Chapter 33
I struggled to open my eyes, and there, inches from me was Chase’s face. His chiseled features looked unusually gentle under the dim light.
“Chase…” I whispered his name, and just like that, the tears I’d been holding back flooded out.
“He… how could he do this to me?” The words came out broken, as the full weight of everything hit me all at once.
Chase didn’t say anything. He just wrapped his arm around me, gently patting my back, like he was trying to comfort a child!!
I leaned into him, crying in a way I hadn’t in years, letting go of all the hurt and frustration I’d been bottling up for the past seven years.
we stepped into the cool night
Chase didn’t rush me. He just quietly led me away from the noisy bar, his presence a steady anchor as v air. The breeze on my face helped clear my mind, just a little.
“Emma, let me take you home.” His voice was soft, almost tentative like he didn’t want to disturb me more than I already was.
I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want to go back… it’s all his memories there…
Chase was silent for a beat, then he spoke again, his tone gentle but firm. “Come to my place. I’ll make you some hangover soup.”
I nodded without much thought, still in a daze, and let him guide me.
The hangover hit harder than I expected. I woke up in an unfamiliar bed, my head pounding like it was being drilled into. I groggily sat up, grabbed the water cup on the nightstand, and drank it all in one gol
Only then did I realize I wasn’t at my place. I was at Chase’s.
The minimalist decor–black, white, and gray–was spotless and gave off a cool, almost sterile vibe. It felt distant.”
I looked around, trying to piece together last night’s events, but all I could remember were flashes of my tears, Chase’s comforting arms, and the weight of everything crashing down on me.!!
Before I could gather my thoughts, my phone rang, breaking the silence.}}
The name “Jason” flashed on the screen.X
I hesitated for a moment before finally answering 3
“Emma! Where did you go last night? Why didn’t you come home?” Jason’s voice came through, full of anger and confusion.
“Do I really need to report to you where I went? Jason, we’ve broken up.” I tried to keep my voice steady, but the phone felt like it was burning in my hand.
My fingers were trembling, betraying me.
“Broken up? Emma, don’t forget we haven’t officially broken off our engagement! Who were you with last night? Was it that Chase?”
His voice grew louder, the suspicion in it thickening.
I scoffed, the bitterness in my laugh sharp. “Jason, your imagination’s running wild. Even if I was with someone, it’s none of your business 7
voice cracked with
“Emma, you better tell me the truth! If you’re messing around behind my back, I swear I won’t let you off!” His v anger, his words frantic.
I couldn’t take it!
I didn’t want to hear it anymore.
I hung up the phone, my hand shaking as I pressed the button.
After saying goodbye to Chase and stumbling back home, I immediately noticed something was wrong
A pair of high heels–someone else’s–were carelessly discarded at the door. A single stocking was thrown across the sofa, and the air was thick with the scent of perfume.
I didn’t recognize it
A cold, sinking feeling washed over me, like something in the pit of my stomach had just dropped.
From the bathroom, I could hear the sound of rushing water–and a woman’s laughter, light and flirtatious, echoing through the apartment.
I froze, and my blood turned cold. My heart pounded in my chest, louder
er with every step I took toward the bathroom door.!!
Without thinking. I pushed it open.
What I saw shattered me in an instant.”
Ava was standing naked under the showerhead, and Jason was gently wiping her down with a towel.
“Jason, you’re so kind…” Ava puned, her voice sweet and sickeningly fake.X
“Ah, Jason, you’re hurting me… she complained playfully, the words dripping with seduction.
I
Jason’s voice was soft, and soothing, as if he were talking to a fragile child. “Baby, I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? I’ll be gentler… gentler.. I stood frozen in the doorway, the weight of it all crashing down on me. My mind went blank, the buzzing in my head growing louder. Ava saw me. Far from being flustered or embarrassed, she smirked a cold, dismissive smile that said everything I needed to know
7.13 AM
