Chapter 3

The morning sunlight spilled through the thin curtains of my bedroom, casting long streaks of golden light across the walls. I had been awake for hours, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything in my head. Today was the day I had died. Or, at least, the day I should have died. The thought sent a shiver down my spine, but it also fueled the fire burning inside me. This time, I wouldn’t let fate run its course. This time, I was in control.

I swung my legs out of bed and stood, the cold floor grounding me. The faint sounds of the city waking up drifted through the windows, cars humming on the streets below, birds chirping somewhere in the distance. It felt ordinary, unremarkable, but I knew better. Today wasn’t just any day. Today was the day I would take control of my life.

Moving with purpose, I pulled an old suitcase out from the back of my closet and threw it open on the bed. I didn’t have much time to waste. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to leave, to put as much distance as I could between myself and the people who had betrayed me. My heart clenched as I thought of Lili, of Jarem, of the lies they had so carefully constructed around me. But I shook the thoughts away. This wasn’t the time to dwell on the past. I had to focus on the future. My future.

Piece by piece, I packed my belongings into the suitcase. Clothes, shoes, my favorite books, a framed photo of my family. Each item I added felt like a step toward freedom, a step toward reclaiming my life. The room began to look emptier, the walls bare and hollow, but it didn’t bother me. I was leaving this place behind, and with it, the version of myself who had been too blind, too trusting, too weak.

When the suitcase was full, I zipped it shut and heaved it off the bed. It was heavy, but the weight felt strangely comforting, like a tangible reminder of the decision I had made. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, dragging the suitcase behind me.

The morning air was crisp and cool as I stepped outside, the sun bright but not yet harsh. My car was parked at the curb, a little dusty but reliable. I popped the trunk and began loading my things inside, my movements quick and deliberate. I didn’t want to give myself time to second-guess. I didn’t want to give him time to find me.

But, of course, fate had other plans.

“Anastasia!”

The voice made me freeze, my hands gripping the edges of the suitcase as I hoisted it into the trunk. I turned slowly, my stomach twisting into knots, to see Jarem striding toward me. His face was a storm of anger, his brows furrowed, his jaw clenched. He looked disheveled, like he hadn’t slept at all, and for a brief, fleeting moment, I wondered if he had been thinking about me. But the thought evaporated as quickly as it came. Whatever guilt he might have felt, it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

“What the hell is this?” he demanded, his voice loud and sharp as it echoed down the quiet street. “What are you doing?”

I straightened, meeting his gaze with as much calm as I could muster. “I’m leaving.”

“Leaving?” He laughed bitterly, like the word itself was a joke. “What does that even mean, Tasia? You’re just going to pack up your stuff and run away? Is this about last night? Is this about the damn phone call?”

“It’s not about the phone call, Jarem,” I said evenly, though my voice carried an edge. “It’s about everything. It’s about us.”

“Us?” He stepped closer, his movements jerky, his hands gesturing wildly. “What about us, huh? You’ve been acting crazy, Tasia. You storm off, you hang up on me, and now you’re leaving? You don’t even have the decency to tell me what’s going on?”

I crossed my arms over my chest, planting my feet firmly on the ground. “What’s going on,” I said, my voice steady, “is that I’m done. I’m done with this relationship. I’m done with you.”

His face fell for a moment, the anger giving way to shock. But it didn’t last long. The fury returned, sharper and more volatile than before. “You’re kidding me,” he said, his voice dripping with disbelief. “You’re breaking up with me? Just like that?”

“Yes,” I said simply, the word carrying more weight than I expected. It felt like a release, like a chain snapping free.

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

“You’re unbelievable, Tasia. You’re always so dramatic, always turning everything into a big deal. What the hell happened to you?”

“What happened to me?” I repeated, my voice rising. I took a step forward, my chest heaving with the effort of keeping my emotions in check. “You happened to me, Jarem. You and your lies, your manipulation, your complete lack of respect for me. That’s what happened.”

He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand to stop him. “No,” I said firmly. “You don’t get to talk your way out of this. Not this time. I’ve spent too long letting you control the narrative, letting you make me feel like I’m the problem. But I’m not the problem, Jarem. You are.”

His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “You’re being ridiculous,” he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. “You’re going to regret this, Tasia. You’re throwing away everything we’ve built together.”

“Built?” I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “We didn’t build anything, Jarem. You built walls, and I let myself get trapped inside them. But not anymore.”

His eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought he might lash out, might say something cruel enough to cut me down. But instead, he just stood there, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, his face contorted with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

I turned back to the car, slamming the trunk shut with more force than necessary. The sound echoed down the street, final and unyielding. I could feel his eyes on me, burning with frustration, but I refused to look at him again. I refused to give him the satisfaction.

“Tasia,” he said, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “Don’t do this. We can work this out. We always do.”

I paused, my hand on the car door. For a moment, I felt the weight of his words, the temptation to believe him, to fall back into the familiar patterns that had defined our relationship. But then I remembered Lili’s laugh, his whispered reassurances to her, the way they had shattered my trust. And just like that, the temptation was gone.

“No, Jarem,” I said, my voice steady and unyielding. “We’re done.”

Without waiting for a response, I opened the car door and slid into the driver’s seat. My hands shook as I gripped the steering wheel, but I forced myself to take a deep breath, to steady myself. I turned the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life, and pulled away from the curb.

In the rearview mirror, I saw him standing there, his figure growing smaller and smaller as I drove away. A part of me felt a pang of sadness, a flicker of regret for what could have been. But it was drowned out by something stronger—freedom. For the first time in a long time, I felt free.

As the city blurred past me, I made a silent vow to myself. This was just the beginning. I wasn’t running away. I was starting over.