The hell

Ashley

“Don’t even think about selling your body,” he whispered. “You’re not sexually appealing. Otherwise, why would I leave you for someone else?”

For a second, I couldn’t move.

Not because I believed him.

At least, that was what I wanted to believe.

Then I shoved him away.

“Failed attempt at fucking with my mental health again,” I snapped. “I’m not falling for it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to do than stand here listening to the world’s most insecure man explain why he dumped me.”

I turned to leave, then stopped.

There was one thing I still needed to settle.

“Amy?”

She folded her arms. “What?”

“Do you still use the same account?”

Her eyebrows drew together. “How is that your business?”

“It’s not. I’m sending you the two thousand dollars you left with me.”

For once, she had nothing to say.

Good.

I walked away before either of them could come up with another brilliant contribution to the conversation.

A taxi pulled over almost immediately.

Normally, I would have taken the bus. I wasn’t wealthy enough to start spending money on taxis every day just because I felt like it.

But today?

Today, I was willing to pay for the privilege of not standing around waiting for public transport while my ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend took turns dissecting my life.

I climbed in and gave the driver the address.

The moment the door shut, my expression crumpled.

Oh.

So that was how we were doing this.

I pressed my lips together and looked out of the window, blinking rapidly. The streets blurred as the taxi pulled away, and I focused on the passing buildings because looking at anything else felt dangerous.

I hated that they’d managed to get under my skin.

I hated that Josh could still say something cruel and find the exact place to put the knife, even after I’d watched him kiss my best friend.

And I hated that a part of me still wanted to ask him why.

Why Amy? Why lie? Why make me feel like I had been the problem when he was the one who had betrayed me?

But the questions were pointless. He’d had plenty of opportunities to give me answers that made sense. Instead, he’d chosen to humiliate me.

I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand.

Josh wasn’t worth crying over.

I repeated it in my head, but my eyes kept filling.

Because the truth was, I really had loved that man.

I’d loved him enough to trust him with the parts of myself I didn’t show everybody. I’d imagined a future with him. I’d defended him when people questioned our relationship. I’d believed that whatever we had was real.

And now I had to figure out how to live without the person I’d once imagined spending my life with.

How wonderfully inconvenient.

I sniffed and dug through my bag for a tissue.

“Please don’t let me start crying in front of this driver,” I whispered to myself. “I’ve suffered enough embarrassment for one day.”

The driver glanced at me through the rear-view mirror.

I immediately looked away.

Fantastic. Now a stranger knew I was having a terrible day.

I took a few breaths, wiped my face, and pulled out my phone.

Amy’s account details were still saved.

I transferred the two thousand dollars.

For the description, I typed: Thanks for being a bitch!

Then I stared at it for a moment and smiled.

Petty?

Absolutely.

Satisfying?

Immensely.

At least one thing had gone according to plan today.

By the time the taxi pulled up in front of the mansion, I’d managed to get my face under control. I paid the driver, stepped out, and walked through the entrance with the exhausted determination of someone who had decided that if life insisted on humiliating her, she would at least do it somewhere with expensive furniture.

Dinner was brought to my room, and I ate enough to keep anyone from worrying about my appetite before changing into something comfortable.

I was asleep not long afterwards.

Honestly, I was beginning to enjoy this new habit of going to bed early. My body seemed to have decided that, since my life was falling apart, the least it could do was provide me with eight hours of unconsciousness.

Before sleeping, though, I made a video call to Jason.

His face appeared on my screen, and I immediately felt some of the tension leave my shoulders.

“Ashley!”

“Hey, baby brother.”

“You won’t believe how excited I am!” He grinned. “Six months! Can you imagine? In six months, I could finally have the transplant.”

I smiled. “I know.”

“I keep thinking about it. I mean, I’m nervous, obviously, but I’m excited too. Dr. Hart explained some of the things they’ll have to do before the procedure. It’s a lot, but if it means I can get better, I’ll do it.”

He paused, looking at me through the screen.

“And you’ll come and stay with me when I undergo the surgery, right?”

My smile softened.

“Of course. Where else would I be?”

“I miss you.”

The words caught me off guard, even though they shouldn’t have.

“I miss you too, Jay.”

“I miss annoying you in person. Video calls aren’t the same.”

“Oh, so you admit that annoying me is your favourite hobby?”

“Obviously. Who else would I annoy?”

I laughed.

For a few minutes, we talked about ordinary things. He told me about something funny that had happened at the hospital, complained about the food, and asked when I’d visit again. I promised I would as soon as I could arrange it.

When the call ended, I sat quietly with my phone in my hand.

Six months.

It was a long time to wait, but for the first time in days, the future didn’t feel entirely like a dark tunnel with no exit.

Jason had a chance.

That was enough for tonight.

I switched off the bedside lamp and settled beneath the covers, a small smile lingering on my face.

Maybe things would work out after all.

Maybe, despite everything, I would be okay.

I fell asleep holding on to that thought.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

I jolted awake.

Someone was pounding on my door.

I blinked into the darkness, my heart already racing.

Who the hell was that?

And why were they knocking like the mansion was on fire?

I checked my phone and saw it was 6am already, but what could be this urgent?