I woke up to the smell of breakfast. The tray on the nightstand was perfectly arranged—pancakes, fresh fruit, and coffee.
Jayden’s warm breath tickled my neck as he leaned down, his lips grazing my skin. “Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth.
His hand slid across my waist, tugging me closer. “I’ve missed you. Let’s stay in bed today... just us.”
I didn’t move. My eyes remained fixed on the tray. Pancakes. Coffee. Fresh fruit. It was all too perfect, too staged.
“What do you need, Jayden?” I said flatly, turning to meet his surprised gaze.
“What?” He blinked, feigning innocence. “Why are you saying that? I’m just trying to spend time with my girl.”
I pulled away, sitting up against the headboard. “Cut the act. Whenever you want something, you suddenly remember how to be sweet. So, what is it this time?”
Jayden frowned, a hurt expression crossing his face. “Why are you being like this, Lilian? Why does it feel like you don’t care about me anymore?”
Care about him? I scoffed internally, thinking back to all the times he’d pulled this same stunt. Whenever he needed money, advice, or a favor, he’d drown me in affection, just enough to make me feel guilty if I refused.
And I had always fallen for it.
Not this time.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, leaving him sitting there with his perfect tray of breakfast and empty words.
Jayden sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve been thinking, Lilian. I realize I’ve been... distant lately. I’ve just been worried about Scarlet, you know? After everything she’s been through, I—”
“You’ve made that very clear,” I interrupted, my tone cold.
He stood and reached for my hand, but I pulled away. “Let’s go on a date,” he said, his voice softening. “Just the two of us. Dinner, maybe a movie. Like old times.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say a word, a high-pitched scream echoed through the house.
“Jayden!” Scarlet’s voice was panicked, followed by the sound of something shattering.
Jayden didn’t even hesitate. He bolted out of the room without a word, leaving me standing there, staring at the empty doorway.
That was it. That was the last straw.
Jayden was at the hospital with Scarlet when I packed my bags. This time, there was no hesitation, no second-guessing.
The closet doors creaked open as I pulled out my suitcase. It was all ready since the day I learned of their betrayal and everything I had brought into this house—the house I owned but let Jayden live in rent-free—was going with me.
My phone buzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up and dialed the number I’d memorized long ago.
“Miss Lilian,” the voice on the other end answered.
“Put the apartment up for bidding,” I said, my voice steady. “Sell everything in it. I don’t care about the price. Just make sure it’s gone by the end of the month.”
“Yes, Miss Lilian. And... the items Mr. Swift gifted you?”
I glanced at the expensive watch on the dresser, the designer bags, the jewelry. All meaningless tokens Jayden had given me to mask his indifference.
“Include them,” I said firmly. “All of it.”
“Understood.”
“Also, ensure that all the credit cards we shared are frozen. And don’t pay those balances. I want him to be in debt once I was gone,” I said, gritting my teeth.
“Yes, Miss Hugh.”
I ended the call and slipped the phone into my bag. The room felt lighter already, as if the weight of years of betrayal had started to lift.
As I zipped up my suitcase, I glanced around one last time. The memories of this place—the laughter, the fights, the false promises—flashed through my mind like an old movie reel.
This wasn’t my home anymore. It never had been.
With my suitcase in hand, I closed the door behind me and stepped into the hallway.
The sound of my heels echoed on the wooden floor as I walked out of the apartment. By the time I reached the front door, I felt a sense of clarity I hadn’t felt in years.
Once outside, I hailed a cab and gave the driver my destination.
“The airport, please.”
As the car pulled away, I didn’t look back.
