CHAPTER 206: FINAL POINT
CHAPTER 206: FINAL POINT
CHAPTER 206: FINAL POINT
Oh God, I think to myself, I am triple dead. My throat feels tight, my pulse pounding so loud it fills my ears. I try to laugh, a small nervous chuckle that comes out dry, brittle. My hand moves to the back of my neck, scratching lightly as if the motion could somehow calm the chaos rising inside me. When I glance at Tristan, he looks at me like he’s trying to reassure me, but I can’t meet his eyes right now. I pull my hand free from his and walk away, each step slower than the last, until I stop in front of Annabelle.
She’s standing still, her arms crossed, her gaze locked on me. She looks like she’s studying me, like she’s dissecting my every movement, searching for a piece of me she can recognize. I can’t meet her eyes. I drop my gaze to the floor, feeling my heart hammer against my ribs so hard it hurts. The silence between us is heavy, thick, dangerous.
She scoffs finally, the sound sharp, slicing through the air. Then she turns abruptly and walks toward one of the large rooms down the hallway. She doesn’t look back, just gestures for me to follow. My feet feel like lead, but I obey, trailing behind her. The soft click of her heels echoes in the long corridor.
When she reaches the door, she opens it wide and steps inside. I follow, hesitant, my palms sweating. The moment I’m in, she turns sharply and slams the door behind us. The sound reverberates through the walls, a thunderclap that makes me flinch. I blink rapidly, biting down on my bottom lip so hard I taste blood.
Oh yeah, I’m screwed, I think. Completely, utterly screwed.
For what feels like two long minutes, she doesn’t speak. She’s trying to steady herself, I can tell—trying to understand instead of explode. Her eyes flicker, her body pacing back and forth in slow, measured strides. I back up a little, sinking down onto the edge of her bed. My fingers lace together tightly, my nerves wound so tight they ache. My mind races, trying to piece together the right words, the right way to explain the inexplicable.
Finally, she stops pacing. Her eyes land on me, sharp and unreadable. "Okay," she says, her voice controlled but trembling just beneath the surface. "I need you to explain. I need you to make me understand, because my mind is practically shaking right now. I don’t even know how to process this, Gloria. It’s—it's insane. So please, do me the honor of explaining what the hell is happening."
Her tone rises on that last word, a snap of frustration that makes me shrink slightly. I swallow hard, staring down at my hands. My chest feels like it’s caving in.
"Okay," I start, my voice small.
"Thank you, Gloria," she mocks quietly, rolling her eyes. "What the hell is going on?"
I chuckle nervously, a weak, awkward sound. Slowly, I lift my eyes to her. The words form in my head, but they sound wrong. Hey Annabelle, I don’t know how to tell you this. I know Tristan is messed up. I know he’s fucked up, but I still love him. The thought alone makes me cringe. God, that sounds ridiculous. My hand moves back to my neck, scratching again as I glance away.
When I finally manage to speak, my voice trembles. "I don’t even know where to begin, Annabelle. I just—this isn’t something I planned. You know me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It’s just... complicated. And I know it’s hard to understand."
Her eyes widen. "What?" The word snaps from her mouth like a whip. The sudden volume makes me jolt where I sit. I look up slowly, heart pounding, knowing I’ve stepped into the danger zone.
She moves toward me, each step deliberate. Her posture is one I know too well—the same stance she’s taken since we were kids, right before she lost her temper. My entire body stiffens. I raise both hands instinctively, half in surrender, half in defense.
"Hey, hey, can you not—" I start, my words faltering.
She stops inches from me, glaring down with that fierce, controlled anger that’s worse than shouting. Her lips part, but she exhales instead, closing her eyes for a second. When she opens them again, she takes a step back, forcing herself to calm down. Then she begins pacing again, her arms folded tight across her chest.
"I just... I need you to explain this to me, Gloria, okay?" Her voice is softer now, but the tremor in it gives her away. "Because this is so conflicting. I’ve tried to understand. I’ve told you the kind of person he is. I’ve warned you. You can’t keep living your life with him like this. He’s not right for you. I wish you’d just see that. Just stay away from him. Please."
Her voice breaks slightly on the last word, and it stabs something deep inside me. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to speak through the ache.
"I know, okay? I know you care about me, Annabelle. I know you’re trying to protect me. But I need you to understand something too." I lift my eyes to her, meeting her gaze. "He’s not perfect, I know that. But he’s human. And humans—people—they can change. Sometimes they do."
She lets out a short, sharp laugh, full of disbelief. "Change? Did I just hear you say change? Gloria, that man is beyond change. He’s lived almost four decades being exactly who he is. You think he’s suddenly going to wake up one morning and decide to be someone else? Some reformed angel who’s worthy of you?"
I swallow hard, my teeth pressing together. The heat rises in my face, but I hold my ground. "I know it sounds impossible, Annabelle, but people do change. Maybe not overnight, maybe not easily—but it happens. I’ve seen it."
She shakes her head, the movement sharp, frustrated. Her voice climbs higher, louder. "There’s nothing to understand, Gloria! Nothing!" Her outburst makes me flinch again. She sees it and pauses, sighing heavily as she rubs her forehead in slow circles. Her voice trembles as she continues, softer now but no less intense. "This is unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. How could you let it get this far?"
She looks up, her eyes glistening now with restrained anger—and something like heartbreak. "I knew you were struggling, I knew the addiction was pulling you in, but at least you fought it. You stayed in control. You didn’t let yourself drown. You didn’t become—" She stops, biting her lip. "You didn’t become what I feared you’d become. And now this? This is worse, Gloria. You got entangled with someone like him?"
Her voice drops lower, trembling as she speaks. "He’s toxic. You know that. He’s not just complicated, he’s dangerous. He manipulates people. He uses them, breaks them, leaves them shattered. He’s the kind of man who will traumatize you, Gloria. He’s not the kind of person you build 'a life' with." She raises her hands, making air quotes.
" You think he’s that person for you?" She shakes her head again. "I don’t know what kind of twisted feelings he’s stirred up inside you, but you need to end it now. Before he destroys you completely. Because if you won’t—" She pauses, her jaw tightening. "I will."
Her tone shifts, low and final. "I’ll make sure he never comes back into your life again. Ever."
The words hang in the air like a blade suspended over my chest. My breath catches. The room feels smaller suddenly, colder. The idea of Tristan gone—really gone—hits me harder than I expect. My throat burns. Oh my God, I think. I can’t lose him. I can’t.
My eyes blur slightly as I stare at her, unable to speak. The fear crawls up my spine, tightening its grip around my heart. I can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t think beyond the echo of her voice.
He’s never ever going to come back into your life.
And the sound of that... it terrifies me.