Adeline was lounging on Charlotte's couch, mindlessly scrolling through her phone when it rang. Unknown number. She paused for a moment, then answered, her voice firm.
"Hello?"
"Adeline! Where the hell are you?!" Luke's voice thundered through the line, loud and angry.
Adeline's breath caught in her chest, but she held her ground. "What is it now, Luke?"
"You have the audacity to ignore my calls and treat your sister like that?!" Luke snapped, his voice sharp. "What is wrong with you?"
Adeline's grip on the phone tightened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Luke shot back. "You were rude to Hazel, treating her like she's the one who did something wrong. You ruined everything!"
Adeline clenched her jaw. "I didn't ruin anything. Hazel's the one who's been ruining everything from the start."
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Luke's voice was rising now, full of panic. "She's been worried sick, and you blew up at her like that. You need to apologize to her. You owe me one for being such an idiot!"
Adeline's blood boiled, but she fought to keep her voice steady. "I owe you nothing, Luke. You think you can waltz in and fix everything just because you don't like the way I've been acting? How about you take a good, hard look at yourself? You're the one who betrayed me—both of you."
Luke faltered, silence filling the line for a moment, clearly taken aback. "What? Are you seriously trying to say I did something wrong?"
Adeline's laugh was sharp and bitter. "Really? After everything? You think I'm the one in the wrong?" Her voice dropped to a cold, cutting tone. "You don't get to play the victim, Luke. Not anymore. You and Hazel can keep pretending nothing happened, but I'm not buying it."
"Adeline…" Luke's voice softened, though it still held an edge. "Don't act like this. You're doing all of this to get my attention. To get me to come back, aren't you? You're just trying to make me feel guilty."
Adeline's heart raced in her chest, fury rising as her restraint snapped. "Oh, please. Are you that delusional? Do you honestly think I'm doing this for you? You're not worth my time anymore, Luke. Not after everything."
The line went quiet. For a long, suffocating moment, there was only the sound of Luke's uneven breathing. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice colder than before. "You don't mean that. You're just angry. And you'll come crawling back. You always do."
Adeline's lips curled into a twisted smile—sharp, bitter. "No. This time, I'm done. I'm not your backup plan anymore. I'm not your consolation prize."
Her hand shook as she swiped through the options on her phone, not wanting to hear him anymore.
"Adeline, don't—" Luke's voice began again, but she didn't wait to hear the rest.
She slammed the phone down onto the table, the screen cracking as the call ended. Her chest was tight, but it felt lighter than it had in days.
Charlotte entered the room, her voice soft. "What happened? Who was that?"
Adeline took a shaky breath, her hands still trembling with the adrenaline that had surged through her. She lifted her eyes to Charlotte, her gaze cold.
"That was Luke," she said, her voice icy. "I just… broke up with him. For good."
Charlotte blinked, a tiny gasp escaping her lips. "Wait, what? You really broke up with him?"
Adeline nodded firmly, her gaze unwavering. "I did."
Charlotte took a step closer, concern flickering in her eyes. "Are you sure about this, Addy? I mean, I get it. What he did to you—" She shook her head, then hesitated. "But are you sure you're ready to let go?"
Adeline's fingers twitched in her lap, a mixture of anger and relief settling in her chest. "I've been holding on to something that wasn't even real. He doesn't get to manipulate me anymore."
Charlotte opened her mouth, then closed it again, her expression torn. After a moment, she nodded slowly. "Okay. I get it. If that's what you want."
Adeline's lips pressed into a firm line, her resolve clear. "I'm done with all of it. I'm moving on. Without him."
Charlotte sighed and sat beside her, the weight of unspoken thoughts between them. "I hope you're ready for what comes next. Luke's not going to let this slide. And neither is Hazel."
Adeline met her gaze, her eyes hard and unwavering. "Let them. I'm not looking back."
And just like that, the past—its pain and betrayal—was behind her. The door to her future, one she could finally control, was wide open.