Her New Life, His Eternal Pain Chapter 07

Her New Life, His Eternal Pain Chapter 07Atonement

Liam made it to his front door before his mother stopped him.

“Liam. You’ve been with Serena long enough. It’s time.”

Evelyn’s tone left no room for argument.

“That’s right, Liam.” Serena linked her arm through Evelyn’s, looking at him with desperate/hope. “I’ve been waiting for our wedding day for so long.”

Liam’s foot paused on the stairs. A long silence. Then, “Mom, I just took over the company. I want to focus on work.”

“Liam! Don’t you dare tell me you’re still hung up on that woman!”

Evelyn remembered what she’d seen earlier. She was shaking with rage.

“Mom, I told you. I’m focusing on the business.”

He didn’t turn around. Kept walking upstairs.

But a mother knows her son. She saw the evasion. And she knew she’d hit a nerve.

Fury boiled over. She grabbed a cushion off the couch and hurled it at his head.

“Have you lost your mind?! Fiona killed your sister! And you-you-”

Her breath caught. Her eyes rolled back. She started to fall.

“Auntie! Auntie! Liam, she’s fainting!” Serena cried out, catching her.

“Mom!” Liam flew down the stairs and grabbed her.

Evelyn slowly came to. She stared at him, spitting mad. Gasping for air.

“You’re trying to… to kill me. How can you still want a woman like Fiona?”

“That day-even Fiona, who had combat training, ran away. But Serena-a sweet, fragile girl-she was brave enough to chase those monsters off!”

“She loves you. And you’re still pining for that curse?!”

She raised her hand and slapped Liam hard across the face.

Serena’s eyes flickered. Guilty.

That day, she’d just been passing by. Saw Selene’s body. Nearly wet herself. Was about to run when Liam and his family showed up.

So she’d played along. Said she was the one who scared the attackers away. Ever since, the Lane family treated her like Selene’s savior.

Liam’s face stung. He stood there quiet for a long time. The light in his eyes went dark.

Finally: “Okay, Mom. I’ll marry Serena.”

In his room, Liam sat at his desk, staring at a diamond ring.

The day he proposed, he’d put it on Fiona’s finger himself.

But the night before the wedding, he’d torn it off. So hard her hand bled.

If not for that night, Fiona would be his wife right now.

Maybe they’d have a kid. A good life.

But there was no ‘if.’

He rubbed his tired eyes. Leaned back.

Then he snapped. Grabbed the ring. Hurled it out the window.

Two days later, Liam drove to Fiona’s apartment. Leaned against his car, staring at the rusted old gate.

Fiona saw him. She frantically shoved her hospital meds into her bag.

He heard the noise. Turned to look at her.

He hadn’t really looked at her in a long time.

Makeup couldn’t hide how pale she was. Her clothes hung loose on her thin frame.

He opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

Finally, he handed her a wedding invitation.

Fiona took it. Saw “Serena Shaw” and “Liam Lane” side by side. Froze.

His voice was rough. “I’m marrying Serena.”

“Don’t come. Nobody wants to see you there.” (1)

Her hands shook. Eyes filled with tears.

Nobody wants to see me there.

She didn’t look up. Just nodded. Forced out one word. “Okay.”

་་་

A month until the wedding.

He’d have a happy life. She should get out of his way for good.

The drug was taking too long to kill her.

She couldn’t wait anymore.

She started getting her affairs in order.

The cemetery where Selene was buried was too expensive. So she bribed the staff instead.

She wanted to plant a cherry blossom tree next to Selene’s grave-Selene’s favorite.

Then have them scatter her ashes under it.

After that, she donated every cent she had left to the orphanage where she grew up.

She went home. Planned to clean the place. But there was nothing to clean.

It looked like it did a year ago, when she first moved in.

Except for a locked cabinet by the couch.

Inside: photos of her and Liam. The edges yellowed and curled from how often she’d touched them.

She got scissors. Started cutting them into pieces.

Ferris wheel. Kissing at the top. Him teaching her to surf. The birthday cake he baked for her.

Piece by piece. Memories into shreds.

She sobbed the whole time.

Sun rose. Light filled the room.

Today was Liam and Serena’s wedding.

The floor was covered in scraps of paper.

Fiona felt something rise in her throat.

Hurk-

A huge pool of blood. Vomited right onto the shredded photos.

She held onto the couch. Forced herself up.

Cleaned up the mess. Then saw blood coming from her nose. Her eyes. Even her ears.

She wiped it off. Stumbled out the door.

The sky had been clear for days. But today? Torrential rain.

Blood kept pouring out of her. Staining the rainwater red.

People rushed by, heads down, too busy to notice.

Fiona climbed to the top of a tall building. Closed her eyes. Opened her arms.

And let herself fall.

Liam. You’ll never see me again.