A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

At that moment, Matilda saw a storm of emotions raging in Declan’s eyes, emotions she had never before witnessed on his usually stoic face. He was a man accustomed to indifference, rarely showing any sign of inner

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But now, it was as if she could see a tempest tearing through his soul, his composure crumbling away like a decaying cliff face in a relentless sea.

Gone… She… She’s really gone.

Declan staggered backward, his hand clutching at his shirt over his heart, as if trying desperately to anchor himself amid the pain.

His heart was in agony, a pain so sharp it felt as though it could wrench his bones from his body. Declan’s face, ashen, lifted to meet Matilda’s gaze. She smiled at him sarcastically, her eyes red with unshed tears, “She’s paid her debt to you, Declan. No one will ever trouble you again. You were right, she was nothing but a stray dog. Dead is dead, nothing to mourn.”

The very words he’d once used to scom Chloe were now the weapon Matilda wielded to cut him deep.

Declan didn’t remember how he left Matilda’s office. He felt like he was in a daze, trapped in a nightmare he couldn’t escape. He felt like he was suffocating. His mind was flooded with images of Chloe, always so eager to please, always by his side. She was like a roach that couldn’t be killed, fighting so hard to stay alive, to be the person he needed the most.

Declan couldn’t bear to imagine a life without her, not now.

Matilda watched Declan’s retreating figure, pulling back her tears, when she turned to see Orson holding a cup of coffee. “You know Declan?”

His voice was flat, almost indifferent.

Subconsciously, Matilda wanted to deny any closeness, “Not really, he’s a friend of a friend.”

Orson looked at her for a long moment before responding with a noncommittal, “Oh.”

Sometimes Matilda couldn’t figure out what was going on in Orson’s head, but then, designers were known to be free spirits, and she didn’t care to pry.

After work, Matilda headed home, planning to take Logan out for a bite, only to find out he’d already eaten.

“How did you eat already?” she asked, surprised.

Logan, fiddling with his gaming device, said, “Uncle Adrian took me out!”

The name made Matilda frown. “Don’t hang out with him anymore.”

Logan looked up, his eyes crinkling with a smile, “Mommy, do you not like him?”

“No, I don’t,” Matilda admitted without hesitation, “He’s just like Yvan, and we need to keep our distance.”

Logan pondered for a moment, “But he’s nice to me.”

“Nice because he wants something,” she cautioned.

Matilda squatted down to meet Logan’s gaze, “Remember, never trust someone just because they offer you a little sweetness. We need to protect ourselves. I don’t want you to suffer like I did.”

Her words may have been harsh for a child, but Logan took them to heart. “Okay, if you don’t like him, I won’t hang out with Uncle Adrian anymore.”

Satisfied, Matilda nodded. “Good, tomorrow I’ll take you out to eat.”

But what was Adrian up to? Taking her child out without her knowing–it was unsettling. If Logan didn’t come home one day, she’d be frantic!

After some thought, Matilda decided they couldn’t stay in that house any longer. It was time to find a new place or a roommate for added security. Between Yvan’s unexpected visits and Adrian’s unsettling attentions, she was at her wit’s end.

She posted an ad on a roommate–finding app, looking for someone clean and tolerant of children. The rent was reasonable; she just wanted an extra layer of safety.

The very next day, someone texted her in response to the ad, suggesting they meet to sign a lease agreement and move in.