He Promised to Catch Me. Then He Pushed Me Off the Edge Chapter 08

He Promised to Catch Me. Then He Pushed Me Off the Edge Chapter 08

Three months later.

I presented my research at the annual neuroscience conference. The response was strong.

After the session, the journal editor shook my hand and told me he’d love to have me in New York

for a deeper collaboration.

Dr. Cole stood next to me, beaming. He clapped me on the shoulder.

“That’s my student.”

That night I got back to my apartment and found Vivian waiting outside.

She looked skeletal. Her makeup couldn’t hide the dark circles carved under her eyes.

The instant she saw me, she lunged and grabbed my wrist. Her nails bit into my skin.

“Nora! You come out here and explain this!”

I shook her off.

“What are you doing?”

“A will!”

She practically shrieked it.

“Ethan wrote a will! Do you know when he wrote it? The day he came back. The very same day. He left you everything. The house. The car. His savings. Even his honor medal from Whitmore has your

name on it!”

I froze.

“He had an accident during his flight evaluation two days ago.” Vivian’s voice started shaking.

“Instrument panel malfunction. Emergency landing. He smashed into the console. Ribs. Before he blacked out, he was calling for you. Nora! You!”

Tears streaked her eyeliner down her face. She looked completely wrecked.

“Look at you. You’re doing great. Presentations. Papers. Some new guy chasing after you. What gives you the right? He nearly killed himself over you, and you don’t even care!”

“And Mom. Ever since you left, she’s been cold to me. She thinks I’m the reason you and Ethan fell apart. She keeps saying the acrophobia is my fault. How is any of that fair?”

She’d been this way her whole life. When we were kids, my mom paid a little more attention to me

because I was younger.

So Vivian locked me on the roof. I came down with acrophobia. After that, my mom decided I was too much work and put all her attention on Vivian instead. Fast-forward a decade, and she had to take my boyfriend too.

“Vivian.”

I cut her off. My voice was quiet.

“I’m sorry he’s hurt. But I didn’t cause this.”

She glared at me. “He chose to fly. And he chose you over me. Those were his decisions.”

“As for the will, hold onto it for him. He and I are strangers now.”

Vivian’s lips trembled. She yanked a paper out of her bag and threw it in my face.

“Stop acting like you’re so innocent! Your name is right here-black and white! You think you can just walk away from this?”

I glanced at the paper on the ground. Then I pulled out my phone and dialed.

“Hello, police? I have a trespasser at my residence.”

Vivian lunged at my phone like a wild animal.

I sidestepped. Two security guards on patrol came around the corner. She screamed as they dragged

her away.

“Nora! You’ll pay for this! You’ll pay!”

I tucked my phone away and bent down. I picked up the will off the ground.

Ethan’s handwriting was neat. Painfully neat.

I crouched in the hallway and read it for a long time. Then I folded it and put it in my coat pocket.

That night I dreamed of the rooftop sophomore year. The wind was sharp. I was curled in the

corner, crying.

Ethan kicked the door in and pulled me into his arms. He smelled like laundry detergent and summer sweat. His eyes were wild with fear and relief.

“I’ve got you. I’m here.”

I woke up. The sun was already up. Outside my window, the sycamore leaves were falling. Autumn had arrived.