Chapter 5
But Austin didn’t..
This is my home! He is my husband! It was your mother who stole my husband Courtney lost control, grabbing a pen and notebook, frantically writing to vent her emotions.
The five–year–old likely couldn’t read, but even so, Austin nervously stepped in front of his wife and child, shielding them and looking at Courtney with pleading eyes.
“Courtney, she’s just a child. Please don’t do this in front of so many people, or they will talk about her in the future. I’m begging you… He was begging Courtney to give him dignity, at least in front of his child.
Courtney stared at Austin in disbelief, who expected her to endure the shame of being labeled as a mistress to spare his daughter from gossip.
Yet it was Vera’s fault that his daughter might face such gossip. Vera
a knew Austin was married but had still done such shameless things back then.
Despair surged within Courtney, and she raised her hand, slapping Austin hard across the face.
This wasn’t just Vera’s fault. If Austin hadn’t allowed himself to cross the line with Vera, there wouldn’t have been a child.
“How dare you hit my daddy, you had woman! The little girl broke free from Vera’s arms, rushing forward and pushing Courtney
Courtney was far too skinny. Five years of hardship had left her weak and gaunt. The five–year–old easily knocked her to the ground, her elbow scraping against the pavement and bleeding.
“Courtney!” Austin rushed toward her in a panic, trying to help her up, but she flinched away from him.
Courtney’s eyes burned with fury and despair as she glared at him.
“Courtney!” Austin called again, but she got up on her own. grabbed her notebook and pen, and ran away in a frenzy.
This was supposed to be her home, yet now she was treated like an unwanted intruder, scorned by everyone around her.
“What a shameless woman! How dare she show up here?”
“Exactly, ruining someone else’s family. She has no shame at all.”
Courtney ran as far as she could, her entire body aching from head to toe.
She didn’t know how long she had been running when she finally stopped, gasping for air, her legs trembling beneath her. Lifting a hand, she slapped herself hard across the face. The sharp pain dulled her senses, numbing her en
emotions.
She hated herself for being unable to speak, for being voiceless in the face of such accusations, and for running away like a coward.
This was her home. Austin was her husband. She shouldn’t have to bear this shame.
It took Courtney an entire hour of walking to reach Serene Cove. Standing before the house where she had grown up, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity.
Deep down, she clung to a sliver of hope, thinking perhaps Austin had lied. Maybe her parents were still there, waiting for her at home.
“Out so late, sweetheart! Can’t sleep?” A voice called out from the street. A group of delinquents loitered nearby, smoking, one of them whistling at
her.
Serene Cove had become a dilapidated neighborhood. Ever since the relocation plan was announced, most residents had moved out, leaving the area a haven for troublemakers.
After five years away, the now–unfamiliar surroundings filled Courtney with dread. She clenched her wrist tightly, avoiding eye contact with the hooligans, and hurried deeper into the neighborhood.
“Hey, pretty girl, all alone?” One of the delinquents, likely drunk, flicked his cigarette to the ground and reached out to grab her.
Courtney had always been beautiful, a natural–born beauty since childhood. Her parents had raised her with care, ensuring she excelled in piano, dance, and other arts. These efforts had given her an extraordinary grace and charm.
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But the five years she spent struggling had stripped her of that glow. In the war–torn regions of Zomlonia, her striking appearance had often been more of a curse than a blessing
The man’s touch triggered a traumatic response in Courtney. She instinctively slapped him and stumbled backward in fear.
The man, startled and enraged by her reaction, raised his hand to strike her in return.
Courtney crouched down, arms over her head, trembling as a defensive reflex she had long developed kicked in.
But the blow never landed. Instead, she heard a scream of pain, followed by the sound of the man hitting the ground.
A shadow loomed over Courtney, shielding her entirely, its sheer size almost engulfing her.
Courtney looked up in fear. Backlit by the streetlight, the figure’s face was obscured, but the voice alone sent a cold shiver down her spine, leaving her trembling.
“Get lost.” The man wore a hood, his face still hidden, but his height and commanding presence exuded a menacing aura. He was clearly not
someone to mess with
The group of delinquents, sensing trouble, scrambled to their feet and led without looking back.
*Courtney, even after returning home, you’re still getting bullied. What am I going to do with you?” The man’s voice was hoarse, his tone sharp and laced with an unsettling intensity
Courtney’s legs turned to jelly, her entire body trembling in disbelief and shock.
It was Hayden Reed’s voice. She couldn’t believe it: Hayden was supposed to be dead. Yet here he was, back in the country and standing before her. Hayden was a member of a terrorist organization and the source of Courtney’s darkest nightmares.
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