Chapter 5
A year ago, I would have opened the door the moment I heard that tone. His soft,
comforting words would have melted my anger and I would have forgiven him, letting every bit of hurt and frustration fade away.
But now, those words felt as empty as the life we‘ d built together.
But now, I felt like a person who had already died once. Whatever attachment or sense of loyalty I’d once felt to him had been gutted. Darrel had betrayed me beyond repair and I no longer wanted anything to do with the person responsible for my pain.
I remembered the night he first found out about my night blindness. He was the first
Chapter 5
person I trusted with it, the first person to hold me and promise to protect me. I could still hear him whispering to me, “Fionna, you’ll never have to worry. From now on, I’ll be your eyes in the dark. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll take care of you.”
But it was also Darrel who left me stranded, helpless, on top of an unfamiliar mountain, ignoring the very promise he‘ d made. And why? Because of her. Because of his precious “protégé,” while I waited alone in the dark.
I waited until I could no longer hear him pacing outside the door. His shadow was still visible under the door crack, but I took a steadying breath and finally spoke, my voice cutting through the silence.
“Darrel,” I said, as calmly as I could
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manage. “Let’s go to the mountains. Let’s go look at the stars.
He was silent for a beat. This was the same
man who had left me to flounder in the darkness, but tonight, this would be my own kind of closure. In just two days, I would leave him, marry someone else and leave this wreck of a relationship behind me forever. After seven years, I wanted to go back to that place one last time. I wanted to let go on my
terms.
I’d known about my night blindness for a long time now, ever since I was young. From then on, I avoided going out at night altogether. I never made these kinds of requests–especially not to him. But now, hearing my voice, he seemed… almost
startled. He hesitated, as though he couldn‘ t
Chapter 5
quite believe it.
“Fionna, are you sure?” he asked, his tone laced with confusion. “I mean, if you want to go–of course, I‘ 11 take you.” Yet, there was something odd in his tone, a reluctance hidden beneath his quick agreement.
I opened the door slightly, catching sight of him just as he hurriedly closed out of a chat with her–the woman he‘ d chosen over me, again and again. He jumped, looking as guilty as a child caught in a lie.
“Uh, Fionna,
he stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, “I just… there’s something urgent at work. A really important contract that needs my attention.” His voice trailed off as he fumbled for an
excuse, glancing around as if searching for an
escane.
Chapter 5 escape.
My heart sank, but I managed a calm smile, watching him scramble to explain. “I‘ 11 take care of it as quickly as possible. Don’t worry. We’ll go see the stars as soon as I’m done,” he promised, voice shaky with forced enthusiasm.
I nodded, closing my door again, unable to look at him any longer. The moment my door clicked shut, I heard him leave, his footsteps fading until the front door finally closed.
I sat by the window, waiting. I couldn’t quite tell what I was waiting for anymore. Was I waiting for Darrel to come back and fulfill that old promise? Or was I just waiting for this painful chapter of my life to end?
The hours dragged on, the sky slowly shifting from black to the faint gray of early dawn.
Chapter 5
Just as the first light began to peek over the horizon, my phone buzzed.
I glanced out the window and saw a car pull up. And there she was–Natalie, her lips painted with a smirk as she leaned into the mirror, applying a bright swipe of lipstick. She turned to me with that irritatingly sweet voice. “Mrs. Fionna,” she said, her tone syrupy with mock innocence, “I wanted to help design something special for you. You know, I studied design, so I know exactly how to make a memorable surprise. Darrel wanted to do something nice for you and I just had to lend a hand. I’m sure you‘ ll love it.”
Her smile widened as she held up a lipstick tube, applying the shade with exaggerated precision. My eyes narrowed as I realized–it was my lipstick, one that had mysteriously
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the hands of her.
I felt a rush of cold anger. Without a word, I lunged forward, yanking the tube from her fingers and drawing a bold, furious X across her smug face. Natalie let out a gasp, recoiling as she looked at me with wide, outraged eyes.
“This?” I spat, holding up the lipstick. “This cheap, pathetic little thing? Only someone as tacky as you would see it as some sort of prize.”
For a moment, Natalie was stunned into silence, her hand going to her face as she touched the messy smudge of lipstick. Before she could respond, Darrel jumped out of the car, rushing to stand between us. His face was livid as he glared down at me.
T
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“Fionna, what the hell are you doing?” he shouted, his voice trembling with barely
contained anger.
“Are you out of your mind? If you‘ re unwell, go get help. We’re here to surprise you, to do something nice for you and this is how you repay us? You‘ re shameless, acting like a spoiled child. Why can’t you just be grateful for once?”
I stared at him, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a final blow. Grateful? Grateful? After everything he‘ d done, after every lie, every betrayal and he had the audacity to call me shameless? Slowly, I looked back at Natalie, who was now faking a pout, her eyes glistening with false tears as she clung to Darrel‘ s arm, the innocent victim in her own twisted game.
“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling a strange
Chapter 5
calmness wash over me as I looked at the two of them. “Thank you for showing me exactly
you are, Darrel. I only wish I’d seen it
who
sooner.
Without another word, I turned and walked away, feeling lighter with each step. This chapter, this life with him–it was over. And I was finally free.
Chapter 6
“You don’t deserve to be loved. No one ever
will,” Darrel sneered, his face
has, or ever
ever will, twisted with disanct
“Other
1
Chapter 6
twisted with disgust. “Other people‘ s kindness, all the good they try to show you- you just trample it. No wonder your own parents didn’t want you when you were a kid!”
His words pierced straight through me, each one a carefully aimed dagger hitting the most vulnerable part of my heart. Darrel knew exactly where to strike, the words that would hurt the most. His gaze burned with pure hatred, as if I were the worst enemy he‘ d ever had.
Without giving me a chance to process, to respond, or even to catch my breath, he spun around and slammed the car door. The
engine roared as he stomped on the gas, leaving me standing there, stunned, as he sped away.
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I was frozen in place, trying to make sense of what had just happened, but the stinging burn on my cheek wouldn’t let me escape it. I touched my face, the pain a cruel reminder of how the one person I’d trusted for years had struck me, both with his words and his hand.
The sky was lightening, the last of the stars fading as dawn approached. There would be no stars tonight, no chance to sit under their silent glow. That ache in my heart grew heavier, filling with every hurtful moment, every betrayal I’d let slide, every ounce of love I‘ d wasted on him.
I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I crouched down on the ground, holding my head and the tears came pouring out. It was as if every sorrow, every disappointment and all the
Chapter 6
years of love I’d offered had been ripped from me in that single, brutal moment. I cried for the Fionna I had been, for the dreams I’d let wither, for the stars I’d wished upon all these years. I cried until there was nothing left, until I felt as hollow as the dawn sky above me.
When I finally stood, my decision was clear. I couldn’t stay here another day. I didn’t want to breathe the same air, walk the same streets, or sleep in the same bed where I had once imagined a life with him. I decided to change my ticket, booking the earliest flight that would take me far away from here.
At the airport, just before boarding, I sent Darrel a final text message: [Goodbye]
That single word held all the finality, all the closure that I needed. Seven years, ended
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with a whisper. I watched as his calls flooded my phone, his name flashing over and over, but I just stared, unbothered, detached. My heart felt strangely calm as I turned off my phone, severing any last thread of
connection.
As I sat waiting for the plane to take off, memories flooded back, washing over me like waves. It was strange–seven years and we had fallen together so naturally, as if we were perfectly cut puzzle pieces, as if we could finish each other’s thoughts without saying a word. That was how it had all begun. And somewhere along the way, he must have convinced himself that I would never leave, no matter what he did.
But I wasn‘ t his possession, some pet he could hurt and expect to remain loyal. I had
Chapter 6
my own thoughts, my own feelings, my own worth. I refused to let anyone, even him,
dictate the rest of my life. I wanted to be free of his shadow.
As I began to block his numbers, his emails, his messages, I stumbled upon an old social media account we had created together years ago. The profile photo was of us, two smiling faces and the background was a beach where we’d once spent hours together, laughing and dreaming of a future. My finger hovered over the delete button, trembling as I pressed it. And just like that, the last remnant of our shared past was gone.
The flight was long and though I wanted to feel the thrill of freedom, my heart felt
we’d spent
strangely empty. The years we‘ d
together kept replaying in my mind, every
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memory as vivid as if it were happening again. I had escaped him, but I still had to escape the part of me that had once loved him so deeply.
When the plane finally landed, I felt the emotions I’d been holding back rush to the surface, overwhelming me as I walked through the terminal. And then, there she was–my mom, waiting with a warm smile, her eyes misty with happiness as she reached
out to me.
“Fionna,” she said, holding my hands
tightly, her voice filled with relief. “I can hardly believe it–you‘ re finally here! I’ve been waiting for you all morning. I thought… I was afraid you’d change your mind
again.”
I felt my heart break a little as I looked at her,
Chapter 6
realizing how much she had worried about
me, how many times she’d wanted me to come back and start fresh by her side. “I’m here now, Mom,” I said softly, squeezing her hands. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She pulled me close, wrapping me in a hug that was warm and familiar, as if I were a little girl again. “It’s so good to have you home,” she whispered. “And don‘ t worry. I’ve found someone perfect for you. You‘ 11 see–he’ll make you happy, he’ll give you the life you deserve. And if he’s not good enough, you’ll always have me to rely on.” For years, she had asked me to come back, to leave everything behind and find a new start with her. But each time, the memory of him, of Darrel, had held me back. I’d convinced myself that I was right to stay, to endure, to
Chapter 5
If you‘ re unwell, go get help. We re here to surprise you, to do something nice for you and this is how you repay us? You‘ re shameless, acting like a spoiled child. Why can’t you just be grateful for once?”
I stared at him, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a final blow. Grateful? Grateful? After everything he‘ d done, after every lie, every betrayal and he had the audacity to call me shameless? Slowly, I looked back at Natalie, who was now faking a pout, her eyes glistening with false tears as she clung to Darrel‘ s arm, the innocent victim in her own twisted game.
“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling a strange calmness wash over me as I looked at the two of them. “Thank you for showing me exactly who you are, Darrel. I only wish I’d seen it
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Chapter 5
we‘ d built together.
But now, I felt like a person who had already died once. Whatever attachment or sense of loyalty I’d once felt to him had been gutted. Darrel had betrayed me beyond repair and I no longer wanted anything to do with the person responsible for my pain.
I remembered the night he first found out about my night blindness. He was the first person I trusted with it, the first person to hold me and promise to protect me. I could still hear him whispering to me, “Fionna, you’ll never have to worry. From now on, I’ll be your eyes in the dark. I won’t let anything happen to you. I’ll take care of you.”
But it was also Darrel who left me stranded, helpless on ton of an unfamiliar mountain
-48% 18:38
Chapter 5
helpless, on top of an unfamiliar mountain, ignoring the very promise he’d made. And why? Because of her. Because of his precious “protégé,” while I waited alone in the dark.
I waited until I could no longer hear him pacing outside the door. His shadow was still visible under the door crack, but I took a steadying breath and finally spoke, my voice cutting through the silence.
“Darrel,” I said, as calmly as I could manage. “Let’s go to the mountains. Let’s go look at the stars.
He was silent for a beat. This was the same man who had left me to flounder in the darkness, but tonight, this would be my own kind of closure. In just two days, I would leave him, marry someone else and leave this wreck of a relationship behind me forever.
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Chapter 5
After seven years, I wanted to go back to that place one last time. I wanted to let go on my
terms.
I’d known about my night blindness for a long time now, ever since I was young. From then on, I avoided going out at night altogether. I never made these kinds of requests–especially not to him. But now, hearing my voice, he seemed… almost
startled. He hesitated, as though he couldn’t quite believe it.
“Fionna, are you sure?” he asked, his tone laced with confusion. “I mean, if you want to go–of course, I’ll take you.” Yet, there was something odd in his tone, a reluctance hidden beneath his quick agreement.
I opened the door slightly, catching sight of
him just as he hurriedly closed out of a chat
10% 18:30
Chapter 5
him just as he hurriedly closed out of a chat with her–the woman he‘ d chosen over me, again and again. He jumped, looking as guilty as a child caught in a lie.
“Uh, Fionna,” he stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment, “I just… there’s something urgent at work. A really important contract that needs my attention.‘ His voice trailed off as he fumbled for an
excuse, glancing around as if searching for an
escape.
My heart sank, but I managed a calm smile, watching him scramble to explain. “I‘ 11 take care of it as quickly as possible. Don’t worry. We’ll go see the stars as soon as I’m done,” he promised, voice shaky with forced enthusiasm.
I nodded. closing my door again. unable to
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Chapter 5
I nodded, closing my door again, unable to look at him any longer. The moment my door clicked shut, I heard him leave, his footsteps fading until the front door finally closed.
I sat by the window, waiting. I couldn’t quite tell what I was waiting for anymore. Was I waiting for Darrel to come back and fulfill that old promise? Or was I just waiting for this painful chapter of my life to end?
The hours dragged on, the sky slowly shifting from black to the faint gray of early dawn. Just as the first light began to peek over the horizon, my phone buzzed.
I glanced out the window and saw a car pull up. And there she was–Natalie, her lips
painted with a smirk as she leaned into the mirror, applying a bright swipe of lipstick. She turned to me with that irritatingly sweet
48% 18:39
Chapter 5
voice. “Mrs. Fionna,” she said, her tone syrupy with mock innocence, “I wanted to help design something special for you. You know, I studied design, so I know exactly how to make a memorable surprise. Darrel wanted to do something nice for you and I just had to lend a hand. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
Her smile widened as she held up a lipstick tube, applying the shade with exaggerated precision. My eyes narrowed as I realized–it was my lipstick, one that had mysteriously gone missing recently. But there it was, my name custom–engraved on the casing, now in the hands of her.
I felt a rush of cold anger. Without a word, I lunged forward, yanking the tube from her fingers and drawing a bold, furious X across her smug face. Natalie let out a gasp,
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Chapter 5
recoiling as she looked at me with wide,
outraged eyes.
“This?” I spat, holding up the lipstick. “This cheap, pathetic little thing? Only someone as tacky as you would see it as some sort of prize.”
For a moment, Natalie was stunned into silence, her hand going to her face as she touched the messy smudge of lipstick. Before she could respond, Darrel jumped out of the car, rushing to stand between us. His face was livid as he glared down at me.
“Fionna, what the hell are you doing?” he shouted, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. “Are you out of
Are you out of your mind? If you‘ re unwell, go get help. We‘ re here to surprise you, to do something nice for you
and this is how you repay us? You‘ re
10.00
Chapter 5
shameless, acting like a spoiled child. Why can’t you just be grateful for once?”
I stared at him, feeling the weight of his words settle over me like a final blow. Grateful? Grateful? After everything he‘ d done, after every lie, every betrayal and he had the audacity to call me shameless? Slowly, I looked back at Natalie, who was now faking a pout, her eyes glistening with false tears as she clung to Darrel’s arm, the innocent victim in her own twisted game.
“Thank you,” I whispered, feeling a strange calmness wash over me as I looked at the two of them. “Thank you for showing me exactly who you are, Darrel. I only wish I’d seen it
sooner.
“”
Without another word, I turned and walked away, feeling lighter with each step. This
вла
Chapter 5
chapter, this life with him–it was over. And I
was finally free.
