Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose novel Chapter 16

**Healing Slowly But Surely**
By R. Joseph

Crazy people.

Leilani.

The moment the door to my room clicked shut, I hastily wiped away the tears that stained my cheeks with the back of my hand. Panic surged through me as I began shoving my belongings into a duffel bag, my laptop and flash drives carefully tucked inside. Each item felt like a lifeline, a connection to a world beyond this chaos.

My hands shook uncontrollably as I packed, a gnawing fear gnawing at my insides. What if my parents or my so-called friends burst in here, ready to punish me for the incident with Chalice? The very thought sent chills down my spine. They could easily destroy my things, all in the name of ‘equality.’ My heart raced at the horrifying possibility that this time, they might actually take my life.

Just as I finished gathering my essentials, my gaze fell upon my phone resting on the bedside table, almost forgotten in the whirlwind of my thoughts. I hadn’t seen it in days, and while I longed to reach for it, time was slipping away. I quickly dialed Jarek’s number, my heart pounding in my chest.

On the first ring, his deep voice resonated in my ear, soothing yet laced with concern. “Sweetcakes?”

“I’m in trouble,” I blurted out, skipping any pleasantries. “Chalice threw herself down the stairs, and now everyone thinks I did it.”

“Shit!” he exclaimed, the urgency in his tone palpable as I heard him rising from his seat, the sound of movement echoing through the line. “How did this happen?”

“It’s complicated, Jay. The stairs have a CCTV camera, but no one will bother to check it. To them, Chalice can never lie. I need that footage. And the one from the day my grandmother was pushed—”

“I get it, you want to clear your name. But right now, what you need is to get the hell out of there. If you can, leave now.”

“I can’t!” I cried, my voice cracking under the weight of despair. “They won’t let me go, especially after what just happened to Chalice. She’s hurt so badly, and they all think I did it. But I didn’t…” My voice trailed off, and tears streamed down my face.

“I may despise her for everything she’s done to me, but I would never hurt her like that. I just couldn’t—”

“I know, I know. I believe you,” he whispered, and those words, so simple yet profound, shattered something within me. The floodgates opened, and my tears flowed freely. My body trembled with the effort to keep the phone pressed to my ear.

“I know they would hurt me, Jay,” I sobbed, my lips quivering, “…but I fear what they’ll do to me this time.”

“Where are you?” His voice shifted, becoming serious and firm.

I gulped, feeling the weight of his gaze through the phone. “In the main house. I’ve packed a duffel bag… I’ve—”

Suddenly, a furious voice echoed through the door, cutting me off. “Open this door, you damn bitch!” Gavin’s voice was filled with rage, and my heart raced as I flinched at the sound.

I hesitated momentarily before returning to the call. “Jay, my brother’s here…”

“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” he interrupted, a sense of urgency in his voice. I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, before ending the call.

My legs felt like lead as I made my way to the door, each step heavy with dread. By the time I reached it, Gavin’s impatience had reached a boiling point. With a swift kick, he shattered the door, sending splinters flying and debris tumbling down towards me.

A scream tore from my throat as I instinctively raised my hands to shield myself, but it was too late. The door crashed into me, sending me sprawling to the floor.

Pain shot through my body as my head struck the ground with a sickening thud. I winced, struggling to sit up, but the agony was overwhelming, and I felt utterly helpless. Tears streamed down my face, mingling with my despair.

“BITCH!” Gavin snarled as he stepped into the room, his eyes blazing with fury. The malice in his glare was palpable. He paused for a brief moment, taking in the sight of me on the floor, blood trickling from an open cut on my arm and another on my forehead. But instead of showing any sign of remorse, he scoffed, lifted me off the ground, and slapped me so hard that I felt the skin on my face break.

“You tried to kill Chalice the same way you killed grandma?! How devious can you be?!” My ears rang from the impact, and my heart raced in a chaotic rhythm, clenching and unclenching in a futile dance of fear. I stood there, frozen, unable to move or speak.

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