i

in. The sun had barely begun to rise, casting long shadows across the hotel parking lot. I

ith expensive gifts. I hated them all, but loved

car thrice as much as

g up with another call from my mother. Not again. I

frantic. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Everyone's talking about it! T

is!" I replied coldly as I placed my

w about your fat

father and decided to get married to Prescott

the base of my skull. "It's my life, Mom. I don't care what everyone's say

ated us! Why did you have to pull that stunt in front of everyone? Do you think

spat, cutting her off. "Are you not going to talk about her? About the fact

ienne into this," she sn

ng the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. "I

d. "You're being irrational, Liv. Vivian might have made a mistake. Aaron

ead. "No, Mom. They fucking ruined everything. And

ge is about stability, and you had it. A man like Aaron-he coul

ility. I want respect. I want honesty. I want someo

for another word, I hung up. I was done. She would

sped away, determined to grab the last of my things from Aaron's place. I wasn't just walking away from him-I was walking away from

stomach churn. I hated that I had to come back here one last time. The plac

rd the house. My heart raced as I walked closer, each step heavier than the last. Then, jus

snapped. "But that doesn't justify why you had to cheat on your

my tracks, frozen. That voice... It was like a jigsaw puzzle cl

t be hi

inside. And there he was, standing in the middle of the room, look

lt on my skin. I stumbled back, feeling lightheaded as the realization hit me like a

n Bla

en between us as his st