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Chapter_41
A Life-Changing Vow
I cried uncontrollably, the weight of everything crashing down on me. I had thought I was strong enough to handle the truth, but the reality was too much. Somehow, I managed to snap a photo before I fled from the house, a final confirmation of the pain I couldn’t escape.
Atlas hesitated, his hand on my back, a gentle, unexpected gesture that almost made me break down all over again. Despite being a stranger, his presence was calming. It was as if all the walls I had built up crumbled in an instant, and I clung to him for support. I had encountered him only a few times that day, yet somehow, he had witnessed the most vulnerable side of me.
Time felt like it had stopped, but eventually, my sobs began to quiet. My tears, it seemed, had run dry. Atlas patted me once more, his gaze profound, as if he were offering some silent reassurance. As I looked up, the sky was beginning to brighten—dawn was fast approaching.
“Thank you, Mr. Pierce,” I whispered hoarsely, pulling away from him. “I want to go to my friend’s place at Amethyst Apartments.”
He nodded, his arms still loosely around me, offering comfort without any pressure.
When I arrived at Ivanna’s, she was in a state of shock. Rubbing her eyes, still not fully awake, she stared at me, clearly having a hard time processing what was happening. “Chlo, you… What’s going on? Weren’t you supposed to go back to your hometown?”
Without saying a word, I collapsed into her arms. “Ivanna…” I barely whispered, the tears starting all over again.
Ivanna, ever the caring friend, immediately led me to the bathroom. “Don’t say anything right now. Just take a hot shower, okay?” Her voice was firm but full of compassion.
I stepped into the bathroom, still shivering, my teeth chattering from the cold. The warm water eventually began to soothe me, helping me regain my senses. Ivanna knocked gently on the door, and I knew it was time to face reality again.
After a long shower, I changed into the dry clothes she handed me, and I found a bowl of ginger soup waiting on the counter. But my mind wasn’t fully present—I kept thinking of Atlas, the man who had stayed by my side through it all. I wondered if he was doing okay, if maybe he could use something to comfort him, too.
I handed Ivanna my phone, and she flipped through the photos in disbelief. The images of Matthew and Melanie—tangled together—stunned her just as much as they had stunned me. Ivanna slapped herself as if trying to wake from a bad dream. I let out a soft laugh, despite myself. The tears that followed were bittersweet, but at least I was no longer drowning in my sorrow alone.
Then, in a moment of distress, I grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table and, before I even thought about it, cut my arm. The sharp sting shocked me, but it felt like a release—a strange, twisted relief from the frustration that had been building up for days.
“Chloe!” Ivanna screamed, rushing to grab the knife from me. Her eyes were full of anger and fear. “What are you doing?!”
I knew how worried she was, and yet, I couldn’t stop myself from trying to relieve the emotional pressure. But her words snapped me back to reality.
“Wake up!” Ivanna’s voice was urgent. “Is that scum worth your life? Have you ever thought about what happens to Ava if you die? What about your parents? You’re not just hurting yourself—you’re leaving them with everything to deal with.”
She paused, taking a deep breath, her voice trembling. “Ava’s still a child. Do you really want her to be raised by them? She’ll be in their hands—treated horribly. What about your parents? Your mother and father, they mortgaged their house! Do you think that jerk will take care of them? If you die, they’ll be left with nothing.”
Ivanna’s words hit me like a wake-up call. She was right—if I let this devastation control me, it wouldn’t just ruin my life. It would tear apart the lives of the people I loved most.
I clenched my fists, grinding my teeth together. “I won’t die. I’m not that weak,” I said, each word more resolute than the last.
I hadn’t truly thought about dying—not until the river. That moment was about cleansing myself, finding some sense of clarity, not escaping life. I wasn’t ready to give up—not yet. Ivanna was right, and I could never let go now.
As she bandaged my arm and offered me water, I felt the exhaustion of the day weigh on me. But I knew I couldn’t rest forever. I was going to fight back.
I took the glass of water, letting its coolness steady my nerves. Soon, drowsiness took over, and I found myself drifting into sleep, knowing I had to face what came next.
When I woke, the clock read three in the afternoon. My arm throbbed, and the pain reminded me that this nightmare was real. My thoughts went immediately to Matthew and Melanie—entwined in that betrayal.
“Matthew, I will make your life a living hell,” I muttered through clenched teeth, every word filled with purpose and fury. This was only the beginning.