(Finding Forever After the Betrayal) Chapter 8
I turned, meeting their gazes with a calmness I didn’t feel. A muscle
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twitched in Aiden’s jaw, a flicker of relief in his eyes when he realized I wasn’t
angry. Not anymore.
“Don’t bother packing the rest,” Aiden said, stepping closer, his hand
reaching out to clasp mine in a gesture that was both familiar and strange. It had
been so long since they’d touched me with such tenderness. “It’s too much work. I‘
Il have my driver take care of it. We can all move into the new place together.”
- me.
Ethan nodded in agreement, his gaze flitting nervously between Aiden and
For a fleeting moment, a sliver of the past, a time when their world had
revolved around me, flickered to life. Back when a shared joke, a knowing glance,
had been enough to banish any shadows that dared to fall between us.
But those days were gone, swept away by the tide of Hannah’s arrival.
eyes
My gaze flickered to Hannah, standing awkwardly behind them, her
wide and watchful. I’d prefer to pack my own things,” I said, my voice quiet but
firm.
Their faces fell, but I ignored their disappointment, turning away
they could see the tremor in my own resolve.
12:32
before
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Back home, surrounded by half–packed boxes and a lifetime of memories,
my phone buzzed. Hannah.
“Violet?” Her voice, dripping with a syrupy sweetness that set my teeth on
edge, poured through the receiver. “I just had the nicest evening! Went to both
Aiden’s and Ethan’s parents‘ houses. They were both so welcoming! They even…
well, let’s just say they’re already talking about family heirlooms.” She giggled, the
sound like nails on a chalkboard.“Don’t you think it’s sweet?”
voice flat,
“I’m not interested in your relationship drama, Hannah,” I said, my
devoid of emotion. “Don’t call me to talk about them. It’s none of my business.”
And before she could utter another word, I hung up, a coldness settling over
me that had nothing to do with the impending Los Angeles winter.
The day before my departure, I met my friend, Chloe, for lunch. She was
one of the few friends I’d managed to make outside of Aiden and Ethan’s
suffocating orbit. They’d never approved of my other friendships, their possessiveness extending even to the girls I dared to befriend.
“It’s not fair,” Ethan had whined one afternoon, draping himself over me as I
tried to study, his head resting on my shoulder, his breath warm against my
cheek. It had been cute, then. Endearing. Now, it just felt… suffocating. “Why do
you
need other friends, Violet? You have us.”
Us. It was always us.
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“I can’t believe you’re really going back to Seattle,” Chloe lamented, pulling
me into a hug as I slid into the booth across from her. Her eyes, normally bright
and sparkling with mischief, were clouded with sadness. “I thought for sure you’d
end up marrying Aiden or Ethan and staying here forever. We could have been
old ladies together, drinking wine and gossiping about our hot gardener.”
I gave a watery laugh, the sound hollow in the nearly empty restaurant.“So did I,” I admitted, my voice catching.“But they… well, they made other choices.”
Chloe made a face.“Don’t even get me started on Hannah,” she fumed, her eyes flashing with a protectiveness that warmed me more than I wanted to admit.”
After you were so kind to her, she just…”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” I said, cutting her off, not wanting to rehash the past few, painful weeks.“Once I’m gone, she can have them. They’re all hers.”
As if summoned by the mention of her name, Hannah appeared in the doorway, her eyes scanning the restaurant until they landed on our table. I hadn’t even seen her with Aiden and Ethan today, but somehow, it wasn’t surprising
that they’d end up here, at our usual
spot.
“Violet?” Hannah approached our table, her voice a curious mix of surprise and a boldness that bordered on audacity. “Who’s getting married? Can I come? I‘
ve never even been to a wedding!”
My hand tightened around my water glass, my initial amusement at her
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cluelessness quickly morphing into annoyance. Before I could respont, Calse,
bless her fiercely loyal heart, slammed down her fork, her eyes narrowing
“It’s my wedding,” she said, her voice sharp, dipped And no, you caftcome She glared at Hannah, her gaze challenging, “Honestly, do you have any boundaries? We barely know you. Why are you so invested in our lives?
Hannah flinched, her eyes welling up as if Chloe’s words were physical blows. Right on cue, Aiden and Ethan appeared behind her, their faces hardening as they took in the scene: Hannah, on the verge of tears, and Chise, her righteous anger radiating off of her like heat from a furnace
Aiden wasted no time in pulling Hannah into his arms, his gaze cold as he glared at Chloe.“Anyone Hannah wants to be friends with is welcome at o table,” he said, his voice laced with a warning
“Yeah,” Ethan added, his arm wrapping protectively around Hannah’s shoulders, his expression a mix of adoration and something darker, something possessive.“She wants a star? We’ll get her a star. You heard the lady. Back off.”
Hannah, sensing victory, sniffled delicately, a smug smile playing at the corners of her lips as she snuggled closer to her protectors.
