Chapter 9
“Get lost! What does this have to do with you?” Landon spat, his face contorted with rage. In an unexpected burst of aggression, he swung a punch at Eugene. connecting with a sickening thud.
Eugene staggered back, blood spilling from his lips as he tilted his head in shock.
At that moment, the anger that had been simmering within me boiled over. I pushed past Eugene, leaping up to slap Landon across the face. “Get out of my way! He s my boyfriend now, and you have no right to touch him!”
The audience erupted in deafening applause and cheers, the energy in the
electric air.
Landon stood frozen, his expression blank as the light in his eyes slowly faded.
Brittany rushed forward, positioning herself protectively in front of Landon.
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Tears glistened in her eyes as she confronted me. “Olive, have you lost your mind? How could you lay a hand on Landon? After all these years, you‘ ve only been able to shine because of him! Without Landon lifting you up, you‘ re nothing!”
As I listened to her ranting, a memory flickered back to me–one that I had tried to bury.
It was last year, on the fifth anniversary of my relationship with Landon. I had excitedly arrived at his office with a carefully chosen gift, but as I approached the entrance, I spotted Brittany. She was draping the necklace Landon had bought for me around her own neck, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Does it look good on me, Landon?” she purred, glancing back at him.
He smiled at her affectionately, the warmth in his gaze making my stomach churn. Brittany then turned on the charm again, feigning envy. “I really envy Olive for
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landing a handsome and wealthy man like you. I mean, she has such a terrible
temper, but you still spoil her. If I ever found a boyfriend who treated me like you do, I swear I wouldn’t dare to utter a single harsh word.”
Landon frowned, clearly contemplating her words for far too long. In the end, he pushed the necklace box toward her with a resigned sigh. “Alright, if you envy her so much, then from now on, I’ll spoil you like this too.”
Recalling that unpleasant moment only deepened my frustration, and I shook my head, trying to dispel the memory.
I lunged at Brittany, closing the distance in two swift steps. With a quick motion, I grabbed the marshmallow she was holding and smeared it across her startled face, the sugary goo contrasting starkly with her wide eyes. In one fluid motion, I kicked her down and pressed her head against the rough ground, where sharp pebbles dug
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into her skin. She writhed beneath me, her face soon marred by crimson wounds.
“Landon, help! Olive is insane! She sa lunatic!” Her cries pierced the air,
reaching Landon and Eugene like a desperate siren.
Eugene rushed forward, trying to pull me back. “Oli, stop! Let’s just calm down.
But Landon shoved Eugene aside, his voice low and furious. “Get away from her! Don‘ I touch her.”
The sudden motion sent me stumbling forward, my palms hitting the gravel strewn ground. Sharp stones embedded themselves into my skin, but I barely felt the pain as I regained my footing and faced Landon. I swung, my hand, landing a slap on his check that was as hard and unforgiving as the pebbles beneath us.
“Isn’t this rich? When I cared about you, you were indifferent, tossing my sincerity aside like it was worthless. Now that I’ve
Chapter 9
moved on and want to live my own life, you
show up to disgust me. Who do you think I am. Olive?”
I continued, my voice rising with each word. “Do you even remember the things you called me? Small–minded, arrogant, self–important, asking for trouble, and a shrew. If your memory s a bit foggy, maybe it’s time to have a serious chat with yourself.”
I leaned closer, my eyes blazing. “Let me tell you something. The idea of
‘forgiveness‘ is a joke when it comes to
you.
I was exhausted from the confrontation.
By the time he stopped moving, half of Landon’s face was already swollen, a patchwork of bruises and broken skin mingled with gravel. Eugene, visibly distressed, held my numb hand, concern etched across his face. “You idiot! Why would you go to such lengths? You‘ re hurting yourself as much as him!”
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My eyes glistened as I smiled at him, the exhilaration coursing through me. “But it felt so good!”
The weight I’d carried for so long began to lift from my heart, a rush of liberation flooding in. Eugene chuckled, playfully scratching my nose. “Let’s go. He’s not worth our time.”
As Eugene and I turned to leave, Landon crawled toward me on his knees, desperately grabbing my pant leg. “Oli, I didn’t mean it. In the past, I…”
I cut him off, my voice steady and laced with disgust. “You didn’t hesitate to belittle me because you thought I’d always be there, right? You thought you could trample on me for your own sense of superiority.”
His eyes widened, and the moment our gazes locked, he released my pants as if scalded by boiling water.
