Everything’s Better Without You

The commotion had waken Hazel up, and she was now standing barefoot at the doorway.

The knife slipped from my grip onto the bed. I smiled and said, "This isn't over."

I turned to scoop Hazel into my arms and packed my bags. Then, I left the house with her.

Amy sat in the living room, her expression dark. "Keri, I don't care if you want to leave. But don't think that you can take anything from this house!"

"See for yourself!" I roared at her.

I didn't even have a proper suitcase. I threw a supermarket shopping bag stuffed with clothes onto the floor. She sneered and rummaged through it.

"At least you know your place," she said before flinging the bag to the ground like tossing trash.

I raised my hand and slapped her twice. She staggered, dizzy from the blows, while I picked up the bag and walked out.

Behind me, her furious voice rang out. "Get lost with that worthless burden!"

…

At a hotel, I finally managed to put Hazel back to sleep.

I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my photo album. There were videos from my wedding ceremony with Eli, as well as photos of him and Beatrix being affectionate. I stared at each picture, feeling increasingly disgusted.

His promises only lasted while he was in love. The man who once saw only me had died the moment he chose to cheat.

…

Early the next morning, I wasted no time. I contacted a real estate agent and bought a small two-bedroom apartment.

I furnished it with brand-new furniture and filled our closets with new clothes. Then, I went to a salon to get my hair done and took Hazel out for a grand meal.

By the end of the day, I felt like a new person.

As we left the restaurant, I noticed a "For Rent" sign on a nearby storefront, and a bold idea suddenly formed in my mind.

I leased the space and hired a nanny to care for Hazel. I then handled everything myself, from renovations to the potted plants inside the shop.

Two weeks later, my restaurant, Sunny Beginnings, officially opened. I hired a cashier and two servers. Then, I announced the grand opening on my social media account.