“She’s like a sister to me,” he said, his tone impatient. “If you love me, you’d understand. Now stop acting like a jealous girlfriend. It’s pathetic.”
I stared at him, my chest heaving with anger and heartbreak. He didn’t care. Not about what happened to me, not about us. Naomi was always going to come first.
Without another word, I walked past him, grabbed my things, and left. Tears blurred my vision as I locked myself in the bathroom, muffling my sobs with a towel. How could he? How could he be so heartless?
I cried until my chest ached, my tears soaking the towel. I had nothing left to say to Oliver. I couldn’t even look at him anymore.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was my mom.
“Hannah,” she said, her voice gentle, “I’ve arranged everything in Sydney. You’re all set to go.”
I wiped my tears, trying to steady my voice. “Mom, I don’t know if I can…”
“You need this, sweetheart,” she interrupted. “After everything you’ve been through, you need a fresh start. And Scott will be there with you. He’ll look after you.”
“Scott?” I asked, frowning.
“Yes, your childhood friend. You remember him, don’t you? He offered to help you settle in. I trust him, Hannah. You’ll be safe with him.”
I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to go through with it.
“Honey,” Mom added softly, “don’t worry. We’re going to catch those men who hurt you. We’ll make them pay for what they did.”
Her words hit me hard, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Thanks, Mom,” I whispered.
As I hung up, a new thought crept into my mind. I wanted to make those men pay. But more than that, I wanted Oliver to pay. He had betrayed me, dismissed me, and treated me like I didn’t matter.
I wasn’t going to let him win.
Wiping my tears, I stood up and grabbed my suitcase. I started packing, shoving clothes into the bag with a determination I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was leaving this place.
In just three days, I would be gone. Gone from the pain, the lies, and the betrayal. And for the first time, I felt like I could breathe again.
I was getting ready to leave, my hands shaking slightly as I zipped my bag. The police had called earlier, saying they’d found one of the men who hurt me. My stomach churned at the thought of facing everything again, but I had to do it. I couldn’t let fear win.
Just as I was about to step outside, Oliver barged into the house, his expression dark and intense.