Chapter 2

Everyone was howling with laughter, their eyes fixed on me. Faced with their grins, a cold dread washed over me, wave after wave.

Back then, Jack often brought friends over for get-togethers, but he’d always take off my hearing aid—claiming he was worried I’d be uncomfortable wearing it for too long—telling me they were all his good friends, that it was fine not to wear it, and that he’d use sign language to fill me in.

I've had a hearing impairment since I was a kid and never really had any friends growing up, so when Jack, always saying it was for my own good to get me to socialize more, pushed me to interact, I’d still gladly go along with it, even though I sometimes felt completely out of place.

In the past, they'd all often roar with laughter just like this, and even though I had no clue what they were laughing about, I’d just play the fool and laugh along with them, desperate to fit in.

Now I see it. All those moments of laughter were nothing but a cruel humiliation directed straight at me.

Jack kept spewing those vile, disgusting remarks.

"Heard you bagged a Black hottie. How was she? Wilder than our American girls around here, right?"

The lewd talk kept spilling from his mouth, yet all the while, his hands were signing to me.

"You tired? Want to go rest? I'll get these guys out of here and then come keep you company."

I nodded, practically bolting for the bedroom, desperate for the escape.

I was terrified that if I stayed even a second longer, the tears I was fighting back would just burst out.I burrowed under the covers, pulling them over my head, trying to block out the waves of laughter coming from outside.

But then the phone rang; it was my father, calling after he got my text.

"What's wrong, Emma? Don't you really like that boyfriend of yours? We talked to you about this so many times before and you always refused, you were even willing to cut ties with the family for him. Why the sudden change of heart?"

I wanted so badly to say something, but the moment I opened my mouth, tears just started streaming down my face, and I couldn't stop them.

That's right, I've been deaf since I was little. To make sure I'd be financially secure in the future, my parents had been scouting eligible bachelors from prominent, well-connected old-money families in Boston high society for me since I was young.

But when I started my freshman year of high school, I fell in love at first sight with Jack, a scholarship kid who was a top student.

Even though my family was well-off, because of my hearing impairment, I always felt incredibly insecure around Jack, so this three-year-long crush remained my secret alone.

Until our high school graduation ceremony, when a group of bullies from school started picking on me and threw away my hearing aids. That day, Jack was like a knight in shining armor, rescuing me from that hopeless, silent world.

From that day on, gazing at the determined set of his jaw, my heart completely melted.

My parents, naturally, were against the relationship, but I was willing to cut ties with my family just to be with Jack.Looking back now, my three years of pining, our six years of love—it was all just a sick joke from the very beginning.

The man I loved... he was a mistake from day one.

So when my father asked his question, I was completely speechless.

Even though I didn't say a single word, Dad, on the other end of the line, seemed to sense something was wrong with me.

After a long pause, Dad heaved a deep sigh.

"Tomorrow night. Tomorrow night, I'll send a car to pick you up."

After he hung up, I stood there frozen, phone still pressed to my ear, until some utterly raunchy sounds reached my ears.

I threw back the covers and got out of bed, following the sounds to the guest room next door. They were definitely coming from inside.

The woman's voice was so damn seductive, it could melt your bones.

"You've got some serious balls. Emma, that deaf chick, is right next door, and you still dare to fuck me in here? Aren't you afraid she'll see?"