Chapter 7
When Stella got home to an empty house, she decided to start packing.
She hadn’t been living with the Reeds that long, and honestly didn’t own much anyway. Her stuff barely
illed half a suitcase.
t was kind of depressing. Since college, she’d been moving constantly, never really settling anywhere.
That’s why she traveled light – always kept her suitcase neat and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
The Reed house wasn’t really her home anyway. Her real home was whatever fit in that suitcase.
Same as when she’d arrived. Same as when she was leaving.
Nowhere ever felt permanent.
he had way more stuff from her relationship with Ryan than actual belongings.
Love letters from when they were crazy about each other. Photos of them together. All the little gifts he used o give her.
very single thing held a memory.
hree whole years crammed into one box.
No matter how many times she’d moved, she never left these behind.
ut none of it mattered anymore. Ryan would just think she’d faked it all to mess with his head.
ooking through all those memories felt like staring into someone else’s life.
tella slowly started ripping up the letters and photos, tearing apart things she used to baby like they were nade of gold.
Watching herself destroy everything she’d treasured was like ripping her own heart out piece by piece.
After what felt like forever, she packed everything into a box and headed downstairs to throw it away.
Walking outside, she ran straight into Ryan and Ivy coming home.
vy was glued to her phone, but Ryan’s eyes locked with Stella’s for a second.
Stella’s grip tightened on the box and she tried to get out of their way.
12:00
The Lael Tove
Chapter 7
But she didn’t need to worry Ryan looked away almost immediately.
They walked right past her like she was invisible. He didn’t even glance at what she was carrying.
Stella laughed bitterly.
Maybe that weird look from before had messed with her head, making her think Ryan might actually care.
But nope. Current Ryan couldn’t give less of a shit what she did.
Which was probably for the best. If he had asked about the box, she wouldn’t have known what to say.
At the dumpster, Stella didn’t hesitate. She tossed the whole thing in.
Three years of memories, gone.
Maybe fate was finally throwing her a bone, because that night when she got up for water, she heard a
familiar voice.
She turned and saw Ryan on the balcony.
He was smoking, the haze making it hard to read his expression.
He was on the phone with someone.
Stella? She loves me too much to actually leave. When she finds out the truth, she’ll forgive me.”
juddenly everything clicked into place.
Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might explode.
kyan’s voice was cold as always.
Get my memory back? I never lost it in the first place. Just a damn good actor, I guess,”
He actually chuckled: “And Stella totally bought it. I even saw her crying that day.”
Any last shared of hope died right there.
Tears started streaming down Stella’s face instantly, blurring everything.
Her whole body started shaking like a leaf in a storm
“Stella won’t mind, right? I mean, it’s not like I was that bad to her…”
Ryan’s voice faded as the truth crashed over her like a tidal wave.
12.01
The Last Text bent My Ex Rot in that Wheelchair, I’m off to Marry a Better Man”.
26.4
Chapter 7
So Ryan really could treat her like garbage and sleep just fine at night.
These past few months had been one big lie.
The truth? What truth?
That he’d fallen for someone else?
Why did Ryan think she’d just forgive him after putting her through hell?
She covered her mouth, biting her lip to keep from sobbing out loud.
The shock was crushing her chest, making it impossible to breathe.
Stella started questioning everything – every sweet moment, every “I love you” from the past three years.
What she thought was the real deal now looked fake as hell.
Had Ryan ever actually loved her? Or was it all just some sick game?
Three years of her life felt like the world’s cruelest joke.
All the nights she’d cried over him, all the mental gymnastics trying to understand his “condition” – it was all
Jullshit.
he heard Ryan end his call, and she bolted back inside like a total mess.
After months of this torture, she had zero fight left in her.
She couldn’t handle any more betrayal.
hella collapsed against the wall, gasping for air, shaking uncontrollably.
Her lip was bleeding from biting it, but she couldn’t even care. She just wiped it with her shaking hand.
For the longest time, she just sat there on the floor, completely drained.
Only one thought was looping in her head: she had to get out.
She had to leave. Now.
