Chapter 102
Chapter 102 órak
Once Mom regains her bearings, she turns and vanishes, no doubt going to throw the rest of Jade’s things down.
Before anyone can move, Jade storms toward Nathan, fists tight.
“I hope you’re ready to eat unsolid food for the rest of your life, you piece of shit,” he growl will knock your teeth out”
Nathan spreads his arms. “Do it. Show your wife who you really are. And Rena, please let go. I don’t want to push you off.”
Serena is clinging to him now after he’d tugged his coat out of her grip before. Her arms are wound tight around his torso like she’s trying to hold the whole world together through sheer force of will. Her face is buried against his chest, and she’s trembling so hard it feels like the ground itself might be unsteady beneath them, Nathan doesn’t push her away. His hands stay frozen at his sides.
Jade, of course, needs something to hit, and Nathan has let himself become a target after that reveal. Jade reaches them and rips Serena away from Nathan. She stumbles back, sobbing. Before Nathan can react, Jade punches him hard.
Nathan staggers, grabbing his mouth, blood blooming over his knuckles
“Stop!” Serona screams. “You’re going to hurt him!”
But Nathan lunges back at Jade, aiming a fist of his own.
It never lands
Jade intercepts him mid–motion, tackling Nathan with the kind of skill you know took years to perfect. Nathan’s body slams into the ground with a sickening thud, fis back crashing against the sharp edge of the table leg. The entire table jolts, knocking over a water glass that rolls and falls to the floor, shattaring.
1-1 mutter
“Oh, my god,”
The men are on the floor, locked in a mess of limbs and fury.
Jade swings first, a heavy punch to Nathan’s jaw that sends his head snapping to the side. Nathan groans, dazed, but recovers quickly and tries to retaliate. But Jade is faster. Ruthless. He ducks, then drives a forearm into Nathan’s chest, pinning him down with his weight.
“Stop!” Serena cries, rushing toward them, her hands fluttering uselessly in the air. “Stop it, Jade”
Nathan snarls, trying to twist free, but Jade has one arm pressed across his throat now, the other drawn back to strike again. His jaw is clenched so tight that the muscles in his neck look ready to snap
And then–thump, thump, thump–the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps descending the staircase.
turn my head as I hear a metallic click.
Mom is at the foot of the stairs, barefoot and pale as bone, but steady. There’s no tremble in her arms as she raises the shotgun. It’s aimed directly at
Jade.
“Step away from him,” she says, her voice like stone “And all of you, get the fuck out of my
y house.”
Jade instantly throws his hands up, rising and stumbling a step back like the blast has already gone off
“We’re leaving, Margot Please, just put the gun down.”
That’s all I need to hear
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Chapter 102
My shoes squeak against the tile as rush toward the door, snatching my purse off the side table don’t look at anyone Hot Jade. Hots Nathan. The only thought playing on loop in my head is: Do not trust the trembling Engers of an angry woman with a loaded gun. Espečli who’s just found out her husband slept with her daughter.
The night air slaps me in the tree the second step outside, I walk to my car and grip the door handle, fingers shaking, adrenaline still spiking in my bloodstream, I’m sliding the key in when I hear the door open behind ime. More footsteps. Then the unmistakable click of the lock turning
I glance over my shoulder and see them–Jade heading straight for his car, eyes locked on the ground, jaw to fight it looks like it might crack. He doesn’t say a word, boesn’t spare a glance. Just gets in, slams the door, and peels out of the driveway
Nathan’s already halfway to his car, and Serena’s trailing after him like she doesn’t know how to stop her legs from moving.
“Nathan,” she calls. “Wait.”
“Could you please not make this any harder for me?” he replies, not turning around. “You’ve already broken my heart. What more do you want?”
Serena stops as Nathan hides into the driver’s seat, shuts the door, and drives off.
I stand there watching the red of his taillights vanish into the night. Serena’s arms are wrapped around her stomach like she’s trying to keep her insides from spilling out.
For a moment, we both don’t say anything. Just stare at the empty space where Nathan’s car used to be.
Then, Serena says, “Can I stay at your house?”
*Sure.”
I unlock my car, and she climbs in silently. Her fingers fumble with the seatbelt, and her face looks pale and glassy.
We drive in silence.
Or rather, I drive in silence while she sobs with her face pressed against the passenger side window. The kind of crying that doesn’t come in waves but stays. An endless leaking faucet of grief. I don’t say anything. What would even say? That it’ll be okay? That this will blow over? That Mom won’t hate her forever? Even I don’t believe that. So I keep my eyes on the road and grip the wheel until my knuckles sche, pretending I’m not wondering if she’ll still be crying when we get to my house.
By the time we get there, her crying has dulled into sniffling
We head upstairs and inside my apartment, and the familiar smell of vanilla and carpet cleaner greets us like a tired friend. She doesn’t even take off her shoes. Just walks straight into my bedroom and collapses face–first on the bed. She then yanks the sheets over her head.
nish lackin
I hear her crying again before I even finish locking the door.
I want to say something, aybe sit with her. But instead, I pull out my phone and type…
‘Something came up. Don’t come to my house. My sister’s here.”
Knox replies almost instantly.
‘I’m guessing it’s the same reason Jade’s here too. What happened?
“Long story. Tell you later.
I toss the phone on the nightstand, run a hand through my hair, and head to the bathroom. beshen up in silence. Warm water, gentle soap, no noise, dry my face, pull my shirt over my head, and step back out into the bedroom.
Serena’s stopped crying, but she’s still in the same position, lying on her back now, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling
I climb onto the bed slowly, not wanting to startle her. For a while, I just sit there, not speaking. The room smells faintly of shampoo and salt.
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11:36 Sat, 31 May Gu
Chapter 102
Then the question comes out before I can stop it.
“Why’d you say #17”
She keeps staring ahead.
“You could’ve gone your whole life without telling anyone that. Why’d you tell Mom and Nathan?”
A few seconds pass, and I’m about to let it go, convinced she isn’t going to respond, when she whispers, “Because I’m not Jade
“What?”
ry them.”
“I’m not him,” she says louder now, voice shaking. “I can’t lie to someone and marry
Ө
AD
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