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Chapter_57
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Matthew. The moment he stepped through the door, the air seemed to freeze. I quickly composed myself, taking a deep breath to steady my racing pulse. I couldn’t let him see that I was anything less than calm and composed, no matter what had happened last night.
“Chloe,” Matthew’s voice was tense, his eyes searching my face, clearly aware that something was off. “Where were you last night? I tried calling you, and you didn’t answer.”
I swallowed, forcing my voice to sound normal. “I wasn’t feeling well,” I replied coolly, avoiding his gaze. “Had some personal things to take care of.”
His gaze narrowed, his suspicion evident. “You’ve been acting strange. What’s going on?”
I could feel the weight of his stare, his piercing eyes practically digging into me. But I wouldn’t let him intimidate me. I wouldn’t let him control me anymore. The rage from last night still simmered beneath the surface, but I had to keep my focus. I had to play this right.
“I’m fine, Matthew. I’m just focused on the future, on taking care of Ava,” I said, my tone colder than I intended. I stood up from my desk and walked toward the window, needing some space between us.
Matthew followed me, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to do this alone, Chloe. We’re still—”
“No, we’re not,” I cut him off, turning to face him. “You made your choice. And I’m not going to keep pretending everything’s fine when it’s not.”
His face hardened, and he took a step forward, but I held up my hand, stopping him. “Don’t come any closer. You don’t get to walk back into my life whenever it suits you. I’m done with the games.”
The tension in the room was palpable. Matthew’s jaw clenched, his frustration radiating off him. “What are you really trying to say, Chloe?”
“I’m trying to say that I don’t need you. I never did,” I replied, the words finally coming out. It was liberating, but also painful. Saying it aloud made it all too real.
I could see the hurt flash across Matthew’s face, but I wasn’t about to back down now. “I’m not going to be your backup plan anymore, Matthew. And you sure as hell aren’t going to control me.”
He opened his mouth as if to argue, but I cut him off again. “Don’t bother. I’ve made up my mind.” I turned my back on him, walking back to my desk. “You should leave, Matthew. We’re done.”
For a long moment, there was silence. Then, he turned and left without another word, slamming the door behind him. I exhaled a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding, my heart still pounding in my chest. It felt like I’d just stepped into a new chapter of my life, one where I was in control of my own destiny.
But there was still a storm brewing. And I had to prepare for whatever came next.
My phone buzzed on my desk, and I glanced at the screen. It was a message from Atlas.
“Still confused? Or are you finally starting to figure things out?”
I stared at the message for a moment, my emotions a tangled mess. Was he trying to play me? Or was he genuinely offering some kind of help? I didn’t know anymore. But I couldn’t afford to be distracted. I had to keep my focus.
I took a deep breath and typed a quick reply.
“Stay out of my business, Atlas.”
But even as I hit send, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Atlas had become a force I couldn’t ignore.