Chapter 112

“Smashing his head wasn’t enough! You should have just killed the son of a bitch! He didn’t want you when you were in his bed, but now he tries to force himself on you? You did the right thing cracking his skull!” Lena raged, abandoning the cool composure expected of a top-tier OB-GYN.

“He’s just bitter. He always thought I’d never leave him, and now that I’m really done, he’s losing it,” I said.

Lena agreed, adding, “Yeah, now he’s probably realizing he’s madly in love with you and can’t stand the thought of you with someone else.”

Wasn’t that the truth? First Wayne, then Tanya—both sent to prevent me from working with Hayden, making it impossible to finish the amusement park tasks. But Hayden promised he’d handle it, and I trusted him.

“Rea, listen: if Jace even thinks about messing with you again, hit him back. Every. Single. Time. Once he’s scared of you, he won’t dare try anything again,” Lena advised.

“Got it,” I agreed.

Someone called Lena, but before hanging up, she said, “I’ll drop by later to see if he’s bled out and died.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, though it felt more like a bitter chuckle. I sat in the car, staring out the window, before finally forcing myself to go home. The neighbor ladies were outside, waving. “Miss, you came back alone? Where’s your boyfriend?”

I remembered their comments to Hayden and smiled. “What, is it time to clean the hallway again?”

They laughed, shaking their heads. “No, no, it’s just that he’s a keeper—handsome and hardworking. You should hang on to him.”

“Mm,” I hummed, heading upstairs. But as soon as I reached the hallway, I stopped. The apartment door across from mine was wide open, and people were moving things around, making a lot of noise. I had no idea who lived there; it had been empty. Now, their boxes and furniture blocked my door. I stepped inside and asked, “Are you moving out?”

A middle-aged woman looked up, surprised. “And you are…?”

I pointed to the opposite apartment. “I live here.”

She understood immediately. “Oh, sorry about the mess! I just rented this place, and the new tenant asked me to tidy it up. I’ll move these things so you can get in.”

I thanked her and glanced inside. Her apartment was far more rundown than mine. If I had to rent it, I wouldn’t even consider it. Whoever moved in probably didn’t have many options.

“Can I ask if the new tenant is a man or a woman?” I asked, curious about my new neighbor.

“A man, a very handsome young man,” she replied, clearing a path to my door.

A man?! An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach. Having an unknown male neighbor didn’t feel safe. But what could I do? I thanked the landlord and went inside, collapsing onto the couch. My mind was a tangled mess; I felt completely drained. Even though I hadn’t physically fought Jace hard, I was exhausted.

I closed my eyes, trying not to think, but my thoughts spiraled. Finally, I went to the kitchen to cook. Cooking was the only thing that could quiet my mind. Just as I was stirring oat porridge, my phone rang. It was Wayne. “Rea, you need to get back to the amusement park. No one can make you leave.”

“I’ve already handed in my resignation,” I said calmly.

Before leaving the amusement park, I believed things would fall apart without me. But now that I’d left, I didn’t care anymore. It felt just like letting go of Jace.