The words sear into my mind, and the weight of everything presses down, feels like too much, making it hard to breathe. The job. Eliza. Alex. This mess that my life has become.
I stand there, Alex’s words lingering in the air like a storm that refuses to pass. His expression is open, vulnerable — a rare moment of honesty from a man I thought I’d lost to ambition and arrogance.
For a split second, I feel the pull of nostalgia, memories of who we once were flashing before me, raw and bittersweet.
But I also remember the betrayal, the humiliating nights when I was just his accessory, someone to be shown off or discarded as he pleased. The pain he caused me outweighs the fleeting comfort of familiar love. I can’t go back. Not when I’ve come this far.
But before I can say or do anything, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Benedict’s name flashes on the screen.
I hesitate, thinking about ignoring it, but a part of me needs to hear his voice.
“Alex,” I start, my voice soft but firm, “you need to leave. Now.”
He blinks, the desperation in his eyes dimming as he absorbs my words. “Kylie, please, just — ”