They Destroyed Me, Then Begged Me to Come Back Chapter 09

They Destroyed Me, Then Begged Me to Come Back Chapter 09

“For the money in my hands, you two drove her to her death!”

“Weston, we-”

“That’s enough!”

He cut Ruby off.

“And me. If it weren’t for me, maybe she’d still be alive.”

“Weston…”

“Get out.”

Weston held the door open.

“Don’t ever bring this up in front of me again.”

“Tell Bianca–I’ll give her everything except the title.

Mom and Ruby exchanged a glance.

Knowing his temper all too well, they slunk away in resentment.

Less than a month later, a video from ten years ago started circulating online.

[The Full Story of Bianca Whitmore’s Bullying]

Posted by an account called [Jose].

One video set off a firestorm overnight.

[How does someone that young do something so vicious?]

[This made me cry, genuinely…]

[This whole family is disgusting. Taking the outsider’s side over their own daughter’s…]

The comments piled up, floor after floor.

Weston’s phone rang, urgent.

“Weston! What do we do! They’re all attacking me! can’t even leave the house! What do we do!”

Weston didn’t answer.

He was staring at the username (Jose).

Without a second thought, he was on his feet.

He drove straight to the hospital.

In Dr. Marsh’s office.

Dr. Marsh, cold as ever.

“That’s right. She’s not dead. That death certificate was part of a recovery protocol we designed.”

“What-”

Weston stood frozen.

Dr. Marsh looked at him.

“After all, the biggest source of her illness was all of you. Faking her death and disappearing was

the best treatment available.”

“Can I- can I see her?”

Dr. Marsh paused.

Weston’s knees bent. He actually dropped to the floor.

“Please. I miss her so much… I want to apologize to her face.”

Dr. Marsh froze for a moment, looked him over carefully.

Weston had genuinely lost a lot of weight. None of the confidence he used to carry.

Dr. Marsh went quiet. Then turned and made a call.

“Is that alright with you? Okay.”

She hung up and handed him an address.

“She said yes.”

When I saw Weston at a café, he looked like he’d been through hell.

I sat there, unhurried, unbothered.

By now, there wasrit a trace of illness left in me.

In the time since fd left them behind, I’d taken up painting, flower arranging, tried out work I actually loved

Eventually, I opened my own shop and made new friends.

Everything that had happened, I could finally look at all of it without flinching.

The people who hurt me got to be forgiven by everyone around them, living on in blissful happiness.

Meanwhile the victim was expected to quietly nurse her own wounds in silence.

I won’t accept it.

Even after ten years, I wanted the whole world to see exactly who Bianca and my family really are.

“Josephine, I never married her.”

Weston sat across from me, eyes rimmed red.

“So?”

“I don’t want to give that place in my life to anyone but you.”

I didn’t say anything.

His hand covered mine.

“Josephine, everything at home is exactly how you left it. I miss you so much.”

“These past few months have been unbearable. Every time I close my eyes, all I see is you crying.”

“I’m sorry, Josephine. I was wrong.”

“Come home. Please.I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

I slid my hand out from under his.

“But my illness only started getting better after I left all of you behind. Why would I go back?”

Weston’s throat worked. “I-”

“I have my own career now. My own life. I don’t need anyone’s protection anymore. So why would I go back to you, looking for shelter?”

“Josephine…”

“I used to hope you’d protect me. All of you. But having you in my life only ever made things worse.”

Weston’s eyes went red.

“It won’t happen again.”

“There’s no ‘again.”

I stood up.

Weston looked almost desperate.

“So you really won’t come back?”

I didn’t answer.

The story about Bianca’s bullying only kept spreading online.

As the person who’d actually lived through it, I could finally speak on camera about everything that had happened to me.

I knew she’d never face any real consequences, so decided I’d be the one to make sure she paid.

Weston kept texting me. I ignored every single one

He found me again.

“I’m not here asking you to forgive me.”

He looked even worse than the last time.

“Because of all this, she hasn’t been able to eat or sleep properly in weeks.

“Yesterday, she lost the second baby”

Looked up at him, flat.

“And?”

“So… please, just let it go this time.”

In the end, he’d come to beg for Bianca again.

I laughed.

“Weston Sterling. She’s not sleeping and not eating because she thinks she did something wrong.

She’s not sleeping because people are finally calling her out on it.”

“She just can’t handle being the one under attack for once.”

Weston’s throat worked.

“Josephine, I promise this is the last time.”

I stood.

“And I promise–this is the last time for me too.”

Not long after, news broke that Bianca had jumped

Some people blamed me for pushing her to it. Others thought she’d brought it on herself.

Whatever people said, I didn’t feel a single flicker of guilt.

So this was how Bianca felt, all those years ago, watching me cry.

But I never expected Mom to send me a long message.

I’m sorry, Josephine. I’ll admit it–I found dealing with your illness exhausting.]

And then along came a devoted goddaughter, right when your brother needed help getting married. I let myself think the wrong thing]

[You were always such a good girl I thought no matter what I did, you’d never actually leave]

[I was wrong!

Weston lost everything now Bianca can barely take care of herself anymore]

[When i think of you still cry. The doctors say i have cancer I don’t have much time left

bkwow I was wrong if you’re willing, would you come see me?)

in the end, i never went

It was Ruby who told me Mom had died.

[Aunt Margaret passed. I understand if my telling you doesn’t mean much now.]

[Weston had me blacklisted from the entire industry. Things haven’t been easy for me lately.]

[I think back to when we were actually friends, and regret so much.]

[Mom set me up with a man who’s already been married once. I didn’t have any other choice.]

[I probably won’t get the chance to see you again.]

[I hope you can forgive me someday.]

I didn’t respond to either message.

They all knew, eventually, that they’d been wrong.

But it was only because their own lives had fallen apart.

And my life kept climbing.

Soon enough, all of them would fade into something I barely remembered.

I have no family left.

No lover.

No friends.

The Josephine Callahan standing here now is a Josephine Callahan reborn.

THE END