I Left the Triangle They Thought I Needed Chapter 08

I Left the Triangle They Thought I Needed Chapter 08

James opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

He grabbed my hand.

I couldn’t pull free.

“Do you really think this helps?”

“Yes.”

I looked at him. No more warmth left. Only hurt. Only anger.

“Did you think about us when you pushed me?”

“Did you think about me, your fiancée, when you were sleeping with her?”

“We have nothing left to say to each other.”

My words hit him. His grip loosened. His lips trembled.

I yanked my hand free and walked away.

I didn’t know how long he waited outside my house. My dad saw him when he got home.

He didn’t even speak to him, just told security to make him leave.

After dinner, I went to my room. A text came from a number I didn’t know.

[Emily, I don’t care what you or your family do to me. I won’t give up.

I see clearly now. I know how much I messed up.

I’ll handle Natalie. And I will never let anyone hurt you again…]

I didn’t finish reading.

We’re adults, not children. You don’t get to do whatever you want and pretend there are no consequences.

James thought about consequences. He just thought I would be easy to win back.

I turned off my phone. My desk was empty.

The day after I got out of the hospital, I threw away every memory of James, and the doll Natalie had given me.

The next morning, my parents slid a contract across the table.

“It’s a commercial space downtown. We turned it into a gallery. We also found you a teacher.”

“You can go back to doing what you love.”

My mom smiled, and my dad nodded. “Emily, doing what feels right in your heart, that’s what matters most.”

“We gave you a good life so you’d have options. So you could choose.”

Tears filled my eyes. I nodded hard.

“Thank you. Both of you.”

My mom wiped my face. “Sweetheart, don’t cry. Your dad has the whole world on his shoulders.”

My dad tapped his chest.

“You two go get facials. Drink some tea. Stop worrying so much.”

My mom gave him a playful look. “So all I’m good for is spa days and tea?”

He looked panicked. “No. That’s not what I meant.”

I laughed out loud.

The next few months, I was busy. The gallery. Classes.

My teacher was a legend in the art world. People said he had a terrible temper. The first day, he looked at me with a dark expression. I thought I was about to get yelled at.

But I didn’t.

He stroked his beard and nodded.

“Not bad. You have some talent.”

I could have cheered.

I was never great at school. Or piano. Or dance.

But I loved to paint. Holding a brush in my hand, I could build my own world.

One day, I went to check on the gallery construction. I ran into Natalie.

She wasn’t polished anymore. Her work clothes were wrinkled beyond fixing.

Even with heavy makeup, she looked exhausted.

“Emily. What are you doing here?”

I crossed my arms. “None of your business.”

She looked past me at the gallery and let out a knowing laugh.

“You’re so lucky. You have your parents as your safety net.”

“I’m a joke in the legal world now. I can’t even find a job.”