2nd Chance

Chapter 6: Fractured Trust

"It was nice to meet you, Jake. 

"See ya later," Victoria said with a smile, starting to walk away.

"If you don't mind, I can drop you off," Jake offered.

Victoria hesitated, but then, thinking about the late hour and the slim chance of catching a bus, she agreed. 

"Okay, thanks."As they walked toward his car, Jake turned to her. 

"Hey, Victoria, can I have your phone number or some way to contact you?"

She paused for a moment, then smiled and handed him her number. "Sure, here you go."

"Can I walk you to the main door?" he asked, continuing to be courteous.

Victoria thought for a moment but agreed again. "Yeah, okay."

As they neared her place, Jake spoke again, his voice softer this time. 

"When do you think we'll meet next?"

"I'm not sure. I'm always busy with work and... stuff," she trailed off, thinking of the chaotic situation at home. "But text me, and I'll let you know."

Jake hesitated before asking, "Can I... put my hand on your shoulder?"

Victoria was caught off guard for a second, but her instinct to be open took over. She moved forward, grabbed his hand, and placed it on her shoulder, initiating the closeness herself. She wasn't afraid of taking the first step. 

They continued chatting and texting over the next few weeks, slowly getting closer. But as her relationship with Jake developed, things at home with her brother and his girlfriend Lisa spiralled into further chaos, pushing Victoria deeper into emotional turmoil.

As usual, the tension in the apartment simmered, and Lisa was quick to unleash her fury on Victoria.

"You're the reason everything's falling apart, Victoria," Lisa spat, her arms crossed and her voice dripping with contempt. "Ever since you moved in, it's been one disaster after another. You've brought nothing but bad luck. First, Aachi dies, and now Will and I are constantly fighting. You're like a curse to this family!"

Victoria, usually silent, couldn't hold back any longer. The constant blame, the emotional abuseit was all too much. She could feel the anger bubbling up inside her, ready to explode.

"Lisa, stop it!" Victoria's voice trembled with frustration. "I've done everything I can to make this work. I've stayed out of your way, followed all your ridiculous rules, and this is how you treat me? You blame me for things I have no control over? How is Aachi's death my fault? How are Will's problems my fault? I've done nothing but try to be a part of this family, and you've made it impossible!"

Lisa sneered, her eyes narrowing with cruel satisfaction. "You're the problem, Victoria. You are a walking disaster. Will's been different ever since you came here. If you hadn't shown up, we wouldn't be having these issues. You should have just stayed in China. You're nothing but a burden to everyone around you!"

At that moment, Victoria's patience snapped. She grabbed her phone and called Will, desperate for someone anyone to hear her side, to stand up for her. 

The phone rang, and when Will finally answered, his voice was cold, detached."What now, Vic?" Will said, sounding already irritated."Will, you need to listen to me. Lisa's been blaming me for everything again. She's saying that I'm the reason you two are fighting, that I'm causing problems between you"

But before she could finish, Will cut her off."Enough, Victoria!" he barked. "I don't need to hear this again. You've been nothing but trouble since you came here. It's true Aachi's gone, and everything's changed. And now, Lisa and I are constantly at each other's throats because of you. Maybe it's time you realized that you're the one tearing this family apart."

Victoria stood in stunned silence, her breath catching in her throat. 

"You believe that, Will?" she whispered, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. 

"You think all of this is my fault? I've done nothing but try to fit in and help"

"I don't want to hear it, Vic," Will interrupted again. "You've overstayed your welcome, and honestly, maybe Lisa's right. Maybe you should have never come here in the first place. Things were fine before you showed up."

Victoria's heart shattered. The one person she thought would understand, the one person she trusted to support her, had turned his back on her without even listening.

"You're blaming me for everything," she said, her voice breaking. "For Aachi, for your fights with Lisa, for everything. How can you say that? How can you just...?" Her words trailed off, replaced by a quiet sob that echoed in the room.

Will's silence on the other end of the line was deafening. He had already made up his mind."Just... figure it out, Vic. I'm done with all this drama," he said coldly, hanging up the phone.Victoria stood there, her body numb and her mind spinning. She felt completely and utterly abandoned. Every word Lisa had said, every accusation from Will, played over and over in her head. It was as if the weight of the world had been thrown on her shoulders, and she was powerless to lift it.All she wanted was to belong, to be a part of her family, but instead, she was the scapegoat for their problems. Alone, tears streaming down her face, Victoria sank to the floor, her heart aching with the sting of betrayal. She had never felt so isolated, so hopeless.

Victoria's heart raced as Lisa's words echoed in her mind, each accusation slicing deeper than the last. She felt the ground beneath her shift, her sense of reality blurring. In a moment of desperation, she dialed Jake's number, hoping he would be her anchor, her support. 

"Jake, it's me. I really need to talk," she said, her voice trembling as she tried to mask the turmoil within.

"What's going on now?" Jake replied, his tone already laced with annoyance. "You sound upset."

"It's Lisa... she's blaming me for everything," Victoria said, trying to keep her composure. "She said I'm a bad omen, that I ruined everything for you and Will."

"Of course, you did!" Jake snapped, cutting her off. "You're the one who decided to crash with them. It's your fault the house is so tense."

"What? Jake, I thought you'd understand! I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just needed a place to stay," she pleaded, feeling a wave of despair wash over her.

"Needed a place to stay?" he echoed mockingly. 

"You could've found your own place instead of being a burden. You're the reason Will and Lisa are fighting!"

"But I thought... I thought you'd support me," she said, her voice breaking. "I thought you were on my side."

"Support you? What do you want me to do, Victoria? Hold your hand while you play the victim? You're the reason your family is falling apart!" he shouted, venom dripping from his words.

 Victoria felt the tears spill down her cheeks, her heart shattering under the weight of his accusations. "I just wanted a family again... I thought we could be happy together," she sobbed, the loneliness crashing in on her like a tidal wave.

"Happy?" Jake scoffed. "You think you can just waltz in and make everything okay? You're the problem here. You've got to do what Lisa says. She's right. If you can't handle that, maybe you should leave."

His words hit her like a physical blow, and she dropped the phone, the sound echoing in the silence of her room. Victoria sank to the floor, her body shaking with sobs as she felt utterly alone. She had entrusted him with her heart, but all she had received in return were harsh words and blame. That night, she cried until exhaustion took over, her dreams haunted by the darkness that seemed to wrap around her like a shroud.

"Why can't I catch a break?" she whispered into the void, wishing desperately for a time when things had been simpler and when she had felt loved and safe. As the night dragged on, she was left with nothing but the cold comfort of her pillow, the weight of betrayal heavy on her chest.