Chapter 4
“Yeah, work’s been draining,” I replied lightly.
I knew he wasn’t buying it. After all, I worked for his company. Elijah stepped forward, reaching out to take my hand, but I sidestepped, avoiding his touch. He pulled his hand back awkwardly, unsure what to say
next.
“If you‘ re exhausted, you don’t have to push yourself so hard,” he said, trying to sound comforting. “Just take it easy. Alex and I got you covered.‘
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Usually, I’d have gone off on a whole spiel about independence and not needing anyone’s help.
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But this time, I simply nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
Elijah kept staring at me, his eyes searching for some clue to explain the shift in my attitude. He could sense that something had changed, but he couldn’t quite figure out what, and that uncertainty unsettled him.
Using my supposed exhaustion as an excuse, I excused myself and headed up to the attic, silently counting the days until I could leave.
The following day, I stepped outside for my usual routine of walking my dog, Bailey–only to find he was gone. My heart skipped a beat, and I scanned the yard frantically.
That’s when I spotted Rachel standing nearby, her head lowered, avoiding my gaze.
I marched over and grabbed her arm, my
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Voice sharp.
Where s Bailey?!
She hesitated, looking anywhere but at me, then muttered, “I opened the door, and your dog just… ran out by itself.”
I let out a bitter laugh, catching her in her flimsy excuse. “Oh, please. Even when I leave him in the yard, he never runs off. And now you’re saying he just magically slipped out alone?”
I gave her a stern look. “Do you even know what you’re saying, huh?”
The raised voices caught their attention because Elijah and Alex came rushing over. They immediately stepped between us without even stopping to hear me out, shielding Rachel as if she were the one in danger.
“It’s just a dog, Nina,” Elijah said,
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“It’s just a dog, Nina,” Elijah said, brushing it off like it was nothing.
“Yeah, I’ll buy you another one,” Alex
added dismissively. “Stop blowing this out of proportion.”
Tears stung my eyes, but I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to let them fall.
‘It wasn’t “just a dog.” He was the last connection I had with my parents.
Realizing how blind and heartless they were, I turned away, slamming the door as I searched alone.
From morning until night, I searched every street, alley, and park until I finally spotted Bailey huddled in a bush, shivering.
He bolted out as soon as he saw me, leaping into my arms, desperate and trembling. He
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‘It wasn’t “just a dog.” He was the last connection I had with my parents.
Realizing how blind and heartless they were, I turned away, slamming the door as I searched alone.
From morning until night, I searched every street, alley, and park until I finally spotted Bailey huddled in a bush, shivering.
He bolted out as soon as he saw me, leaping into my arms, desperate and trembling. He was exhausted, just like I was, from a full day without food or water. I managed to hold him close, feeling his heartbeat against me, before everything went black.
When I woke up, I was back in the hospital.
The nurse looked at me, her expression of concern and frustration. “Miss, how many
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The nurse looked at me, her expression of concern and frustration. “Miss, how many times have you ended up here now? You need to start taking better care of yourself.”
I managed a weak smile, glancing around and seeing Alex standing nearby, his head lowered, looking guilty.
“Nina, we did try to look for you after you left,” he mumbled. “But by the time we found you, you‘ d already fainted. I’m… I’m sorry.
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I forced a small smile, barely lifting the corners of my lips. “It’s fine. I don’t blame you.”
He looked at me, clearly thrown off by my calmness. “Nina, you… you didn’t used to
be like this.
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It was funny, in a bitter sort of way. He‘ d noticed all of it all along and chose to ignore it until it was too late. But none of it mattered
to me anymore.
He raised his hand, looking at me earnestly as if he could somehow make things right. “I promise, Nina. We’ll stay with you today. We won’t leave, I swear.”
Men’s promises. They’re so easily made but so easily broken.
Sure enough, Rachel was calling them by the afternoon, and they quickly answered.
Elijah looked at me apologetically. “Nina, I’m just going to check on her real quick. I’ll be right back. Just wait for me, okay?”
I gave him a soft, unreadable smile. “Sure.
יז
11 —it ”
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promise, Nina. We’ll stay with you today. We won’t leave, I swear.”
Men’s promises. They’re so easily made but so easily broken.
Sure enough, Rachel was calling them by the afternoon, and they quickly answered. Elijah looked at me apologetically. “Nina, I’m just going to check on her real quick. I’ll be right back. Just wait for me, okay?” I gave him a soft, unreadable smile. “Sure. I’ll wait.
N
When they left, I checked my phone and saw Rachel’s latest social media post. This time, she was showing off pictures of Elijah and Alex with her in the woods, catching fireflies
under the trees.
They‘ d completely forgotten about me yet
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under the trees.
They’d completely forgotten about me yet again.
Later that week, I followed through on my plan. William and I registered for our marriage, and just before our flight took off, I posted a photo of our marriage certificate on social media with a simple caption:
[This time, I’m no longer alone.]
