4. THE TRAIL LEFT BEHIND

The incessant ringing of the phone finally pulled me out of the darkness. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the ceiling of the bedroom that no longer felt like mine. My head throbbed painfully, as if someone was pounding a hammer inside it, and every breath felt like a knife stabbing my lungs.

I was still lying on the cold floor. The room was dead silent. Gavin was already gone.

He left just like that, leaving me lying unconscious on the floor without the slightest hint of concern or remorse. As if I were nothing more than a piece of trash not worth paying attention to. The tears that had dried up earlier now flowed freely once more, but this time they were no longer tears of sorrow—they were tears of profound disappointment.

How could someone who once loved me so deeply turn out to be this cruel? How could five years of togetherness be erased just like that, as if nothing had ever happened between us?

The phone on the bedside table was still ringing nonstop. With the last of my strength, I crawled to my feet, my body weak and unsteady. I picked up the receiver with hands that were still trembling.

"Hello..." My voice came out hoarse, barely audible.

"Aria? Oh my goodness, Aria! Where have you been? Why haven't you answered my calls since yesterday?!" My mother's voice came through the line, filled with worry. "Are you okay, sweetie? You sound strange."

The moment I heard my mother's voice, whatever little strength I had left crumbled completely. I broke down in tears, unable to hold back my sobs any longer.

"Mom..." I called out, my voice breaking. "I... I can't take it anymore, Mom..."

"What happened? What did Gavin do to you? Tell me, sweetie!"

"I want to come home, Mom. I want to go back to our house. I don't want to stay here anymore."

Not long after, I heard the sound of a car stopping in front of the house. My parents had come rushing over. When they opened the door and saw the state I was in—my pale face, my swollen eyes, and my disheveled clothes—my mother immediately ran over and wrapped me in a tight embrace. I sobbed against her chest, letting out all the pain I had endured for days.

"It's okay, sweetie. It's okay. I'm here. Dad is here. We're going home, alright?" my mother said softly, stroking my back.

My father remained silent, but I could see the anger burning in his eyes. He looked around this house—the home he had once believed was the place where his daughter lived happily, but which had now turned out to be nothing more than a den of lies and betrayal.

Without wasting any time, I began packing my things. I didn't want to bring much with me. I only took my clothes, a few important documents, and a small amount of savings I had managed to set aside over the years. I refused to take a single item that Gavin had given me—everything now felt tainted, like painful reminders of a past I wanted to leave behind.

As I was putting clothes into my suitcase, my eyes fell on a small box tucked away in the corner of the wardrobe. It contained love letters Gavin had written to me in the early days of our marriage, photographs from when we were still dating, and dried flowers from the first bouquet he had ever given me.

For a moment, I was tempted to burn it all, to destroy every trace that I had ever loved that man. But then I changed my mind. I wouldn't throw it away. I would keep it tucked away in the deepest, most hidden place where I would never have to look at it again. Not because I still loved him, but because it was part of my journey. Part of who I once was—someone who had believed in love, someone who had sacrificed everything for another person, and someone who now had to rise up again.

I closed the suitcase with a loud thud, as if shutting the door on this chapter of my life that had come to an end.

Once everything was packed, I walked toward the front door. I paused for a moment, taking one last look at this room. These walls had once witnessed our laughter, our dreams, and our promises—all of which had now been shattered into a thousand pieces. This place had once been my paradise, but it had since turned into a hell I was desperate to leave behind forever.

"Let's go, Aria," my father said gently, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, then stepped out of the house, closing the door behind me. I didn't look back. I knew that if I did, I might hesitate. But I would not hesitate any longer. I had suffered enough. I would not let that man and that woman destroy my life any further.

We arrived at my parents' house on the outskirts of the city. It wasn't as big as the home I had left behind, but here I felt a warmth I hadn't felt in many years. Here, I felt safe. Here, I felt loved genuinely.

The first few days after moving in were difficult. I still woke up in the middle of the night haunted by nightmares, seeing the faces of Gavin and Selina laughing at me. I still found myself replaying their hurtful words in my mind—words that had pierced my heart like daggers. But slowly, I began to realize something: this pain would never go away if I simply stood by and let it consume me.

I was still young. I still had a life to live. I would not let two heartless people become the reason I stopped trying to move forward.

With a newfound sense of purpose, I began planning my next steps. Even during the years I had spent as a homemaker, I had never forgotten my skills in graphic design—the career I had pursued before getting married. I had simply buried that part of myself because I had chosen to devote my life to Gavin and our marriage. Now, it was time to bring that part of me back to life.

I opened my laptop, which had been left untouched for a long time. I went through my old files, looking at the work I had created in the past. It was all still there—my creativity, my talent, and the passion I had once possessed. I began practicing again, taking online courses to update my knowledge, and started looking for freelance work.

It was difficult at first. I felt rusty, and so much had changed in the design industry during my time away. But I refused to give up. I worked hard, practicing every single day, and slowly my confidence began to grow once more. I started taking on small projects from friends, and later from people I didn't even know. Every time I finished a job and received praise from my clients, I felt proud of myself. I realized that I still had value, that I could still be useful, and that I could still chase the dreams I had once held dear.

One day, as I was sitting on the porch working on a design project, my phone rang. An unknown number was displayed on the screen. I hesitated for a moment, but eventually answered the call.

"Hello, good afternoon. Is this Aria?" a woman's voice came through the line.

"Yes, this is she. How may I help you?"

"I heard that you are a very talented graphic designer. I own a printing and publishing company, and I'm interested in collaborating with you. Would you be willing to come to our office so we can discuss this further?"

My heart skipped a beat. This was a huge opportunity for me. A chance to prove that I could stand on my own two feet, without anyone's help—especially without Gavin's.

"Of course," I replied, my voice steady and filled with a newfound confidence.

A few days later, I went to the company's office. I wore neat clothes, my hair was styled neatly, and my face glowed with renewed spirit. As I walked into the meeting room, I felt proud of myself. I was no longer the weak woman who could only cry and wait for her husband's attention. I was an independent woman, fighting for my own life and my own future.

The meeting went smoothly. The company owner was very impressed with my portfolio and decided to hire me on a permanent basis. I was offered a salary that was more than I had ever imagined possible. As I signed the employment contract, tears of happiness streamed down my face. Finally, I had found a way out of the darkness that had consumed my life for so long.

The days that followed felt brighter. I was busy with work, which left me with no time to dwell on the painful past. I made new friends, worked with kind colleagues, and slowly began to enjoy life again. I realized that happiness would never come from other people. Happiness was something I had to build myself, through my own efforts and my own strength.

However, even though I tried to forget, news about Gavin and Selina still managed to reach my ears from time to time. I heard that they had finally gotten married officially, and that they were living happily with the baby boy Selina was carrying. People in our old neighborhood talked about them, saying how they looked like the perfect couple.

I no longer felt anger or sadness when I heard these things. I only felt sorry for them. I felt sorry for Gavin, who would never know what it truly means to be loved sincerely—for he would never be able to tell the difference between genuine love and someone who was just using him. I felt sorry for Selina, who had built her happiness on the suffering of others, and who would never know true peace because she would always live in fear that one day, someone would do the same thing to her.

I knew that the laws of life never failed. What goes around, comes around.

One day, as I was walking home from the office, I saw a luxury car pull over to the side of the road. A man and a woman stepped out of the car. It was Gavin and Selina.

Gavin looked tired, his eyes no longer shining the way they used to. Selina stood beside him, holding his arm, but her gaze was no longer filled with love—she looked wary, as if she was constantly watching Gavin's every move.

They walked right past me.

The moment Gavin's eyes met mine, he froze for a second. His eyes widened, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. There I stood, dressed in neat work clothes, my hair falling softly around my shoulders, and my face glowing with a genuine smile. I looked beautiful—more beautiful than I had ever looked before. Not because of the clothes I wore or any jewelry I had on, but because I carried a sense of peace within my heart, a happiness that came from deep within my own soul.

Selina saw me too. Her face turned pale, and her grip on Gavin's arm tightened. She looked at me with an expression of disbelief and a hint of jealousy.

Gavin opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something. But I simply gave a faint smile, nodded politely, and walked right past them. I didn't stop. I didn't look back at them again. I no longer cared what they thought or felt. I had my own life now—a life that was far better than anything I had ever shared with him.