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falling silently.
As Gianna descended the stairs, she found Hazel standing by the door, her tears falli
Without a moment’s hesitation, she rushed to her daughter, pulling her into a warm embrace.
“Hazel, darling, don’t cry. Tell mom what happened.”
Though the person outside had already gone, the ache in Hazel’s heart lingered, as sharp and bitter as ever.
With her face buried in Gianna’s arms, Hazel finally let out the words she’d held inside for so long.
“Why does he love Scarlett so much? What makes her so special? Their first meeting felt like fate, but what about us? What about all the years we spent together?”
“He holds Scarlett in his heart, telling me that those hard years are what keep him going. But the only thing he
wants to remember is her.”
Gianna felt a sharp pain in her chest, hearing her daughter’s raw anguish.
She gently ran her hand over Hazel’s back, but the words of comfort she longed to offer just wouldn’t come.
In the face of such overwhelming emotions, words felt like empty echoes, powerless to mend the brokenness. Having weathered similar storms, Gianna understood all too well.
Pain and tears were part of growing up, part of finding one’s way through the chaos of life. She couldn’t take her daughter’s pain away, but she could hold her, offering silent protection in her own quiet way.
Hazel cried for what seemed like forever, as though trying to rid herself of every tear, every painful memory. But, as the night wore on and the tears began to slow, Hazel felt a shift. Clarity seeped in, and she began to see
Running Away from Marriage, Lexing Deception Behind
Not for him, but for the ten years they had shared.
After finding some semblance of calm, Hazel stood, resolved, and dialed Ambrose’s number from a public phone.
After leaving Hazel, Ambrose felt an empty space in his chest, as though a part of him had been torn away. The sweet, innocent girl from his past seemed to be slipping further and further from his reach, a memory fading with every passing moment.
When he saw the unfamiliar number flashing on his phone, he assumed it was another call trying to persuade him to return to the country
He almost dismissed it, but something inexplicable nudged him to answer.
The moment Hazel’s voice reached his ears, Ambrose knew he’d made the right choice. But then, the very next moment, her words hit him like a plunge into icy water.
Her voice, cold and final, shattered every expectation he had built up in his mind.
“I don’t love you anymore,” she said, each word like a stone thrown into his heart.
“I’ll always appreciate the kindness you showed me when life was at its darkest. For that, I forgive the pain you’ve caused me ”
“As for the USB drive… let’s just call it even.”
“I called to tell you something. Running away from the marriage wasn’t revenge. It was my decision. I’m choosing to let you go, to let go of everything we were.”
“From now on, we owe each other nothing. I hope we can both live our lives in peace and never cross paths again.
The call ended, but Ambrose couldn’t find his voice. He was left standing in stunned silence, words failing him. Hazel had loved him with a fierceness that left no room for doubt.
But once the truth of his betrayal had been uncovered, she had acted swiftly, taking revenge with unwavering resolve.
Now, she was gone, leaving with grace, as though nothing had ever transpired between them.
And here he was, still standing, lost in the aftermath. What was he supposed to do now?
More than twenty years together, and it felt like it had all unraveled in an instant.
Ambrose’s hands shook as he searched his pocket for a cigarette. His fingers fumbled, the lighter trembling in his grip as he tried and failed to light it.
Once. Twice. Nothing.
In a flash of frustration, he almost hurled the lighter away. But then, something stopped him, something he hadn’t expected.
The lighter, worn and familiar, had once been a gift from Hazel.
Their names were etched into it.
At that time, he’d laughed at Hazel and called her childish for giving him such a thing.
€
But now, as the memory of her laughter faded into the distance, he wondered, where had that sweet, naive girl
gone?
