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My heart shatters into a million pieces and falls into the pit of my stomach. I can’t control it anymore. I burst into tears. I turn and see Eric also getting arrested. Through the tears, I look at the cop handcuffing him. “Sir, please don’t do that. My boyfriend was only defending himself and me. I have video footage of everything.”
The officer looks at me. “May we see it?”
I nod, gesturing for them to follow me into the house.
* * *
The officer standsbehind me as I log into my security camera app on the computer and show him the footage from beginning to end. I can’t watch it and look away until it’s over. When the video is complete, the officer asks a few questions about what happened to make sure the video didn’t miss anything.
“Do you want to press charges?” he asks us, writing notes down on his notepad.
I hesitate, looking at Eric with questioning eyes. Eric sees my distress and asks, “Do you not want me to press charges?”
I take a deep breath and shake my head. “I think we need to. I don’t like that he hurt you, and he needs to learn that I will do anything to protect the people I care about.”
The officer nods. “Alright, we’ll press charges for the assault. If you ever feel unsafe, or need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to call us. That’s what we’re here for.”
“Thank you. Is he going to jail?” I ask.
“We are going to bring him down to the station for more questions.” The cop offers a reassuring smile and turns to leave. As he walks away, I’m left sitting on my chair, my heart still heavy with the emotional turmoil of the morning. Eric closes the door and takes my hand.
“We’ll get through this,” he says, squeezing my hand. “We’ll figure things out together.”
I manage a weak smile, grateful for his support. “I hope so.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
I can’t shakethe chill that has settled deep within me after the events on my front lawn. My fingers tremble as I tap my mother’s name in my phone. She’s the only person who will understand the tangled mess my life has become.
The phone rings, and her gentle voice answers. “Hi, honey.”
“Mom,” I whisper, the word catching in my throat.
“What’s wrong, darling? You sound so… distraught.”
I take a deep breath, trying to find the strength to put my thoughts into words.
“It’s Dad. He showed up at my doorstep, and things got ugly. I don’t know how he found out, but he knew about the money I got from Ray’s will and he kept saying that I owed him. Eric got hurt, and the cops showed up, and now Dad’s going to jail.”
A heavy silence follows, broken only by the faint sound of my mother’s ragged breathing. I can picture her holding the phone, her face filled with worry and guilt. “I’m sorry, honey. I might have let it slip during one of our fights that Ray left you money,” she finally says, her voice trembling. Tears well up in my eyes, but I blink them back. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart. Now, try to get some rest. I’ll handle everything from here.”
With those words, she hangs up the phone, leaving me with a sense of fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, things can finally start to get better.
* * *
I sitdown beside Eric on the couch and hand him a bag of peas. He presses them to his face with one hand and wraps the other around my shoulders, pulling me close. I can feel the tension in his muscles, a reflection of the worry that has etched lines onto his face. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice gentle but filled with concern.
I sigh, leaning into his comforting embrace. “I can’t seem to catch a break. I think I just need to take the day off. I don’t think I can focus at work with all of this going on in my head.”
Understanding, he nods. “Take all the time you need, Hailey. I’m here for you, and I know Scarlett is, too.”
I pulled out my phone and dial Scarlett’s number.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Hey, ” I begin, my voice shaky but determined. “I won’t be able to make it to work today. My father showed up on my doorstep this morning, and I need to sort some things out.”
