bCHAPTER /bb40 /b

    ANNA’S POV

    “Ryan…” I called, but then anger just rushed through ine like fire my chest. How dare him? After leaving me on read for bthree /bwhole days, not even calling, not even exining a single thing, and now he wanted to suddenly show up and what? Pay for bour /bdresses as if everything was fine?

    I turned to the cashier and told her tly, “I’ll pay. Take my card instead. Don’t take his.”

    The poor girl blinked at me, clearly caught between us. I repeated myself, sharper this time. “Take my card.”

    But the look Ryan shot her was enough to make her flinch. She nervously muttered, “Sorry,” before she reached out and took his instead, swiping his ck card quickly like she was scared of him. I felt my chest twist in frustration, in humiliation. I didn’t even want to stay there another second. I grabbed Sasha’s hand and stormed out of the boutique, pulling her with me, my anger bubbling so violently it was making my skin hot.

    “How dare him! How dare he think this was okay?!”

    The moment I stepped outside, I saw a womaning straight towards me. A strange woman. Her face was twisted in anger, her eyes sharp like daggers locked on me. I stopped, startled, clutching Sasha’s hand tighter as the woman stopped right in front of me.

    “Are you the reason?!” she snapped, her voice trembling with rage as she grabbed my hand.

    I pulled my hand back, my brows furrowing. “Excuse me?” I asked confused and defensive.

    She was beautiful, I won’t lie about that. Beautiful but furious, her lips curled in disgust as she red at me like I was the worst person she’d ever seen. “Stay away from him,” she hissed, her voice low but filled with venom. “He’s mine. He’s been promised to me long before he even met you.‘

    i” /i

    My stomach dropped. My throat closed up. I took a step back, trying to understand what she was saying, who she even was, but her words just kepting at me like punches.

    Sasha immediately stepped in front of me, her arm pushing the woman back. “Hey! What the hell is your problem? Why are you harassing my friend?!” she snapped, her voice protective and fierce.

    “This doesn’t concern you,” the woman spat, ring at Sasha now before turning her fury back to me. “This is between me and this bitch who thinks she can steal my man!”

    I gasped,pletely thrown. “Who the hell are you?” I asked, my voice shaking, my chest pounding as I tried to make sense of why some stranger was attacking me like this.

    Before she could answer, a sharp, angry voice cut through the air.

    “Sophie!”

    Everything froze inside me. My heart dropped, my breath caught, my entire body went cold. Sophie. The name mmed into me like thunder. My eyes widened instantly as realization hit me, this was her. This was the Sophie.

    Ryan’s voice came again, desperate this time. “Anna, baby-” He started toward me.

    But I couldn’t move. I was frozen, my body tense, my hand shaking as I gripped Sasha’s arm so tightly my nails dug into her skin.

    Sasha’s eyes flicked between me, Ryan, and the furious woman. I saw it dawn on her too, the name, the look on Ryan’s face, the way everything suddenly made sense. She didn’t waste a second. She yanked my arm hard, her voice low but urgent. “No, Anna. Come on. We’re leaving.”

    I stumbled with her, still dazed, still unable to process, but she was already pulling me down the curb, her free arm waving

    bfrantically /bbfor /bba /bcabb. /bbRyan’s /bfootsteps pounded behind us, lits voice calling again, b“/bAnna! Wait—”

    bA /bbyellow /bcab screeched to a stop and before I could even think, Sas a shoved me inside, climbing in after me. “Driveb!/bb” /bshe bordered /bsharplyb, /band the driver took off irümediately.

    “Anna! Anna!” Ryan’s voice echoed behind the ss, growing fafter as the cab sped away.

    My chest heaved as I turned, unable to stop myself. I looked back through the window, and the sight almost destroyed me. Ryan was standing there, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths as he dragged a hand through his hair in frustration. Sophie spun on him, shouting angrily, her face red, her body trembling with rage. His jaw was tight, his hands moving as he snapped back at her, and even though I couldn’t hear them, I could feel the fight from here. My heart was beating so hard I could barely breathe.

    “Unbelievable,” Sasha muttered beside me, her voice like acid. “Un–freaking–believable.”

    But I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I was glued to the ss, my breath shallow, my hands trembling in myp, and then it bgot /bworse. Sophie’s face crumpled as tears spilled down her cheeks. She covered her face for a second before clutching Ryan’s arm, her voice desperate, begging. Ryan looked furious, frustrated, dragging his hand through his hair again like he was losing his patience.

    And then she hugged him. She threw her arms around himb, /bclinging tightly.

    And he… he didn’t push her away.

    The sight shattered me. My chest broke apart, the pieces scattering like ss, and the tears just came, hot and unstoppable. pressed my hand over my mouth as a broken, ugly sound escaped me.

    “Anna.” Sasha’s voice softened immediately. She grabbed my shoulders, her eyes wide as she saw me breaking down. “Stop looking, please. Stop looking at them.”

    But I couldn’t. My eyes blurred, my face wet, and still I stared, watching until my heart physically ached.

    “Anna, listen to me,” Sasha’s voice cracked as she pulled me closer, shaking me slightly. “He doesn’t deserve your tears! He doesn’t deserve the way you’re breaking right now. Forget him. Forget everything about him. Do you hear me?!”

    “I can’t…” I whispered brokenly, my lips trembling, the sobs tearing out of my throat no matter how hard I tried to hold them olliin. /li/ol

    “Yes, you can!” Sasha snapped, her hand squeezing mine tightly. If it’s the tattoo you’re worried about, we can fix it. It’s not even that big, Anna. A huge butterfly can cover it up, easily. You don’t have to live with that reminder forever. Don’t let that mark make you feel trapped. You’re not trapped. You’re free to walk away from him.‘

    Her voice cracked, her anger mixing with the desperation she felt for me. She hated seeing me like this. I could hear it, I could feel it. She wanted to shake me, to pull me back to reality. “Stop being rash because of love, Anna. Stop breaking yourself for someone who doesn’t even have the decency to exin himself to you. Please… just stop.”

    I pressed my face into my hands and sobbed, my body trembling as Sasha pulled me into her arms. My tears soaked her shoulder as I cried and cried, wishing I could erase it all, wishing I could go back to before any of this started.

    But I couldn’t. I was already too deep. And it hurt so damn much.