Chapter 18: The Weight of the Past
The car was silent as they drove through the city, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife. Valerie stared out of the window, lost in her own thoughts, while the rest of the car’s occupants exchanged uncertain glances. It was Jazlynn who broke the silence, her voice hesitant.
“Vallie…”
Valerie didn’t respond, her eyes fixed on the passing scenery.
“I’m willing to come back for the arranged marriage because I owe Abbigail. Once I replace her and marry Ricky, we will be even.”
The words hung in the air, leaving a cold, uncomfortable silence that no one dared to break. Valerie’s declaration was clear — she wasn’t doing this for love, but out of a sense of obligation.
The Return Home
When the car finally arrived at the house, Valerie grabbed her suitcase and made her way upstairs. Jazlynn hesitated, a troubled look in her eyes, and made a half-hearted attempt to stop her, but it was already too late. Valerie was determined, and nothing could stop her now.
As Valerie opened the bedroom door, she froze in place. The room that had once been hers was now a pink, juvenile space. A feeling of betrayal hit her, her blood running cold.
“Vallie, we gave your room to Abbigail because you never came back.”
Valerie’s heart clenched.
“Does this house lack rooms? Why my room?”
Jazlynn’s attempt to explain faltered. She had no real answer for her daughter’s pain.
The Tension Builds
Downstairs, Abbigail couldn’t resist the urge to voice her disdain, sneering loudly enough for Valerie to hear.
“Who knew you were so useless? We thought after all these years, you would have already married Terrence. You’ve been chasing after him for seven years, but he weighs a woman who just returned to the country over you. Valerie, you really are pathetic!”
Valerie’s eyes darkened at the words, and in an instant, the quiet tension broke. Without a second thought, Valerie stormed into the room, grabbed the notebook from the table, and hurled it toward Abbigail.
Abbigail, frightened, threw herself into her father’s arms.
“Dad, you see? She’s just a lunatic!”
Landen, taken aback by the sudden outburst, didn’t say anything but only looked at Jazlynn for guidance.
Jazlynn, frustrated, gestured for Landen to take Abbigail away. She wasn’t sure how to handle the situation, but at least she knew that it needed to calm down.
Once the room was quiet again, Jazlynn turned toward Valerie with a softer, more apologetic expression.
“Vallie, I’ve prepared a guest room for you. You can stay there tonight…”
But Valerie didn’t wait for her mother to finish her sentence. Without a word, she turned around and left the villa, suitcase in tow.
A Fresh Start, or an Escape?
Valerie wasn’t interested in staying in the villa. She booked herself into a seven-star hotel, craving the peace and luxury she’d long been denied. She needed time to think, to get away from the suffocating expectations of her mother, the cruel words from Abbigail, and the deep ache of a love that had never really been returned.
The hotel’s service was impeccable, offering her both pickup and drop-off service wherever she needed. She felt a sense of relief as she arrived, far from the tension of her family’s home. She grabbed her room key and made her way toward the elevator.
But just as the elevator doors were about to close, Theodore, who had just entered the hotel, spotted her. His eyes lingered on her as the elevator doors shut, and for a moment, he was caught off guard, unsure of what to make of the brief interaction.
He knew something had changed. But what exactly? And would it be enough for him to bridge the gap between what had been and what could still be?
