His Betrayal, My Beautiful Rebirth

ellen Jefferson, and the sacrifice he made thirty-eigh

career to pushing me off a stage, br

airs, covering up the attempted murder. He chose her when

ve was when I was abducted. I called h

come in and, at his sister' s urging, let

with my life,

agazine-a celebrated artist with a new life and a n

pte

en said he first fell in love with me. Now, for the

, his back to me, the city lights a blurred backdrop to his perfect silhouette. He was handsome, undeniably. Charis

louded with a practiced sorrow. This was the so

his voice a low rumb

was no surge of panic. Just a dull, familiar ache, lik

at, devoid of emotion. It wasn't

unnerved him. He preferred me crying, begging, making a

rough his perfectly coiffed hair. "The paranoia is back. She sa

s the first time, Kellen? Or th

lic about... about her past. The DUI. The accident.

ys his future. N

, but the words felt hollow. I didn

t was always like this. A half-hearted gesture, a show of guilt h

pping to a whisper. "Until she stabilizes. Until the electio

essed. "How long is 'a little while' this time, Kellen? A

, please. You know how

whisper. The words were automatic, mu

e used that word often. Fragile. A delicate flower, easily crus

shing over me. I was so tired. So utterly

ing my eyes. "Let's

even. As if I was doing him a f

didn't even look up as we entered. She simply reached for a pre-printed stack of papers. She'

she asked, her voice as ne

. Albright. And ensure the press statemen

nce. The document slid across the polished mahogany desk. It was always the same: "ir

e, Hayde

second. I remembered the first time. The tears, the desperate pleas, the agonizing hope that it would be different. The second, the tenth, the twen

I signed my name, each letter precise, deliberate. It was a signat

yde

t. She stood in the doorway, framed by the bright office lights, a triumphant smirk twisting her delicate feature

re?" Kellen snapped, h

she purred, her eyes, Kellen's eyes, glinting with malice as

in her hand, as if she' d been waiting outside the door for the ink to dry. She

hysical blow, washed over me. I wanted to scream.

ned, his voice strained. He loo

y. "Oh, Kellen! You're mad at me? After everything I've been through? After what she

ped. The familiar script

know, Hayden," she simpered, "Kellen and I are going to celebrate. A fresh start. You s

ea I' d seen a thousand times, m

a mirthless smile. "Why not?" I said

llen looked shocked, then relieved. They always expected me to fight, to sc

way from them as possible. The rearview mirror caught Kellen's troubled gaze, but I refused to meet it. I was a ghost in my own life, invisible, unheard. He touched Cherrelle's hair, a soft, comforting gesture, and she leaned i

ned on these nights, I thought. Or maybe it just felt like it. The weather, like my life, was a perpetual state

sky full of stars, our dreams as bright as the constellations. He swore he' d never let anything come between us. His family, he' d warned

and his nascent career. But the guilt, oh, the guilt had festered in him like a poison. Cherrelle, a master manipulator, had weaponized it, turning he

always say, his eyes full of pain.

when his career was on a knife-edge. Then, in private, he' d find his way back to me, full of apologies and promises of a future that never arrived. Thirty-ei

face. The woman I once was, the one who believed in love

mant, began to stir. This was it. No more. I was done being the

en to him, but his number was still there, a beacon in the dark. My grandfather. Kennard Morse. The legendary music prod

ruff, familiar voice answered.

, my voice breaking. "

ng? You sound..." He paused, sear

n my cheek. It was the last tear I would shed for them, I swor

Tell me where you are

and. "It's more complicated than that. I need a ne

olute. "You are my granddaughter. I'll move heav

"I need everything new. My

s pain into art, just like old times. You just

and exhilaration coursing through

acts. Cherrelle clung to Kellen's arm, her voice bubbling with feigned delight. She hogged his at

uch on the elbow. I felt the whispers, the curious glances. Everyone knew Kellen had just publi

e. Her eyes lit up with a malicious spark. She pulled Kellen' s ear close, whispering

arine smile. "Hayden, darling," she cooed, her voice dripping with

d. It arced through the air, a dark, dangerous wave, aimed directly at my chest, at the intricate,

skin. I gasped, a sharp, choked sound. The delicate embroid

ed. "Oh my god, Hayden! I'm so, so sorry! Are you al

room, assessing the damage to his image. He pushed past me, his focus

t?" he demanded, his vo

a mask of controlled fury. "Hand

led Cherrelle away, his arm firmly around her, whispering reassurances. The room buzzed with whispers and pointed stares. I stood alone, a public spectacle of his latest betrayal, the ho