Baxt

r shared history, a graveyard of forgotten promises. I drove to Jax' s house, my heart

ight? I heard about the fire. Jax said you handled it well, but I was worried sick about you." She pulled me into a war

d a polite smile. "I'm fine, Mrs. Mathews, thank

. Reaching Jax' s bedroom door, I heard it. A light, tinkling laugh, unmistakably Cinda

laxed smile I hadn't seen directed at me in months. My eyes landed on the open box on his nightstand. It was my box. The one containing my old letters, my photograph

s sweetness. "Isn't this the girl who used to stalk you? So despe

e. A flicker of annoyance crossed his face. "Kylie? Wh

ght I was here to cause a scene. He thought I was still fighting for him. The r

dy, though my throat felt like sandpaper. I held out the heavy box

t are you talking about? Just leave it, Kylie. I don't want your old junk." His words were laced with dismissiveness, a casu

with a guttural cry, hurled it down the majestic staircase. It tumbled, end over end, scattering its contents-photos, letters, trinkets

lash of genuine shock. "Kylie

I possessed. "That was for every time you chose her over me. For every lie. For every

that's how you want to be. Just get your stuff and leave." He p

y clothes, my books, anything that was unequivocally mine. Cinda, now fully recovered from her "shock," had draped herself ba

leaming silver bracelet on the floor. It was identical to the one Jax had given me for my birthday, the one he said was "one of a kind." But this

ax just gave me this. It's so much prettier than the rusty old thing he gave you,

aching emptiness. It was done. He had replaced me, not just in his hea

ng. I heard your parents aren't exactly thrilled with your lack of 'direction'. I bet they'd be devastated if they knew how you

ad told her. He had weaponized my vulnerabilities, handed them o

dy. "You can have him. You can have all of it. Becaus

bbing onto my arm in a desperate attempt to regain balance. Her pull was unexpected, strong. My head, stil

oor hard, the sharp pain in my head blossoming into a dizzying white flash. I tasted blood.

d to kill me!" Cinda screamed, tears stre

ed with rage. He barely glanced at me, lying there,

h such venom, such disgust, that it felt like a physical blow

what she had said, how she had provoked me. But the words wou

gan, but he

eyes, once so full of a possessive love, now held only raw hatred. He lo

urmuring reassurances to her, carrying her away from the "monster" I had become in his eyes. As he

would have carried me. When my smallest hurt was his greatest concern.

elf. He had already made up his mind, just as he always did

dn't care. I wouldn't take anything from this house, this life. I stumbled out, ignoring Mrs. Mathews' horrifi

ing pain and silent tears. The doctors cleaned my cut, stitched it up, and told me

mall, empty apartment, my phone buz

-bye, Kylie. Don't let the door hit you on the way out. Oh, wa

on his face, was attached. My last remaining shred of hope, the lingering phantom of what we o

Every social media account. Every email. I severed all ties