Page 3 of Against All Odds

I gave him everything. I left my job. My life. My family. All to come here for him.

Everything was about him, and thenthis is what I get?

My phone rings again, and I glance down. The photo of us just three days ago pops up. Dylan is calling.

How nice of him? Dickhead.

I throw the phone as hard as I can, watching as it shatters, pieces of glass sliding against the hard floor. The shards mimicking my heart.

Broken.

There’s nothing that man can say that I want to hear. Nothing that could make any of this okay.

He used me. We had sex just a few days ago, and he was sleeping with another woman.

The sick feeling in my stomach gets heavier, and I rush to the bathroom, where I empty my stomach.

I hate him.

I hate that I ever loved him and trusted him.

I don’t know how long I sit on the floor in the bathroom. The tears keep falling as my entire life slips away in front of me.

“Violet!” I hear Analeigh calling. “Violet? Where are you?”

I stand, forcing myself out of the bathroom and moving toward my best friend, who’s standing in my entryway. When we see each other, we stop.

Tears are filling my vision, making it hard to see, but it doesn’t matter, because she rushes toward me a moment later. Analeigh’s arms are around me, holding me as I sob. “How could he do this?” I ask.

“I don’t know.”

“I’m stupid. I’m so stupid.”

She pulls back. “Listen to me right now. You arenotstupid. You didnothingwrong. Nothing! This is all his fault, and I swear to God, you say the word and we’ll find a spot in the desert to let his body be eaten by the vultures. Remember, that country girl band left us instructions in that song about Earl or whatever.”

Ana manages to pull a smile from me, which I didn’t think was possible. “What do I do now?”

She brushes my tears away and takes my hands. “Do you want to stay here tonight or somewhere else?”

“I don’t want to be here. I can’t see him.”

“Okay, then let’s go pack a bag, and you’ll come stay with me and Nick. He’s in surgery tomorrow, so we will have the house to ourselves and we can figure out a plan.”

With blurry vision, I nod and turn to head back to the bedroom. With each step I take up the stairs, I feel the sadness leaving me and being replaced with anger. After everything I did for him, after staying with him even when I wanted to leave.

For putting up with his neglect, his selfish habits, and the way he let me wither into the background for his gain.

I stand in the bedroom, feeling so many emotions and at a loss for what to do now. What do I take? Everything here feels—tainted.

“Vi?”

I inhale a shaky breath. “I don’t need anything. Please, just get me out of here.”

Analeigh pulls me to her side and walks me back down the stairs. “Where is your phone?” she asks.

“In pieces, just like my life.”

“Okay, then. I’ll text Eleanor so she knows you’re okay. I’m sure she’s tried to call.”

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