Love's Unexpected Path

fight, leaving a trail of havoc in their wake. Amidst the chaos, I clutched o

gth to speak, my voice wavering, "Should I cal

lance, his expression conveying a

h my hair and hopped down from the coffee table, determined to cleanse my

" Alex advised, his v

ars of strained relations, we found ourselves sharing a space with an unexpected

sure justice," Alex assured me, his

ant shrug. "It's fine, I don't want to trouble Edward wit

rown eyes, focused intently on my face. He assessed my

s need to go to the hospital? Maybe get a checkup or schedule an appointmen

through, revealing a side o

l spot and took a sip of water, attem

trying to push away any

resurfaced, his tone

ad? You wouldn't have confided

ious composure crumbling as tears well

er and desperation, determined to

share of relationships, and I waited for him for years before we finally got together! No one will bel

of the situation pressing down on my weary shoulders. Even the phone, re

"Everything is under control here. Dad and I will be delayed for a few days. has come

t good

ke a grim reaper determined to claim my very soul. His words

shouldn't hide this from her.

s if he believed that bargaining with

left of my shattered world, he retrieved hi

him in the chest: "Don't act like you care about me! Hypocrites! A

es

but you grew up in our house! Ask yourself, what did Lucy and Edward ever

t know that it was empathy? All that love wasn't even for me! Do you t

tle when my parents left. But tears streamed down

slipped it into my trembling hand. "It's not

ggled to find the

day if the loudmouth had divulged the secret to Mom and Dad. For the first time

s she walked through th

efeat and sank bac

ther spoke softly as she s

d each syllab

u feeling better now? Let's schedule a hospital

this scene more than I

to comfort her. So, I mechanically repeated that it was

ome romantic movie. I exaggerated his qualities

welled up in the corners of her eyes. When she faced me aga

f you want to take legal action again

ied, 'Mom, I don't want t

d mustered the courage several times to tel

out to be a despicable person. He had violated me during our relationship, and I was certain that in less

ead, expressing her willing

o out to dinner alone with James. At the same time, Will

ections to t

school started, Alex packed his

ldn't hold a grudge against me for too long; after all, I had just made p

e before he checked in for his flight, "I think I owe yo

ing mean and unpleasant as ever,

om the hot chocolate, "

. "I should have guessed, I'm sorry. I've always known what Wi

g the plastic lid off my drink cup to help the choco

aid, "I'll trust you. Welcome to Cameron's house. I'll trust

ively pushed him toward the check-in counter. "I know, I understand.

ll see you at