Whispers Of The Heart

Chapter 16

The weight of his words settled heavily on my shoulders, reminding me of the fractured bond between us and the family we used to be. But even in the midst of my disappointment, I forced a smile and hugged him again, cherishing the fleeting moment of closeness between us.

As I stood there, enveloped in my father's embrace, I couldn't shake the weight of guilt that settled upon my shoulders. Despite my efforts to be there for my family, to fill the void left by Amelia's absence, I couldn't help but feel like I was falling short.

"Well, I should get ready now" I said, breaking the heavy silence as I reluctantly pulled away.

As I began to walk upstairs to prepare for my date, my dad called out to me, his voice filled with gentle reassurance. I turned back to look at him, and he gave me a playful wink before gesturing with his hand in a "I'm watching you" motion, a silent reminder to behave myself with Justin.

I smiled weakly, nodding my head in understanding, before running upstairs to get ready.

.•.•.•.•.

Justin forgot.

Again.

He isn't picking up the phone, and he was supposed to pick me up at 7, and it's already 7:46 PM.

My heart is breaking, but there's an anger boiling inside of me that threatens to consume everything in its path. He did the same thing last week, and he did it again last night at the party when I couldn't find him and he didn't answer his phone.

I started pacing back and forth in the living room, feeling the walls closing in around me with every step. My dad went upstairs to his office to finish some work, completely oblivious to the turmoil brewing within me.

Glancing at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a woman on the verge of eruption. My long, straight orange hair framed my face, and I was wearing a blue dress that hugged my body, paired with black high heels. I had gotten ready with such anticipation and excitement, but now all that was left was a simmering rage that threatened to spill over at any moment.

I can't believe him. I can't believe he would do this to me again, especially after everything we've been through. It isn't fair. It isn't fair that I put so much effort into this relationship only to be let down time and time again by his thoughtlessness and disregard for my feelings.

I've had enough of his bullshit.

Enough of the broken promises and empty apologies. Enough of feeling like I'm not enough, like I'm constantly fighting for his attention and affection. Enough is enough, and I refuse to let him treat me like this anymore.

I heard a knock on the door, and my heart leaped with frustration. It had to be Justin, late again.

Stepping over, I flung the door open with a mix of irritation and anticipation, ready to unleash my pent-up anger.

"You mother—" I began, my voice laced with irritation, but my words caught in my throat when I realized it wasn't Justin standing there.

It was Grayson.

He stood before me, his presence commanding attention as he looked me up and down, his gaze lingering on me in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. I felt suddenly exposed under his scrutiny, my anger dissipating.

"Hi," I managed to say, forcing myself to calm down despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. His unexpected appearance had caught me off guard, leaving me feeling off balance and unsure of how to react.

"Hey..." he replied, his voice low and gravelly as he cleared his throat. "Just dropping by to check how you're feeling today."

That. That was the text I received from an unknown number earlier, the one I had dismissed as some random stranger reaching out.