Page 138 of Mark

“I’m not hungry, Dad.”

“Son, this isn’t your fault.”

I step into the lift and turn to face him, holding my hand on the door to stop it from closing. “You always taught us to watch our backs. I stopped looking for a minute, and it’s cost me the very thing I have been searching for.”

“We can fix this,” he offers.

“Dad, I love you, but this isn’t your problem to fix. This is mine and mine alone.”

“You know where we are if you need us.”

I nod and let go of the lift, letting it close.

I will fix this between Freya and I. I won’t accept any other option because there is none.

She is mine.

And a Carter always gets what is theirs.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Freya

The entire world around me seems to be moving in slow motion as I drag my feet towards the car waiting to take Nanna and I to the airport.

For a split second this morning, there was a moment when everything was still blissfully perfect. A smile lifted the corner of my lips as I reached out to wake up Mark. Only, my hand didn’t touch his bicep. It was Nanna’s. Everything came flooding back, stealing my breath away. One lone tear trickled down my cheek, and before I knew it, I couldn’t hold them back. Nanna, waking up from the bed shaking with my silent sobs, pulled me into her arms and held me.

Mum and Dad tried to see me late last night but I locked myself in the bathroom, refusing to come out.

Every time Nanna tried to tell me what they had said, I stopped her, refusing to listen to how my parents are justifying Esther’s actions. They always do. I don’t want to listen to their lies. I’m struggling enough to believe Mark would do that to me. If I hadn’t seen what I saw, I wouldn’t believe it. That’s how much faith I had in him. I don’t want to confront him and be the girl who stupidly believes their partner’s lies. And I would believe them, and I would forgive him. That’s what hurts the most. I’ve never given anyone a second chance but I desperately want to give it to him. I miss him. I miss his teasing and him constantly needing to touch me. I miss having to fight for my food like a cat guards her treats. I miss how he can make me feel, and the adrenaline rush and need that ran through me when he got me to let down my guard.

I miss his smile and boisterous laugh.

I miss smoothing down the crease between his eyes when he would get frustrated with his family teasing him.

I miss him so much my heart aches.

Yet I can still see him knelt between her legs. It’s engraved into my mind. No matter how many times Nanna told me it wasn’t what I thought it was, I couldn’t stop picturing them together.

When Esther walked into our parents’ dining room, holding Danny’s hand, it took my mind a moment to register what I was seeing. Then the shock of what they had done, hit me. My sister is meant to be the one person who would never shit on me like that. But this feels a trillion times worse. I feel like I’ve been hit by a train and I’m paralysed, forced to feel every little bit of hurt she has caused.

Once upon a time, she was one of my favourite people. Now she’s no longer a person I recognise.

A warm hand reaches for mine, unlinking my fingers gripping the handle of my case. I shake my thoughts away, focusing on Nanna. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

She pats my arm, unable to hide her look of concern. “I’ve got you, darlin’.”

“Freya! Freya! Wait!” Esther yells.

My back stiffens as I slowly turn around to find her racing up from the port. My blood runs cold, and my hands begin to shake at the sight of her.

“We should go,” Nanna tells me.

Esther eyes the bag in Nanna’s hand. “Where are you two going?”

“Home,” Nanna answers, her tone cold.

Esther glances at me, and I tense at the pity staring back at me. “Is this about yesterday? It was a mistake. A big one. I thought Danny and I had broken up. I tried to say no to Mark, but he kept whispering words of comfort and one thing led to another. I regret it. I do. But he kept going on about how much he was attracted to me and I was in a bad place. I knew youtwo weren’t serious and I pushed him away before it went any further.”

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