The One She Loved to Hate

"Didn't you always hope she'd wake up? Maybe she's about to."

Nolan sneered, then lowered his head, setting her skin on fire.

"You bastard! Let me go!"

Her thighs were pinned. She was bare. He'd only unzipped his pants.

Tears streamed down her face. Her hair clung to her skin. Her lip—split and bleeding.

Nolan drove into her like he wanted to destroy her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, terrified to glance at the other bed.

But he didn't stop.

He forced her to open her eyes, made her watch. Made her see how he wrecked her.

Only when he grunted and stilled did he finally stop, still crushing her beneath him.

Then—

"Ms. Hart, is that you? Your mother's awake—I was just about to call—"

Her head whipped toward the door.

Every drop of blood drained from her face.

Closest to the door was Amelia's bed.

Her eyes were open.

She'd seen everything.

Hatred and disgust burned in them.

Then she turned away, bolted for the window.

"No!"

Hailey screamed, shoving Nolan off with everything she had.

She didn't care how exposed she was—she lunged, reaching for Amelia's gown.

Her fingers missed.

A sickening thud.

Silence.

Hailey stood frozen, then staggered toward the window.

Nolan yanked her back.

He held her tight. His body, once warm, now ice-cold and shaking.

"Ah!" Her scream ripped through the room.

She swung at him, fists flying.

"If you die," Nolan hissed, "I'll make sure your mom doesn't even get a body to bury! She won't rest—ever!"

Her fists stopped midair.

Something bitter climbed her throat.

She coughed blood all over his white shirt—and collapsed.

***

When Hailey woke up, she was weirdly calm.

She handled the cremation, the burial—every step, like she was on autopilot.

Then she picked a new plot and buried Donovan and Amelia together.

When Nolan showed up with Mike's corpse, she didn't even glance up.

"I beat this dog to death. If you behave and stay by my side to atone, maybe I'll make an exception for you."

His voice dripped with fake generosity.

Hailey didn't react. But that night, she asked to see the love-wish tree again.

Nolan frowned. "That thing? It's a scam. You looked for it before—it's not real."

She didn't argue, just stared at the ground.

She figured he'd shut her down again. But then—

"Go pack. I'll take you tomorrow."

Her lashes fluttered. She stayed quiet and walked off.

***

They left at dawn. Hours into the climb, the trail got rough. Hailey had a few hypoglycemic crashes, and Nolan had to stop each time.

He glanced around, annoyed. "After today, if you keep acting like the walking dead, I'm done playing nice."

"We're here."

"What?" He turned, irritated.

But Hailey was locked on the massive tree ahead.

She'd never told anyone.

That morning, after Donovan died, she'd gone searching for it again.

And she'd found it.

Hailey walked around the back, where one wrong step could send her over the edge.

Nolan tensed, instinct kicking in. He moved to follow—then stopped cold.

It hit him—how much he'd been hovering. Like his concern was some kind of gift.

Hailey didn't notice.

She dug around the base of the tree and found the red ribbon she'd tied all those years ago.

Without flinching, she pulled out scissors and cut it.

Nolan's face twisted, but before he could say a word—

She turned.

Her whole body shook with hate and regret. Eyes shut tight, she wouldn't even look at him.

"Nolan Thorne, I wish I'd never met you." Then she jumped.

His eyes went wide. He lunged.

"Hailey!"