Ruined By My Brother's Best Friend (by Silverwriter) novel Chapter 166

T36 Wed, Sep 9 MJU.

Rumed By My Brother’s Best Friend

Blood

ARABELLA’S POV

I was seeing a ghost. I had to be seeing a ghost because this wasn’t real… right?

“What? You’re not going to usher me in?” he asked, his voice mocking.

He was enjoying it… my shock and fear. My hands were clammy now, and not even rubbing them against my dress did anything to help.

I’d known Theo hadn’t died, but I still never expected to see him again. “What are you doing here?” I asked, trying desperately to sound calm.

He chuckled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “What? You want to get rid of me too?”

My chest tightened. “What do you mean?” I asked, taking a step back. “Please leave.”

“Life is quite funny, right?” Theo said, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “One minute you have your dream job with your dream boss, and the next minute you’re pouring fucking sand on his funeral day.”

His words sent terrifying shivers down my spine, making me hold my breath as I wished this was a dream. That Theo wasn’t really here.

I couldn’t handle it.

The reminder of Henry’s death… the circumstances, everything! I was only starting to move on a little, to stop spending every night ridden with guilt, but now he was here to remind me of it all.

“Leave,” I said, bile rising to my throat. “You have no business being here…” “Leave,”

“Don’t act all high and mighty with me!” he snapped. “I used to drive you! I’ve helped you enough to have every right to be here…”

“You never helped me,” I gritted out, trying desperately to remain calm.

“What did you just say?” he challenged, taking a step closer.

“I said leave me alone!” I snapped, not bothering to lower my voice.

“Arabella?” Archie’s voice bounced against the walls. “Is everything alright there? Who is at the door?”

Theo grabbed my hand and dragged me outside, his fingers tightening around my wrist. “You will say that everything is fine. Now.”

My pulse quickened, and sweat broke out across my forehead. He looked crazy, and I didn’t doubt that he would hurt me if I didn’t cooperate.

“Everything is fine,” I said, my voice almost shaking. Theo gripped my wrist harder, making me flinch, but I bit my lip to muffle the sound. “It’s just a package I ordered.”

“Better,” Theo said, and then he tried to drag me toward the elevator.

What was wrong with him? Did he really think I was going to follow him anywhere? Especially after what he’d just done?

I snatched my hand out of his hold. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

His jaw hardened. “You little bitch. You seem to have a lot to say now, huh? Would that have been the case if I didn’t save you

1/4

WED

9

O

KIKA

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10:36 Wed, Sep 9 MJU.

Ruined By My Brother’s Best Friend

in that rain?”

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You didn’t save me… and stop saying you helped me,” I warned. “You never did. You only did all those things because Henry’ asked you to.”

I could feel the bile in my throat lurch forward, threatening to force itself out. I had to tilt my head backward to keep it down. Saying Henry’s name out loud reminded me of how unfair his death had been.

“You’re right,” Theo said, laughing bitterly. “If it were left to me, I’d have left your sorry ass on that street, and now I’m beginning to regret not leaving you there.”

His words sent a pang of pain through my already throbbing chest, and I winced at how unbearable it was

I believed him.

They shouldn’t have helped me.

Maybe then I wouldn’t know the pain of losing a friend after wasting his time and entertaining him on dates when I wasn’t sure I wanted to move on yet.

“I always knew there was something about you that screamed trouble,” Theo continued. “And I was right.”

“I didn’t do anything to him!” I cried, a sob breaking out of my throat.

“But you brought people who did.”

My brows drew together. “What are you talking about?”

Theo looked lost in a trance as he tugged at his hair. “I told my boss, but he didn’t listen. I just knew it! You never liked him and…”

“You have some nerve showing up here.”

I froze, my heart beating so fast that my head felt light.

I didn’t need to turn. He was behind me.