All Chapters of YOU WRECKED ME : Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

VERA'S POV The car ride back to Havens was torture. I sat at the end of the car, as far from Hunter as the space would allow. I stared out through the tinted window while Attorney Dickson spoke lowly on the phone in the front passenger seat. The city blurred past me. My head ached and my eyes burned behind the layers of concealer I'd slathered on this morning. I had cried all morning. After slipping out of Hunter's bed while he watched, I made it outside before the first sob tore out of me. I sat on the steps for nearly twenty minutes, hugging my knees burying my forehead against them, crying so hard my ribs ached. Leaving Hunter had been the hardest thing I'd ever done; it was harder than watching him spiral, it was harder than the two times he'd almost gotten me killed. Because no matter how toxic it became, some part of me still loved him. I still loved the man he could be when his demons weren't swallowing him whole. But I couldn't stay, not anymore. I'd used every

ONE MONTH AFTER BREAK UP VERA’S P.O.V At three in the morning, I woke up just like I had for weeks. The landline outside my room rang over and over, relentlessly, forcing me to drag myself out of bed. The floor was cold against my bare feet. When I reached the phone, I stood in front of it, watching it pulse with each ring. I stayed watching it with heavy eyes and a mild headache. It was going to keep ringing until I answered or the machine finally gave out. I reached for the handset, lifting it once then quickly placing it back into the cradle to end the call. I turned, longing for my bed again, but the landline rang again, that awful ringing that always woke me up at this hour of the night. I could run mad from it. I snatched the receiver once more, ready to slam it down when his voice came through. I hadn’t heard it in weeks. “Vera...Vera?” He rasped, then groaned. “You answered.” He let out a humourless laugh to himself in disbelief. I sat on the floor, back against th

VERA’S P.O.VThe little ginger kitten stayed curled on my lap while I watched it keenly.It didn’t like me touching it, and it didn’t like sudden movement, so I sat perfectly still while it slept.I had adopted him that morning after a few lonely weeks in my new place. I needed company, and this kitten was supposed to give it to me. Cats weren’t the playful sort—he would most likely spend the rest of his days keeping to himself, only coming to me when he got hungry. But at least he was something to look at.“What should I call you?” I whispered, causing the ginger kitten’s eyes to flare open in rage.He turned his head to me, swishing it's tail a little in my face, and hissed before leaping out of my lap.*Aren’t you a feisty little thing.*Good God, what have I gotten myself into?“Well, if you’re in the mood for it, you can come over and see all the stuff I got you.”To my surprise, ginger kitten paused, sitting at a reasonable distance while I took out a bunch of plastic bags from

HUNTER'S P.O.VNothing sets the tone for a new semester quite like walking into a massive room late—only to realise it’s not a normal class, but a mandatory year-level orientation.That was even worse.The Dean of the Faculty, course advisor and several senior lecturers and professors were seated when I looked through the door. I waited a while, hoping other latecomers like myself would show up, but after five minutes, no one else came to join me.“Fuck it, I'm going in,” I told myself.I braced myself. What's the worst that could happen? Getting yelled at in front of every course mate in my year. I hoped not, that would be embarrassing.I opened the door, briefly acknowledging whoever was at the podium. The heads of the senior faculty swung in my direction. Moving like wind, I slipped past the smug grins of my peers and dove into the first empty seat I could find.This was embarrassing.The orientation continued without an outburst or scolding from anyone. I was extremely lucky, or

HUNTER’S P.O.V“Go ahead, Vera... scream."The words had barely left my mouth before I regretted them. That is exactly what she did.A piercing, bone-chilling shriek ripped through her, making every head turn in our direction.Vera snatched her hand away, then sped in the opposite direction, leaving me dumb- founded.“What the fuck was that?” A passer-by asked, which I ignored.I reached into my pocket for my phone. It buzzed several times while I was following Vera.Two unread messages flickered on the screen. The first was from Ramsay, containing recent updates about my mother's case. The second was from McLaren.McLaren: Urgent message from Mr Haven. He expects Vera to resume work with you at Havens tomorrow. Don’t disappoint.My heart skipped a beat as the weight of the text settled in. It was probably not his intention to put me under pressure, but that's what his message had done to me.I stared ahead in the direction Vera had just left. If Mr Haven couldn't get his own daughter