Carl cursed loudly, clutching his cheek as rage boiled over. But before he could retaliate, I bolted, barefoot, out the door, leaving him to nurse his wounded pride.
The hotel was in a remote location, far from the nearest road, which was a ten-minute drive from the entrance. I ignored the pain in my feet as I stumbled over the uneven gravel, shivering uncontrollably. Tears blurred my vision, spilling down my face until everything became a watery haze. My legs gave out beneath me, and I fell hard onto the ground, scraping my knees on the sharp stones. Blood trickled from the cuts, but I barely noticed.
I glanced around and saw nothing—just the vast emptiness of the surroundings. The silence only made me feel smaller. Hugging my legs to my chest, I sat there sobbing, letting the weight of it all crash over me. I could already imagine what people would say—that this was just another story about a gold-digging girl chasing after a wealthy benefactor, desperate to secure a better life.