Chapter 3
"You already have your answer, don't you?" I said. "In your version of the story, I'm the gold-digging, heartless bitch who walked away when things got hard. So why are you even asking me?"
His face darkened.
"Move. We're going home," I said.
I grabbed Maxwell's hand and pulled him toward the car.
James grabbed me again. "Hannah, you owe me an explanation!"
Before I could react, Maxwell caught his wrist and twisted hard, flinging it away.
James stumbled back a few steps.
"Don't touch my wife," Maxwell said, his voice going cold.
James's eyes darkened in a way that made my skin crawl.
Just then, a taxi pulled up beside us.
The door opened, and Chloe stepped out.
She froze for a moment when she saw us, then rushed over to James and helped steady him.
"James, what are you doing here? I've been looking for you everywhere," she said.
When she saw me, her eyes instantly filled with tears. "H-Hannah? What are you doing here?"
She shrank behind James, like I was about to eat her alive.
James immediately shielded her, glaring at me.
"Hannah, what are you trying to do to her now?" he demanded.
I actually laughed.
God, what a joke.
Five years ago, it was the same scene. Five years later, nothing had changed.
He was always her hero. And I was always the villain.
"James," I said, looking him straight in the eye. "You're seriously sick in the head."
With that, I got into the car.
Maxwell followed, started the engine.
Through the window, I saw Chloe crying in James's arms, her shoulders shaking.
James held her while staring at our car, his gaze vicious and full of hate.
Life didn't change just because James showed up again.
I continued to go to work, pick up the kids after school, and go home.
Maxwell didn't ask any questions, but he started picking me up and dropping me off with more precision, always on time.
On the weekends, we took the kids to the amusement park.
I spotted Chloe by the carousel.
She was alone, wearing a white dress, looking drained and pale.
When she saw me, she immediately started walking toward me.
Maxwell had gone to buy water, so I was standing in line with the kids.
"Hannah, can we talk for a minute?" Chloe stopped beside me.
"I don't think we have anything to talk about," I said.
"Just for a few minutes," she begged, her voice trembling. "Please."
I told my daughter to watch her little brother and stepped aside.
"Go ahead," I said.
"Can you… please stop bothering James?" Her eyes were red, and she stared at me. "He's just finally starting to move on from the past, and now you're back. Why are you doing this to him?"
I looked at her, wondering if the world had lost all logic.
"Chloe, did you forget, or do you think I've forgotten?" I asked.
Her face went pale.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, voice shaking. "I only know James nearly died because of you. He was in the hospital for two months.
"When he woke up, he remembered nothing, except that you abandoned him. Every night, he had nightmares, calling your name."
Tears welled in her eyes. "We were together for five years. I stayed by his side, helped him heal, and now, when we're finally back on track, you show up and want to ruin everything."
"The one who destroyed everything," I said, "was you."
Suddenly, she grabbed my hand, getting all worked up.
"It's not me! I love him! I love him more than you do! I'd do anything for him!" she cried out.
People around us started staring.
"Hannah, what do you want?" she cried. "You've got your own family, so why are you still trying to ruin us? You think now that James has made it, you regret leaving him?"
Her voice kept getting louder, drawing even more attention from the crowd.
I yanked my hand free. "Chloe, are you done acting yet?"
That was when James showed up.