My Freedom, His Lifelong Regret

ley

Soft lighting. Hushed conversations. The gentle clink of silverware against porcelain. The kind of plac

hem imm

hand resting possessively on his arm, her body angled toward him like he was the only person in the room. They looked l

gleam flickering in her eyes. She disentangled herself f

with arsenic. "Clayton and I were just discussing how terribly rude it would be if

pty chair beside Clayton.

s was it. The final cruelty, deliver

h step a conscious effort. I stopped directly in front of Clayton. He look

steady. It surprised me. "We're

low, carrying that familiar note of condescending charm. "You're just upset about the board meeting. I

a betrayal. He thought this was another tantrum. Another stage in his endless se

cold wave of clarit

nsive black suit. But when I cried, when I begged him to stay longer, he simply said, "My family expects me at dinner, Hailey. Your grief is u

ndence. Instead, I took three part-time jobs, working myself to exhaustion. He watched me struggle, but he n

xpected surprise that left me reeling. I told him quietly, trembling with

plan. My family... they expect a proper engag

ver once came with me. I faced it alone-the fear, the impossible decisions, the ultima

variable in his grand design. My feelings, my pain, my sacrifices-

possessive fire. She rose, her posture regal. "What exactly is g

, a voice behind me cu

ling. Still ca

fr

dread pooled in my stomach. Clayton looked confused, turning towar

sed, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips, his eyes sweepi

d, her voice strained. "

orite cousin. And imagine my surprise, seeing Hailey h

was a forced, brittle thing. "Daron," I acknowledged, barely ab

"Daron, Anjelica-is everything all right? What

" She turned to me, her voice dangerously sweet. "You know, Hailey, Daron always had a soft spot for you. Remember that little misunderstandin

ed on me. His mouth

crashed over me like a wave of filth. I gasped, a dry h

nderstanding. It

spered vulgar things, words that made my skin crawl and my stomach turn. When I fought back, he grabbed me,

rds into his chest, my whole body shaking. He held me

is family, but no one touches w

same language Anjelica was using now. He protected his family's image at the cost of

er problem to manage. Another inc

lar bills-felt heavy in my pocket. I pulled it out, a thick stack, and threw it at him

e your family. Your tests. Your legacy. You keep Anjelica, her cousin, and your

ed to be anywhere but here, away from t

ed down on m

dead eyes-appeared as if from nowhere. He twi

screamed, struggli

. He pulled me back toward the table, towa