Six Years Trapped In A Broken Vow

oung Chase. His face was a thundercloud, dark and menacing. The young Chase, stil

his voice low and dangerous. He took anot

er husband," he declared, his voice firm, though a tremor ra

d? Don't make me laugh, kid. I'm her husband." He gestured between us, a sn

older Chase back with surprising force. "You hurt her!" he yelled, his

eyes widened in shock, then narrowed into slits of pure fury. "You have no i

report. "I know you were with her when Aliyah needed you most

. A flicker of something, guilt or perhaps fear, crossed his eyes. He op

g through the tension. He fumbled for it, his hands shaking s

he phone. The phone buzzed again, more urgently this time. The battle between his past

to a soothing lull almost immedi

other end of the line. "Chase! She's... she's here! She's trying

ed at me, then back at the phone. "Faye, calm down. I'm on my way. Don't d

spat, his eyes burning with a cold fire. "You and I... we're going to talk about this. And you,"

lamming shut behind him, leaving a

ical report clutched forgotten in his hand. The fight had drained him. H

of his choices a dull ache

ked up the framed picture of Faye and the baby, and without a word, walked out the front door. I heard the faint

posed. He cleaned with a quiet fury, wiping away the dust, arranging the furniture to bring back a semblance of the home we once

ed. The air was cleaner, free of the choking presence of betrayal. He stood in the center of the room again

surprisingly firm. "Tomorrow, we

s a shield, a comfort I hadn't known I desperately needed. "Okay, C

a word. I went to my own bedroom, the one that had felt like a prison for s

king free, washed over me. It was a liberation I hadn't d

e in years. No nightmares, no tossing and

the morning light, and found young Chase waiting for me. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept, but his ey

"I found this in his study," he said, his voice hoa

witness statements. And it explicitly named Faye Williams as the driver, having swerved erratically in a moment of panic after seeing me. My heart ached as I reread t

young Chase whispered, his eyes burning with a f

he continued, his voice rising, "this isn't just about us anymore. This is about what's right.

out me anymore. It was about ev

red, tears streaming down his face. "I ca

leading. "Please, Aliyah. Tell me

first loved. The man who would have done anything to protect m

steady, my gaze unwavering.

ung Chase nodded, his jaw set, and I felt a strange sense of peace. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't alo

his face flushed with anger and desperation.

, his voice echoing through the newly c

rowed, then widened in disbelief. "You actually... you actually filed them?" He stagger

Chase's lips. "So this is your little game, isn't it? You found some boy to sign your papers, thinking you could tri

me. His power over me was gone. He was jus

ess," I said, my voice calm, alm

like that. He's just a pawn in your little revenge fantasy. You think this changes anything?" He took

Take my house, my life, and just walk away?" He clenched his fists, his body

, past the betrayal. I looked at the young Chase, who stood firm beside

I said, my voice clear

ack of reaction, seemed to unnerve him more than any fight. He hadn't expected this. He had expec

ou can just leave me for some... some substitute?" He glared at the young Chase, then back at me. "You're a joke,

eepest wound. But this time, they didn't. This time, I had a shield. The yo

enly, the word tasting like

My words, delivered without emotion, had found their mark. He stared at me, then

arled, his voice a desperate whisper. "You'll

e that felt heavy, yet strangely cleansing. The young Chase loo

he whispered, his voic

irty days of freedom, or so I hoped. And I knew, with a certainty th

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