Chapter 5
‘This scumbag needs to be taught a lesson, Callie. Let me bite him!‘ Crystal said before I could say anything.
‘Stop it, Crystal, I can’t do that in public,‘
‘You‘ re being weak. You‘ re letting him walk away unscathed, after everything he’s done. We have the power, Callie, you just need to let me take control for a second-‘
‘No!‘ I mentally slammed the door on Crystal’s insistent pressure, my pulse quickening. I could feel Crystal pacing in the back of my mind, itching to lash out, but I couldn‘ t let her lose control.
‘You‘ re too soft,‘ Crystal muttered, retreating slightly but still simmering with disdain. ‘But you can’t keep suppressing me forever.”
I inhaled sharply, shaking off the wave of aggression Crystal left behind.
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“We broke up, Landon. You have no right to tell me what to do,” I spat.
Landon’s face twisted with rage, his fists clenching at his sides. I could see the storm brewing in his eyes, but for once, I didn’t feel intimidated. I had spent too many years bending to his will, trying to appease him, trying to hold on to something that wasn’t real anymore. Now, I was finally done.
“You don’t mean that,” he growled. “You‘ re just upset. This is about Daisy, isn’t it? You‘ re jealous, and I get it, but we can fix this, Callie. You‘ re overreacting.”
I met his gaze, my expression calm but firm. “I’m not jealous, Landon. This isn’t about Daisy or whatever you think is going on between the two of you. This is about me. I’m done with you. Done with all of this.”
His eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. He took a step forward, reaching for
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my arm, but I pulled away. “You don’t mean that,” he repeated, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “You‘ re angry, and I understand that. I’ll fix things. I’ll keep my distance from Daisy if that’s what you
vant. I never saw her as anything more than a sister, I swear. I was just helping her, Callie.”
I wanted to laugh at the desperation in his voice, but the sadness that followed was too heavy. He still didn’t get it. After everything, after all the betrayal and the pain, he still thought this was something that could be patched up with a few promises.
“It’s not about Daisy,” I said again, my voice steady. “It’s about us. Or what s left of us. You weren’t there when I needed you the most, Landon. I tried to hold on, to give you every chance to fix it, but you didn’t.”
He stared at me, his face pale. “Callie, please,” he whispered. “I‘ ll change.
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I’ll make it right.”
But I shook my head. “I don’t want you to change for me. I don‘ t want anything from you anymore. I’m done trying to be the woman you want me to be. I’m done. trying to make this work. I’m done with you.”
For a moment, I saw the realization sink in, saw the fear flash in his eyes as he finally understood that I wasn‘ t bluffing.
“You can’t just leave!” he shouted, his anger flaring up again. “We’ve been through too much, Callie. You can’t walk away like this. We’ll talk it out. We‘ 11 figure it out, okay? I’ll make things right, I promise.‘
I watched him, unmoved, as he ranted, desperately trying to cling to whatever control he thought he still had over me. But I was past the point of caring. I had spent too many nights crying over him and too many days feeling like I wasn’t enough. Now, I wanted to choose myself.
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“There’s nothing left to figure out,” I said quietly. “Let me go Landon.”
He looked at me as if I had just slapped him, his mouth opening and closing as if he couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. “No,” he muttered, shaking his head. “No, you don‘ t mean it. I know you still love me!”
“I mean every word I’ve said,” I replied. firmly.
