Chapter 5: Three Days Before I Left

I woke before sunrise.

For a few seconds, I forgot where I was.

Then I saw the packed suitcase beside my bed.

Three days.

That was all the time I had left in this house.

I sat up slowly and looked at my father's urn on the nightstand.

I'd cleaned every trace of dust from it the night before. It still looked different somehow.

Smaller.

Older.

Like something precious that had survived too much.

I reached for it and whispered, "I'm taking you with me, Dad."

My voice was barely audible.

"I'm not leaving you behind again."

A soft knock came from the door.

I froze.

"Rowan?"

It was my mother's voice.

I didn't answer.

The handle moved.

Locked.

She knocked again.

"Open the door."

I stared at the suitcase.

For the first time in my life, I didn't feel obligated to obey.

"I'm getting dressed."

"We need to talk."

"Later."

Silence.

Then her footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

I exhaled slowly.

That small refusal felt strangely powerful.

I got dressed and started sorting the last of my things.

Most of what I owned could fit into two suitcases.

Clothes.

Books.

My father's urn.

A few photographs.

The broken necklace Grandma had given me.

I wrapped the pieces carefully in a soft cloth and placed them beside the photographs.

I didn't know if the necklace could ever be repaired.

Maybe it couldn't.

But I wanted to keep every piece.

My phone buzzed.

Beck.

"Good morning, Ro."

I smiled.

"Morning."

"Did you sleep?"

"A little."

"Eat breakfast."

"You sound like my doctor."

"Your doctor probably doesn't love you as much as I do."

I stared at the message.

My heart squeezed.

Years ago, I would have thought words like that were too good to be true.

Now I was beginning to understand that maybe love wasn't supposed to feel like constantly waiting for the other person to choose you.

Maybe it was supposed to feel easy.

Safe.

Certain.

I typed back.

"When are you landing?"

"Tomorrow night."

My eyes widened.

"You said three days."

"I changed the flight again."

"Beck."

"Don't worry. I'm coming."

I laughed quietly.

For the first time in days, the sound felt natural.

Then the bedroom door opened without warning.

Pepper stood there.

She looked perfectly composed.

Her hair was styled. Her makeup was flawless. One hand rested protectively over her stomach.

Her eyes went straight to my suitcases.

A slow smile appeared on her lips.

"So you're really leaving."

I zipped one of the bags.

"That's the plan."

"Because of Camden?"

"No."

I looked at her.

"Because of me."

Her smile disappeared.

"You really think you're better than me, don't you?"

"I don't think about you enough to compare."

Her face tightened.

She stepped farther into the room.

"Camden still loves you."

I almost laughed.

"He told me I don't compare to you."

"He was angry."

"You keep saying that."

I turned toward her.

"But everyone seems to forget that people reveal a lot when they're angry."

Pepper crossed her arms.

"You're throwing away three years because you can't forgive one mistake."

"One mistake?"

My voice was quiet.

"You had his baby. You took his home. You wore my father's ring. You destroyed my father's ashes. And you're still standing here telling me it was one mistake?"

Her expression changed.

For a moment, she looked almost embarrassed.

Then the mask returned.

"The baby isn't your fault."

"I never said it was."

"Then why are you punishing everyone?"

"I'm not punishing anyone."

I lifted my suitcase.

"I'm leaving."

She watched me silently.

Then she said something that made me stop.

"Camden won't marry you now anyway."

I turned around.

"Good."

She blinked.

I smiled.

"That makes this easier."

I walked past her.

She grabbed my arm.

"Wait."

I looked down at her hand.

"Let go."

She released me immediately.

"Who is he?"

I didn't answer.

"The man you're running to," she said. "Who is he?"

"Someone who knows how to love me."

I walked out.

Downstairs, my mother and Camden were sitting in the living room.

I stopped on the final step.

Camden looked up.

His expression changed the moment he saw the suitcase.

"You're leaving?"

"Yes."

He stood.

"Rowan, we need to talk."

"We've talked enough."

"No. You need to listen."

I set the suitcase beside me.

"I'm listening."

He walked toward me.

"I know everything looks bad right now."

"It doesn't just look bad."

"I made mistakes."

"You did."

"But I never stopped caring about you."

I looked at him.

"Then why did you let me stand there while you built a home with Pepper?"

He rubbed his forehead.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"How was it supposed to happen?"

He didn't answer.

My mother spoke from the sofa.

"Rowan, you need to understand that families are complicated."

I turned toward her.

"This isn't about family anymore."

"It is."

"No. Family doesn't ask you to accept being humiliated just to keep everyone else comfortable."

My mother looked offended.

"We've done everything for you."

I almost smiled.

"Have you?"

She opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

I continued.

"When Dad died, I stayed beside you. When money was tight, I stopped asking for things. When Pepper needed help, I gave it. When Camden needed support, I was there."

My throat tightened.

"Every time someone needed me, I showed up."

I looked between them.

"Who showed up for me?"

Silence.

Camden looked away.

My mother lowered her eyes.

For once, neither of them had an answer.

I picked up my suitcase.

"That's what I thought."

Camden suddenly reached for my wrist.

I stepped back.

"Don't."

He stopped.

"You really mean it?"

"Yes."

"You're actually going to marry someone else?"

I looked directly into his eyes.

"Yes."

His jaw tightened.

"Who?"

I didn't answer.

My mother looked between us.

"Rowan, don't make a reckless decision just because you're hurt."

"It's not reckless."

I smiled faintly.

"It's the first decision I've made for myself in years."

Camden's phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the screen.

Pepper.

He answered immediately.

"What's wrong?"

His expression changed.

Concern replaced anger.

"I'm coming."

He grabbed his jacket.

Before leaving, he looked at me.

"We'll finish this later."

I shook my head.

"No, Camden. We won't."

He stopped.

"This is finished."

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then he walked out.

I watched him disappear through the front door.

My mother remained on the sofa.

Neither of us spoke.

Finally, she said quietly, "You really don't love him anymore?"

I looked at the door.

Then at the suitcase in my hand.

"I loved him."

I paused.

"That's different."

I walked upstairs.

That night, I received a message from an unknown number.

I opened it.

It was a photograph.

Camden and Pepper standing together outside a hospital.

Pepper was holding her stomach.

Camden had one arm around her.

Underneath it was a single sentence.

"You really think you can replace me?"

I stared at the screen.

Then I deleted the message.

I didn't respond.

I didn't need to.

Because tomorrow night, Beck was coming home.

And this time, I wasn't waiting for someone to choose me.

I had already chosen.