"Please, don't make this hard for me," the maid pleaded, hastily handing me the glass. "Just take it." But the moment my fingers brushed the crystal, she let go.
The scalding liquor splashed across my numb fingers, searing the cold skin and raising instant blisters. A cry of pain escaped me as the glass crashed to the floor, shattering.
Julian shot to his feet, a flicker of something—concern?—in his eyes as he instinctively moved closer.
But Vanessa was faster. She stepped in front of him, her face a mask of wounded innocence.
She clutched her chest dramatically. "Do you hate me that much, Cassie? I remember how well you used to hold your liquor. This whiskey… it was a rare vintage my father left me. The only bottle in the world."
"I wanted to share it with you, using my most cherished crystal glass, and you smashed it."
I stared in disbelief as the lies poured from her lips. Julian knew. He knew I was allergic to alcohol; in the past, a single sip would put me in bed for a week.
Clutching my blistering hand, I looked at him. The flicker of concern was gone, replaced by a glacial cold. "You spit on Vanessa's generosity, Cassie!"
He barked an order. "Bring me a full bottle!"
I knew what it was: the Caldwell family's private reserve. It was a punishingly strong spirit, far more than my broken body could ever handle, especially a potent single malt like that.
Julian's voice was ice. "Will you drink it on your own, or shall I have someone pour it down your throat?"
I thought of his methods, the endless, inventive cruelty. A bitter, pained smile touched my lips. "If I finish it… can I leave?"
Julian nodded, his face impassive. "Oh, I'll let you go," he replied with a cold smile. "Just consider this a small performance for the Donna's birthday."
I said nothing more. I lifted the heavy bottle and began to drink. Fire tore through my throat. My body convulsed with dry heaves, fighting to expel the poison.
I fought back the nausea, forcing the burning liquid down relentlessly.
The guests watched the spectacle unfold, their eyes fixed on me, while Julian's expression grew thunderous.
When the bottle was half-empty, he finally exploded. "That's enough! Are you doing this to make me pity you, Cassie?"
"I wouldn't dare," I rasped, lowering my head. The words had barely left my lips before I coughed, a spray of blood staining the floor.
Julian surged forward, but Vanessa’s voice stopped him. "Why are you doing this again, Cassie? I'll have the doctor check on you immediately! You're always getting sick so suddenly; we simply must find out why!"
Hearing her, Julian’s fleeting concern curdled into pure contempt. He gave a sarcastic laugh. "You're always pulling stunts like this, aren't you? Such a brilliant actress. If Vanessa hadn't pointed it out, I might have actually fallen for your act again."
A dense, searing pain suddenly ripped through my side. I collapsed, curling into a ball as my body trembled and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.
Before the darkness swallowed me, I saw the suspicion in Julian's eyes melt into raw, unadulterated terror. I heard his voice, a distant roar growing clearer. "You don't get to die without my permission, Cassie! You will live to atone!"
I would never finish atoning for him. I had only two days left.
