Chapter 3

Chelsea Hardy POV:

That night, the orchid bracelet felt like a branding iron against my skin, even after I'd ripped it off and tossed it onto my dresser. Kamryn's sweet, venomous words echoed in my head. Some people aren't used to such thoughtful gifts. The unspoken accusation hung heavy: You're not worthy of love, not even mine.

Holden's laughter, muffled but distinct, drifted from his room. Kamryn was staying over. Again. The sounds of their life, so vibrant and full, seeped through the walls, a constant reminder of everything I wasn't a part of. My bed felt cold, too big for just me. Sleep was a distant mirage.

I tossed and turned, the soft sheets tangling around my legs like chains. The air in my room felt thick, suffocating. I needed to breathe. I needed to escape.

I found myself in the living room, drawn to the grand piano, a relic from my stepfather' s first marriage. It gleamed in the moonlight, a silent monument to a life I was about to leave behind. I hadn't played in years. Holden had been the one who taught me, his large hands guiding mine over the keys. He' d loved to listen to me play.

My fingers, stiff and trembling, hesitantly touched the ivory keys. A soft, discordant note broke the silence. I pulled back as if burned. No. Not tonight. Not with his ghost hovering over every melody.

Instead, I decided to do something productive. My flight was tomorrow. My mind raced, listing the final tasks: pick up my new ID, close my old bank account, donate the last of my unwanted possessions. I had to be strong. For myself.

The next morning, exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. My head throbbed, a dull, insistent ache behind my eyes. I felt hollowed out, drained. But there was a strange, brittle sense of peace too. Like the calm after a storm. The worst was over.

I stumbled downstairs, the aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries assaulting my senses. Kamryn, bright-eyed and annoyingly cheerful, was setting the table. Holden was already seated, scrolling on his phone, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" Kamryn chirped, her voice a little too loud for my pounding head. "Did you sleep well? You looked a little peeky last night. Maybe you're getting a cold."

She poured me a cup of coffee, her movements graceful. "Holden was just telling me about his favorite breakfast spot. You know, the one with the incredible lemon ricotta pancakes? He said you two used to go there all the time." Her tone was light, but her eyes, when they met mine, were sharp and assessing.

I gripped the coffee mug, the warmth seeping into my cold hands. "We did," I said, my voice flat. "He loved the pancakes, and I always went for the blueberry crepes."

Holden looked up, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He didn't say anything.

Kamryn giggled. "Oh, H., you never told me that! I'm more of a savory girl myself. But you know, I was thinking, for our first brunch as a married couple, we should definitely go there. It sounds so romantic." She turned to me, her smile unwavering. "What do you think, Chelsea? Wouldn't that be lovely?"

My stomach clenched. I remembered those brunches. The quiet conversations, his genuine interest in my designs, the way he' d listen intently, his gaze warm and reassuring. We' d even talked about opening a small boutique together, years ago. A distant, foolish dream.

"I think," I said, my voice barely a whisper, "that sounds... appropriate." I forced a small, tight smile. "You two deserve all the romance in the world."

Holden finally put his phone down, his gaze narrowing on me. "Are you alright, Chels? You seem... off."

"I'm perfectly fine," I said, projecting a confidence I didn't feel. "Just a busy day ahead. I need to run some errands."

I stood up, the chair scraping loudly against the floor. I needed to escape this suffocating domesticity.

"Errands?" Holden asked, a note of suspicion in his voice. "Where are you going? You usually tell me your plans."

The old Holden. The controlling Holden. The one who had to know my every move, cloaked in the guise of brotherly care. My jaw tightened.

"Just to the bank. And then to donate some old clothes," I lied smoothly. "Nothing exciting."

"The bank? What for?" His eyes were sharp now, scrutinizing.

Kamryn, who had been observing our exchange with keen interest, chimed in. "Oh, H., don't be so nosy! Chelsea's a big girl. She doesn't need to report her every move to you." She gave me a sympathetic, yet subtly condescending, look. "Unless, of course, she's planning something... scandalous."

A flush crept up my neck. The implication was clear: I was trying to sneak around, to cause trouble.

"I'm just sorting out my finances," I said, my voice dangerously even. "And no, Kamryn, nothing scandalous. Just trying to be a 'big girl,' as you say."

Holden stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over me. "Chels, I mean it. Don't go doing anything stupid. You know how easily you get into trouble. Especially with money." His tone was patronizing, dismissive. "I'm still your guardian, technically. I need to know you're not going to blow all your savings on some frivolous nonsense."

His words hit me like a physical blow. He wasn't my guardian. Not anymore. I was eighteen. An adult. And he was still treating me like a child, a burden.

Kamryn giggled, covering her mouth with a perfectly manicured hand. "Oh, H., you're so protective! It's sweet, really. But Chelsea wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her future, would you, darling? Especially not with your new... aspirations." Her eyes twinkled with a knowing gleam. She knew about Parsons. She knew I'd been accepted. She probably heard me on the phone with Uncle Geoffrey.

The bitter irony clawed at my throat. My aspirations. The very ones he' d encouraged, then ridiculed, then dismissed.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm. This was it. The final push.

"I'm leaving," I said, my voice steady, devoid of emotion. "I have things to do."

I turned on my heel and walked out, leaving the coffee, the pastries, and their saccharine domesticity behind.

The rain started as I stepped outside, a cold, relentless drizzle that matched the ache in my heart. I pulled my jacket tighter, hunching my shoulders against the chill. My phone buzzed in my pocket. A notification from Instagram. Kamryn Gardner.

Curiosity, or perhaps morbid fascination, made me open it. A new post. A picture of her and Holden, their faces pressed close, smiling radiantly. The caption: "So excited for our future, my love! Planning the engagement party of our dreams! #FutureMrsWolf #EngagedLife #LoveOfMyLife."

The comments were pouring in. "So cute!" "Relationship goals!" "Can't wait for the wedding!"

My fingers trembled as I scrolled. My vision blurred. A future. Their future. A future that had no room for me.

My heart didn't break. It had shattered so many times, there was nothing left to break. Instead, a profound, chilling despair settled over me. It was a bottomless pit, sucking all the warmth and light from my world.

"Congratulations," I whispered to the rain-slicked pavement. The words felt like ash in my mouth. "Congratulations on extinguishing the last flicker of hope I ever had."