Fifteen Years Wasted, Now I’m Done Chapter 02

Fifteen Years Wasted, Now I’m Done Chapter 02

Home. I locked myself in the bathroom and cried.

Washed my face. Packed away the emotions. Started handling the disaster.

My agent Tommy tore into me over the phone. “Turned into a clown at your own wedding!”

“Humiliating photos everywhere! Trending for three straight hours! Brands called me nonstop! Cancellations. Lawsuits. One faster than the next!”

“Do you know how much you’re going to owe?!”

That meeting dragged until 4 a.m.

Living room dark. Only the burning ember between my fingers glowed.

Nicotine numbed my nerves.

That was the only way I could rewatch the wedding video. Over and over. Craft a statement. Figure out how to explain this to the public.

How to twist my pain into a joke.

Turn tears into nothing.

“Ha…”

A bitter laugh escaped. I collapsed onto the couch.

Remembered the last time I was this exhausted. Back when I was paying off Ryan’s debts.

Livestreaming nonstop. Day and night. Testing products until my skin broke down. Eating until I gave myself a stomach ulcer.

Chasing that daily payout. Just to ease his burden.

Later, my account blew up.

Ryan rebuilt his fortune too.

But the first thing he did was bring Hadley back to his side. Let her live the good life.

While I stayed trapped under a predatory contract at the agency.

Fed empty promises by both the company and Ryan.

I was so pathetically stupid.

Fifteen years.

Gone. Just like that.

At thirty, Ryan had swallowed half my life. Most of my youthful fire. All of my best years.

I picked up my phone.

Opened Hadley’s social media.

Saw a recent post celebrating a 2000-day Snapstreak with Ryan.

They’d had a seven-layer cake. Fireworks across the city. A midnight fairy-tale theater show.

Ryan only showed his playful side with her.

With me, he always said that stuff was too childish.

[Can’t sleep. Ryan took me out to pick stars.]

Hadley’s story updated.

Photo: a mountaintop. Dazzling sky.

He had her lifted onto his shoulders.

I blinked. Didn’t know when tears started sliding past my temples.

The updates kept coming.

[Hot spring time.]

Private bath. Heads pressed together.

[A cute surprise breakfast from Ryan.]

Kitten-shaped pancakes.

Dawn crept in.

My mom’s call flashed on the screen.

“Hailey, did you sleep okay?”

“Mom, I’m fine.”

She hesitated.

“Hailey, your wedding yesterday…”

“Mom, it was all scripted!” I laughed. But the damn tears wouldn’t stop.

“The agency set it up. I was just performing. I’m fine.”

She finally exhaled in relief.

“I knew it. Ryan would never do that to you.”

I swallowed a sob.

“Yeah.”

“Ryan loves you the most. You need to cherish that.”

“Yeah.”

My throat felt sealed shut.

The screen dimmed. Reflected my face. Soaked in tears.

Mom, the Ryan who loved me most is gone.