She Died With My Name on Her Lips

On their fifth wedding anniversary, Stephen’s idea of a gift was to force Louisa to down nine hundred and ninety-nine shots of hard liquor.“Stephen, please, I can’t drink anymore…” Louisa’s voice was hoarse as she pleaded with him.He just scoffed, bending down so his shadow fell across her face. “Your parents loved drinking, didn’t they? Loved it so much they got behind the wheel drunk and killed my whole family. If you’re their daughter, shouldn’t you love it too?”“I’m sorry.” Louisa’s eyes were already rimmed red—she’d said those words so many times they meant nothing now. “But my parents paid for it with their lives. Isn’t that enough?”“Will their deaths bring my family back?” His hand clamped around her jaw so hard she thought it might break. “It’s only been five years, Louisa. You’re already giving up?”He finally let her go and signaled to the bodyguards. “Make her drink.”Two men in black stepped forward. One pinned Louisa’s shoulders, the other forced open her mouth.Icy liquor flooded her throat. She choked and coughed, tears streaming down her face. Too weak to fight back, she slid to the floor, her cheeks burning, whiskey soaking her hair and dress.Would this nightmare ever end?