two aren’t right for each other. He and Vanessa were

together a long time ago, and you’re probably just standing in for her. He doesn’t love you.”

I wet my lips. “And? Then what about you, Knox? Do you love me?”

Knox finally looked up. “Summer, stop it.”

I was so mad that I stormed out of the house. So Knox hadn’t come home for me after all. It wasn’t because

he was worried I’d do something drastic, and it wasn’t because he felt bad for me.

I went to a bar. After Knox left the country, I’d turned into a total lush. As luck would have it, Adrian liked to

drink too.

Adrian never told me to drink less, but whenever I asked, he’d make me ginger tea with honey to settle my

stomach and sober me up.

Knox had never been like that. Every time he caught me sneaking a drink, he’d drag me home and make me

down three glasses of hangover remedy.

Then he’d say something like, “Summer, don’t let me catch you going out drinking on your own again.”

When I got to the bar, it was just getting dark. I didn’t notice that Adrian’s friends were there too. I opened a bottle and poured one glass after another down my throat.

I didn’t know how long I’d been drinking when someone snatched the glass out of my hand. The bottle in

front of me got taken away too.

I mumbled a complaint and looked up, and I found myself staring straight into Knox’s cold eyes. “Summer, do

you really have to wreck yourself like this?”

For once, I hated Knox a little. The hurt, the humiliation, and the fury of loving someone I couldn’t have all

came pouring out in a scream.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do! I’m crazy about Adrian. I love him even if he cheats. My life has nothing

to do with you.”

Knox took me home. To be precise, he threw me over his shoulder and carried me home.

The whole way, I kicked and punched, and people stopped to stare. Arthur trailed behind us, waving his hands and explaining. “It’s not a kidnapping. They’re brother and sister.”

I was so furious that my eyes went red. “Who says Knox and I are brother and sister? We’re not!”

From where I hung, I couldn’t see Knox’s face, so I missed the faint flicker of emotion that crossed his eyes.

By the time we got home, I was pretty woozy. My phone kept going off like crazy. I reached for it, but Knox snatched it away and turned it off. Then he laid me down on the bed, careful not to jostle me.

I tugged at his sleeve and whined that my stomach hurt. It felt like it was on fire.

The next morning, Arthur told me I’d kept Knox up all night. He’d made me three different hangover remedies

alone.

I frowned and turned my face away. “Where is he?”

Arthur fussed over my breakfast as he answered. “Mr. Callahan left for the office first thing this morning. He

said your stomach was upset, so he asked Linda to make you some chicken soup.”

I scoffed. He’d never admit he cared.