UNBOUND HEARTS

Mistakes

~Emily~

Emily wanted to push him away, to recoil from his words and the emotions they stirred within her. Yet, she found herself unable to move. No matter how much she tried to deny it, the truth remained: she loved him. Every part of him, despite everything.

She stood still in his arms, feeling like a statue. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. Was it okay to move on from her feelings of revenge? Was it acceptable to Rose? The betrayal hit her hard. She couldn't betray Rose like this. She closed her eyes, overwhelmed by fear. She knew that once she made her decision, there'd be no turning back. Jack—her baby boy—would never be hers again. The thought of it tore her apart. She was tempted to give in, to kiss him, to promise her love. But one thing held her back: her conscience.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and gently pushed him away.

"I... I don't feel the same way, Jack."

She couldn't bear to look at him. She knew that if she saw his face, all her defenses would crumble. But she had no choice; she had to face him. She looked at his expression—his beautiful face twisted in horror. The sight broke her further. She saw the hurt in his eyes, the pain of his past—the loss of his father, the abuse, the bullying. It was overwhelming. Had she done the right thing?

She couldn't take it anymore. She uttered the harsh words she knew would work.

"I cheated on you. I don't love you. I never could, and I never will. You're worthless, Jack. Worthless."

She managed to speak the words without breaking or stuttering. In an instant, his expression changed. He smiled, but it wasn't the smile of someone at peace; it was a broken smile filled with anguish.

"It's fine. I understand. Forget everything I said. I was just drunk and rambling. Let's go our separate ways. Goodbye, Emily."

He walked away without another glance. As soon as he was gone, she let the tears flow. She couldn't bring herself to kill him, but she couldn't be with him either. This was the least she could do for Rose. Yet, her heart ached, telling her this was a mistake.

Note: Jack's background is detailed in the first book. Briefly, he endured abuse from his alcoholic mother, idolized his father who died in an accident, was betrayed by his girlfriend, and faced relentless bullying.

~Jack~

Jack wanted to push her away, to recoil from the pain of her words and the emotions they stirred within him. Yet, he found himself unable to move. Despite all his defenses, the truth remained: he loved her. Every part of her, despite everything.

He collapsed to his knees in front of his car, in the middle of the road. The rawness of his emotions overwhelmed him. He cried as he did ten years ago, sobbing until his throat was raw and his tears had run dry. Did he not deserve love? Had no one ever needed him as much as he needed them? He felt utterly alone. The darkness enveloped him with a deeper intensity than ever before. He embraced it; it was his only refuge now.

He smiled through his tears. Thank you, Emily, for making him stronger than before. He began laughing, a maniacal laugh, as if he had conquered his feelings. Nothing could stop him now. If the light was too bright for him, then he would rise from the darkness.

In the end, all that remained was his game. And Emily, her death would be the first step on his path to ultimate revenge. He assured himself it would be more than she could endure.

He kept laughing, feeling himself lose that last fragment of humanity he had left.