Chapter 84

• HAYLEY'S POV
• The drone of the refrigerator was all around, and I stood in it, chopping vegetables with mechanical efficiency. It was a storm of thoughts and feelings happening in my head, all the while competing for attention. Rachel's voice rang in my ears—an ever-present indication of the growing divide that separated us. Fleeing back into the shadows of her house, but not before dropping a bombshell on me: she was truly my mother. She was always there for me; she let my troubles go easy on me, and now all of a sudden she wanted to keep Aiden away from me.
• Oh, Hayley, honey, please eat something." Rachel had whispered so quietly, pleading with those big eyes to block out her desperation, I groaned a little and walked towards the kitchen.'