Chapter 82 Standing On Her Own

• Rachel POV
• The soft thud of the front door closing echoed through the house like a final note in a somber melody, sealing the departure of Nick and Scarlett. I stood rooted in the living room, my eyes fixed on the door, as if staring long enough might bring them back. The faint scent of Scarlett’s lavender perfume lingered in the air, a ghostly reminder of her embrace, and the memory of Nick’s strong arms around me pulsed in my chest. A deep, aching longing surged within me, a childlike urge to run after them, to climb into their car and return to the safety of their home, where I could be their little girl again, shielded from the chaos of my unraveling world. But I wasn’t a child anymore. I was a woman now, grown and burdened with choices that demanded I stand on my own, no matter how much it hurt.
• The threat of tears stung my eyes, hot and insistent, but I swallowed hard, forcing them back before they could spill. My throat tightened, a lump forming as I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, grounding me in the moment. I lifted my chin, drawing a shaky breath, and turned away from the door, my resolve hardening like steel forged in fire.