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“I’m heading out,” Stanley said after making sure Jeffrey was alright. “If you need anything, just call me or Gregory,”

Jeffrey grunted in response.

Stanley disappeared in a flash.

When Stanley got downstairs, Rebecca had just climbed into Ian’s car.

Jessica was in the front seat, glancing back at Rebecca with concern. “Jeffrey didn’t give you any trouble, right?”

Rebecca shook her head. “No.”

“That’s a relief,” Jessica said, feeling a bit of the worry she’d been carrying finally lift. She’d barely managed to calm down since hearing Rebecca had ended up at the hospital because of Jeffrey. “I was really afraid he’d lose it and hassle you again, like back in the day.”

“If he gives me any trouble, I’ll just turn around and leave,” Rebecca reminded herself to keep her head clear. “We’re not a couple anymore. He can’t force me to stay.”

If we were still married, people would just call it a family spat, and after some mediation, nothing would really get solved.

But now that the divorce is final and feelings are over, any weird behavior from him could straight–up count as a crime.

“How long are you thinking of sticking around?” Ian asked, glancing over with a hint of curiosity.

“We’ll see,” Rebecca said as she slipped her phone into her bag. “If I’ve got a project running here, I’ll probably be popping in and out for about a month.”

Ian and Jessica exchanged glances.

Both of them were thinking the same thing: ‘Did Jeffrey really set up this project just to make Rebecca stay?‘

Rebecca saw right through them. “He won’t stick his nose in my business. This has nothing to do with him.”

For the rest of the ride, the three of them chatted like they always did.

It was like that whole confession had never even happened.

They stopped at a restaurant for dinner, and lan was his usual lively self, cracking jokes about their recent adventures, sharing funny stories from the past. Nobody acted weird or distant; it was seriously like nothing had ever happened between them.

Stanley had snuck over, hoping to catch some spicy gossip, but all he picked up was the usual boring day–to- day chatter. The letdown was real.

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regular life stuff, Stanley thought, rolling his eyes

there’s no way I can make any of this sound exciting when I tell Jeffrey,

fan stepped out of the restaurant, someone suddenly jumped out and stood right in

casually, looking beyond exhausted, her eyes full

hadn’t been so familiar with her, she might not have even realized

gaze locking onto Rebecca–all the wildness and anger from before swapped out for something hopeless and dim. “Can I

got nothing to say to you,” Rebecca said coldly, turning on

hadn’t chosen this path, I could’ve really admired her, Rebecca thought to

parents, and still grinding her way into Capital University–that’s tough, especially for a girl from some remote little town. Rebecca understood better than anyone how much that takes,

was something just genuinely kind

managed to make

Andrea just had to go

begging now, all that old swagger gone. “I don’t have anyone

just told Jessica she was leaving, then walked

since Andrea trashed her reputation and teamed up

yelled, her voice full of

out again, her voice cracking as

desperate to catch up and stop her

until she collapsed to the ground–despair crashed over her, swallowing her whole.

while later, a middle–aged woman

she spotted Andrea standing there, her eyes red and watery, she yanked her hair hard. “You

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not answering texts–are you

yelled, her scalp stinging from the

thin. “Did you even think about that when you wouldn’t pick

Andrea snapped, wrenching herself free despite the stabbing pain. “Every time. you call, it’s just endless crap about your problems! Let me make this clear–don’t

Smack!

sent a ringing

trickled from Andrea’s lip, but she glared

any way to talk to your own mother?” the woman spat, her eyes burning with fury. “I already took the dowry. In a couple days, you’re getting married whether

just scoffed, cold and

“You blew your chance with Jeffrey, the only guy who could’ve

Funny how you couldn’t even hook Eugene Scott!” Andrea spat, her sarcasm cutting deeper with every word. “You tried screwing with birth control–stabbed holes in condoms and pulled every trashy stunt you could, but he didn’t give

woman exploded, face dark with

you should never have been allowed to have kids,” Andrea choked, emotion clawing at her throat. “With parents who are nothing but drunk gambling losers, no wonder

choose to be born a bastard?‘ Andrea thought

having a real, normal family?‘