After hitting send, I looked up one last time. My heart screamed at me to walk away, but my legs wouldn’t move. Just then, Amara’s eyes met mine across the road. She wore a smug smile, as if she’d known all along that she would win this twisted game. It was a taunt, one that cut through me deeper than any blade. And Jaxon? He remained at her side, oblivious to the storm that was about to break...
My phone buzzed again, jolting me from my thoughts, and I glanced down. It was my mother. The timing couldn’t have been worse. She’d come all this way to visit, eager to see us—her daughter and son-in-law—together, unaware of the painful truth tearing through my heart.
I felt a wave of dread wash over me, tightening my throat. What could I say? How could I even begin to explain?
With a shaky breath, I pressed the phone to my ear, trying to steady my voice. “Hi, Mom,” I greeted, forcing a brightness I didn’t feel.
“Luna! There you are. I’ve been calling for hours,” she said with a laugh. “I thought maybe we could all have dinner tonight. Just the three of us. It’s been so long since we’ve sat down together.”