(Finding Forever After the Betrayal) Chapter 6
Meny
As the medication worked its magic, chasing away the rightness in my des
and bringing blessed clarity back to my vision, a wave of exhaustion washed over
me, leaving me shaky and drained, I leaned against the wall, my back stinging my
knee throbbing, my hand still clamped over my mouth as if to ward off any story
pollen particles that dared to float my way,
Before I could catch my breath, Aiden’s voice, laced with an icy disapprovd,
cut through the silence.
“Are you really that intent on hurting Hannah? She brings these flowers for
us, and you just…destroy them?”
Ethan’s voice, thick with accusation, followed close behind “Honestly, Visiler
you’ve become so impossible lately. What happened to you?”
“What happened to me?” I echoed, my voice barely a whisper, yer sharp
enough to make them flinch. I straightened, pushing myself away from the wal
my gaze steady on theirs.“Or maybe, what happened to you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aiden snapped, his eyes flashing with a
temper I rarely saw.
Tears welled up, blurring my vision, but I blinked them back, refusing to
give them the satisfaction.“I… I’m asthmatic,” I choked out, the words rasping im
my dry throat. “And I’m allergic to pollen. Don’t you remember?”
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(Finding Forever After the Betrayal) Chaprer 6
As the medication worked its magic, chasing wway foe tightness in my chest
and bringing blessed clarity back to my vilon, a wave of excavation washed over
me, leaving me shaky and drained. I leaned against the wall, my back singing my knee throbbing, my hand still clamped over my mouth as if to ward off any wrzy
pollen particles that dared to float my way,
Before I could catch my breath, Aiden’s voice, laced with an icy disapproval,
cut through the silence.
“Are you really that intent on hurting Hannah? She brings these flowers for us, and you just…destroy them?
Ethan’s voice, thick with accusation, followed close behind “Honestly, Violet, you’ve become so impossible lately. What happened to you?”
“What happened to me? I echoed, my voice barely a whisper, yet sharp enough to make them flinch. I straightened, pushing myself away from the wall, my gaze steady on theirs.“Or maybe, what happened to you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aiden snapped, his eyes flashing with a
temper I rarely saw.
Tears welled up, blurring my vision, but I blinked them back, refusing to give them the satisfaction. I’m asthmatic,” I choked out, the words rasping in
my dry throat. And I’m allergic to pollen. Don’t you remember?”
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Silence descended, thick and heavy, a physical manifestation of their guilt.
The color drained from Aiden’s face, his usual composure cracking like thin
ice. He took a step back, as if I’d physically struck him, his eyes wide with a
dawning horror. Ethan, his bravado momentarily forgotten, ran a hand through
his hair, his usual swagger replaced by a stricken silence.
They knew. They’d been there through all of it: the late–night trips to the
ER, the terror in their eyes as they’d listened to my wheezing breaths, the way
they’d held my hand, their own hands shaking as they’d whispered reassurances I
was too delirious to hear.
And yet.. they’d forgotten.
Aiden deared his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously.“Violet, L…” He
ran a hand through his already–mussed hair, his usual confidence shaken. “I’m
sorry. We didn’t… we didn’t realize.”
Ethan stepped forward, his gaze darting between me and the scattered lilies,
guik etching lines on his face.“Are you okay? I’m so sorry, Vi. Hannah picked
those flowers herself. She put so much thought into it… that’s why…” His voice
trailed off, a lame excuse that hung in the air like a bad smell.
I simply stared at them, at the two men who were supposed to know me better than anyone, who’d promised, with an earnestness that had once made my heart soar, to always be there for me. Promises, it seemed, were as fragile as lilies.
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They hastily gathered up the offending flowers, their earlier anger forgotten
in the face of my near–death experience. For the next few days, they barely
spoke to me, their guilt a tangible presence in our shared home, a constant
reminder of the chasm that had opened up between us.
I didn’t care. I went through the motions of my life, packing my things, each
neatly folded shirt, each carefully wrapped photograph, a silent goodbye to the
life we’d built together, a life that was already fading like a dream upon waking.
When the last suitcase was packed, I stood in the center of the living room
taking it all in, committing every detail to memory: the worn spot on the rug
where Ethan and I had spent countless hours playing video games, the dent in
the wall from the time Aiden had accidentally thrown a football with a little too
much enthusiasm, the faint scent of lilies, lingering like a ghost of a betrayal.
It was Aiden who’d suggested we buy the houses next to mine, who’d
knocked down walls and built new ones, creating this sprawling, chaotic space
that we’d called home for so long. Technically, I only owned a third of it. Selling
it wouldn’t be easy.
The doorbell rang, interrupting my thoughts. It was the realtor, a young man
with an eager smile and a nervous twitch in his eye that amplified renfold s
Aiden and Ethan materialized behind me, their faces hardening as they took in
the stranger in their midst.
“Who are you?” Aiden demanded, his voice laced with the same suspicion he
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usually reserved for rival CEOs and overly–aggressive paparazzi.
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The realtor stammered, his eyes darting between the three of us like a deer
caught in headlights. “I… uh… I’m a realtor. The owner of this property contacted
me about putting it up for sale.”
“For sale?” Ethan and Aiden spoke in unison, their voices a mix of shock and
something else, something that sounded suspiciously like panic.
I stepped forward, cutting off whatever protest they were about to make.“I‘
m selling the house,” I said, my voice calm, even.“I thought we could discuss it.”
“Sell it?” Ethan’s eyes widened.“Why? What’s wrong with it?”
Aiden, ever perceptive, seemed to understand. Or at least, he understood the
part of the equation that involved him.“This is about the other day, isn’t it?” he
said, his voice softer now, laced with remorse. “Violet, we said we were sorry. We
didn’t mean to…” He trailed off, his gaze searching mine as if hoping to find
forgiveness in the depths of my pupils.
I met his eyes, but the apology rang hollow. “It’s not about that,” I lied, cutting
him off. It was about everything. About the way they looked at Hannah, touched
Hannah, spoke to Hannah… as if I were nothing more than a ghost, a shadow of
the girl who had once held their hearts.
“I’m changing jobs,” I continued, my voice firm. It was partly true. I needed a
fresh start, a clean break.“This place is too big for just me. Besides,” I added,
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forcing a lightness I didn’t feel, we’ve all been living in each other’s pockets for
years. Maybe it’s time for a change.”
A flicker of something unreadable crossed Aiden’s face, a mixture of hurt
and defiance.“We’ll drive you to work,” he said, his brow furrowed.“Or hire a
driver. We’ve always lived together, Violet. Why change things now?”
“Yeah,” Ethan chimed in, his voice taking on a pleading tone that grated on
my nerves.“We like having you here.”
Did they? Or was it just habit? The comfort of familiarity?
“We could get a bigger place,” I countered, my eyes flickering between them,
gauging their reaction. It was a risky move, but a small, vindictive part of me, a
part I hadn’t known existed until Hannah had waltzed into our lives, reveled in
their discomfort.“A place with enough room for…Hannah. If she ever needs it.”
The effect was instantaneous. Ethan’s eyes lit up, and even Aiden’s carefully
constructed composure wavered. The idea of having Hannah closer, of
welcoming her into their fold, was clearly appealing.
“That’s… that’s not a bad idea,” Ethan said, a slow grin spreading across his
face like he’d just stumbled upon the answer to a riddle that had plagued him for
years.
Aiden hesitated, his gaze searching mine, a flicker of something unreadable
in their depths. “You’d be okay with that, Violet? Having Hannah live with us?”
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“Of course,” I said, my voice light, airy. The lie tasted like ash in
We’re all friends, aren’t we?”
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my mouth.”
“Right, Ethan said, oblivious to the undercurrents swirling around
him. “Friends.”
The word felt like a betrayal.
The realtor, sensing a shift in the power dynamic, cleared his throat.“So,
about the house…”
“We agreed,” Aiden said, his voice firm, decisive. He didn’t look at me, but his jaw was clenched tight, his eyes shadowed. He was doing it for her, I realized, a fresh wave of grief washing over me. For Hannah.
And just like that, it was decided. We were moving on.
