After my divorce, I became a racing queen novel
After eight years of marriage, Id finally decided to divorce my race-car-driver husband.
The lawyer didnt even look up from his paperwork.
If you want to file for divorce, both parties need to sign the papers. Is your husband not here today?
I forced a dry smile. Hell sign them, I said quietly but firmly.
Liam and I had been legally married for eight yearsyet he had canceled our wedding ceremony fifty-two times.
The first time, one of his young trainees needed gas for her car, so he left me stranded in my gown on the outskirts of town. I walked home, barefoot and bleeding, my feet covered in blisters.
The second time, that same trainee had a stomachache and wanted a certain cake from across the city. Liam drove three hours to get it, while I stayed behind, bowing and apologizing to guests, drinking until my stomach burned.
Every time we were supposed to get married, that girl somehow needed him.
And every single time, he left me to stand alone before the altar.
Shes scared of the dark, Clara. She needs company when she trains.
Youre just a housewifeyou dont get the thrill of the track. Vanessa and I share the same passion. Were soulmates.
Today was the fifty-second time.
And just like every other time, a video of Vanessa arrived right on cue.
In it, she and Liam were tangled together on his prized race carthe one hed never even let me touch. Her blouse was half-open, her fingers in his hair as she pressed his face into her chest, and then she looked straight into the camera with a smirka deliberate, mocking challenge.
I knew them too well.
For eight years, she was the reason every wedding was ruined.
Eight years ago, my family had tricked me home from the tracktold me thered been an accident. By the time I got there, they had locked my car, taken my keys, and forced me to marry my dead sisters fianc in her place.
They handed me a crying infant and a wounded man.
And that was itmy career, my freedom, my dreamgone.
I raised the child. I took care of the man.
Eight years of my life, traded for a home that was never mine.
I even forced myself to love them. All I ever wanted in return was the wedding hed promised.
But to Liam, my devotion was nothing more than manipulation. A trap.
And from that moment on, he despised me.
The wedding that shouldve happened eight years ago still never came.
Now the contract of our marriageeight years longhad finally expired.
My sisters son didnt need me anymore.
It was time to start living for myself.
---
When I got back to the villa, divorce papers in hand, the moment I opened the door, a piece of cake smashed into my face.
A maid hurried forward with a towel.
Dont you dare let her wipe that off!
Then came the sharp crack of an ashtray
it hit my forehead so hard I saw stars.
You filthy woman! Who said you could wear my mothers favorite necklace?
Warm blood slid down my face. The maid froze, trembling.
Noaheight years old, the boy Id raisedstood there glaring at me.
Useless! You cant do anything but cook. Youre not even half as good as Aunt Vanessa!
I stared at him, dazed.
This was the child Id given up everything for.
He took a step back, afraid of something he couldnt name.
You better not touch me! Youll never be my mom! Youre not even fit to be our maid! Aunt Vanessa and Dad belong together. You killed my real momand youll try to hurt Aunt Vanessa next! When I grow up, Ill throw you out!
I let out a soft, broken laugh. No need. Ill go myself.
I reached out, wanting to touch his face one last timebut before I could, a door slammed.
Liams voice cut through the tension.
What the hells going on? Look at this mess! You couldnt clean it up? What if Noah stepped on this glass? Of courseyou dont care, do you? Hes not your real son.
Noah ran into his arms. Dad, she yelled at me! She even tried to hit me!
Liams face darkened. Clara, who gave you the nerve? Do you really think youre the mistress of this house?
I lowered my head, hiding my trembling lips. Im sorry. Ill clean it up.
He looked ready to scold me againbut when he saw my blood-stained wedding gown, he froze.
He rushed forward. What happened to your head? Youre bleedingwhy didnt you take care of it?
For a second, I thought I heard real concern in his voice.
Maybe I was just lightheaded from the blood loss, because I almost believed it.
I opened my mouth to answer, but the world tiltedand I collapsed.
---
When I woke up, Liam was beside me, holding a bowl of porridge.
I didnt mean to leave the ceremony yesterday, he said softly. Something came up at the track. I couldnt get away. The weddings set again for three days from now. I swear I wont leave this time.
I looked away, letting my hair fall between us.
If I hadnt seen Vanessas post that night, maybe Id have believed him.
She had uploaded a photo: two shadows kissing beneath a ferris wheel.
Caption: Eternal Love.
How could he lie so smoothlywithout a flicker of guilt?
Seeing me silent, Liams tone hardened.
Stop sulking already. And we still need to talk about what happened earlieryou tried to hit Noah? Hes just a kid, Clara. How could you be so petty? He threw something at you, and you wanted to hit him for it?
My nails dug into my palms. I felt nothing.
Youre sure thats what happened? Did you even ask me?
He froze for half a second.
Hes a child. Children dont lie.
I almost laughed.
Right. Youre right. Vanessa doesnt lie. Noah doesnt lie. So I guess the liar must be me.
I remembered the last timewhen I brought him soup Id spent hours making.
Vanessa intercepted me halfway, took the bowl, and dumped it in the trash.
When I tried to stop her, she splashed the soup on herself.
Liam arrived just in time to see that
and believed her.
When Id asked him why he didnt even ask me what happened,
hed said the same thing:
Shes just a young girl, Clara. She wouldnt lie.
That was the day something in me finally broke.
I reached for the divorce papers and turned to the last page.
Noahs school enrollment form. You need to sign here.
He frowned. You spend all day worrying about that kid. Why cant you be more like Vanessahave your own life?
He was just about to sign when his phone rang.
His expression shifted immediatelyworry flashed across his face.
Something came up. I need to go.
I laughed softly. Let me guess. Vanessa?
He shot me a warning glare. Shes hardworking. Practicing this late at night. Its only right I go check on her. Dont start your nonsense again.
I watched him leavewithout hesitation, without a single look back.
Then I picked up my phone and sent a message to the one man who had always beaten Liam on the track:
Still taking new racers? Want to go for the championship?
The reply came instantly:
Welcome back. Three days. Ill come pick you up myself.
The next morning, I started packing my things.
Everything I couldnt take with me went into boxeswhat didnt fit, I threw out without hesitation.
I took down the only family photo hanging in the living room.
In that picture, I was the only one smiling.
Funny, isnt it? Eight years together, and this was the only family photo we ever had. Liam only agreed to take it because my parents insisted.
My thoughts drifted back to the beginning
when I had just been forced to give up my dream, and told myself that if racing was no longer an option, then at least I could devote myself to family. I still believed in love back then. I still believed in us.
Clara, youre such a kind girl. Im glad Noah has you to care for him.
Once I finish this race, Ill give you the wedding youve always wanted.
I really thought I could be a good wife, a good mother. That the three of us could be happy.
But now, looking back, it all seems like a fools daydream.
Wheres my warm milk? Why are you just standing there staring again? I told you, I need my hot milk every morning!
Noahs sharp voice cut through my thoughts.
The maid tried to soothe him. Please dont be angry, young master. The milk is right here
He shoved her aside, stormed toward me, and snatched the photo from my handsthen smashed it to the floor.
The glass shattered, fragments scattering across the tiles.
The only family photo we ever had lay broken at our feetjust like the family itself.
Noah didnt even flinch. He pointed a trembling finger at me, his eyes full of hatred.
I want you to make it! Why should you live in our house for free, doing nothing all day? This is your job!
I stared at him for a moment, said nothing, then turned toward the kitchen.
When I brought him the milk, he took one sipthen slammed the cup to the floor.
Warm liquid splattered over my shoes.
A few sharp shards sliced my calf. I barely even reacted.
Its too hot!
I knew he was doing it on purpose. He always did.
For years, hed refused to call me Mom, treating me like hired help.
Eight years I raised himfed him, taught him, loved himand still, all I got in return was cruelty.
Ill find my own way to get rid of you, he sneered. Dont think staying here means you can replace my mom. The only one who can be my mother is Aunt Vanessa.
My hands clenched at my sides. I gave him one last glance and turned to leave.
Didnt you hear me, you useless servant?!
Before I could respond, a deep voice echoed from the doorway.
Whats going on?
I looked up. Liam stood there
and behind him, Vanessa.
I lowered my gaze, pretending not to see her, but Liam didnt like that.
He stepped closer, frowning. Look at this mess. You didnt think to clean up? What if Noah steps on the glass and gets hurt?
I let out a quiet laugh. What, am I really your maid now?
His expression stiffened, his brows knitting together.
I just asked you to clean the floor. Do you have to be like this? Youre the only one here who does nothing all day. Who else should do itme?
Vanessas soft voice chimed in behind him, sickly sweet.
Let me do it, Liam. Claras the lady of the houseshe shouldnt do something so rough.
She crouched, reaching for a shard of glassthen gasped dramatically.
Oh! I cut myself!
A single red dot bloomed on her fingertip. It was barely visible.
But Liams reaction was instanthe grabbed her hand, eyes full of panic, and brought it to his lips.
Dont touch that, he scolded gently. Your hands are made for racing, not cleaning floors. Let Clara do it. If you get hurt, it hurts me too.
His words stabbed straight through me.
Eight years of devotion, and all it took was one drop of her blood to erase it all.
He didnt even glance my way again.
He took Vanessas hand and led her upstairs, calling to the maid,
Bring up Vanessas luggage. Shell be staying in the master bedroom from now on.
Then, without missing a beat:
She needs to restshes got important races ahead. Clara, move your things out. And make sure her meals are nutritious and varied. No repeats.
It was an order, not a request.
Noahs face lit up. He ran over and threw his arms around Vanessa.
Aunt Vanessa, youre staying with us? Thats awesome! I wish you were my momyou could even teach me how to race!
The three of themlaughing together, radiant and warm
the picture-perfect family.
Only I didnt belong in it.
I left the room without a word.
Not long after, a knock sounded at my door.
Suppressing my irritation, I opened it.
What is it? I asked flatly.
Liam hesitated at my tone.
I just wanted to sayVanessa and I are just teacher and student. Shes talented, Clara. There arent many racers like her. I hope you can understand. I cant exactly take you to the trackyou wouldnt know what to do there. Youd only embarrass me.
I stared at him, numb.
Hed said those same words years ago
the first time we fought about Vanessa.
Youre just a housewife. You dont understand the passion of the track. Dont twist something pure into your dirty imagination.
Those words had carved themselves into my memory,
each repetition cutting a little deeper.
He reached out, taking my hand. He looked like he wanted to say more
but before he could, a soft, sugary voice drifted from behind him.
Liam, this wedding dress is so beautiful. Can I wear it?
Liam, this wedding dress is so beautiful. Can I have it? Vanessas voice rang out from the stairs, light and sugary, like she already knew the answer.
Liam didnt even hesitate.
Clara, give your wedding dress to Vanessa. Shes young, beautifulitll look better on her anyway. You just stay home doing chores all day. You think a tired housewife with a shapeless figure should still be wearing a wedding dress?
Vanessa giggled softly, looping her arm through his.
Oh, Liam, you always treat me the best.
I stood there frozen, the words slicing into me one by one.
That gown wasnt just fabricit was mine. Id designed it for our wedding, spent eight years adjusting every lace and stitch. It held all the love, the patience, the foolish hope I had poured into him.
So no, I couldnt blame Vanessa for liking it. It was beautifulbecause it was made for love.
Liam noticed my red eyes and sighed, his tone turning cold.
Dont be so petty. Just name your price.
Petty? Eight years of being treated like a servant in my own marriage, and now even the wedding dress Id waited half a lifetime for was up for sale.
What price could you put on that kind of humiliation?
None worth counting.
I didnt respond. I just glanced at my phone
a single message glowing on the screen:
The registration forms in. Ill come pick you up.
I unlocked the glass cabinet and took out the gown, placed it neatly aside, then turned and walked back to the guest room.
Their laughter echoed behind me, sticky and sweet as poison.
---
That night, I sat at my desk, reviewing recent race club data. My focus was sharp, deliberatelike a blade I was slowly sharpening.
Then came the knock.
Vanessa stood in the doorway, her lips curved in a mocking smile.
I didnt bother hiding my irritation. What do you want?
She leaned casually against the doorframe, looking down at me like I was something beneath her heel.
Been a while, hasnt it? she said, her voice smooth and taunting. Youve gotten cleverer since the last time.
I dont know what youre talking about, I replied flatly. Im tired. Id like to rest.
Vanessas smirk deepened. She stepped closer until her perfume invaded my space.
I heard, she whispered near my ear, that you cant get pregnant anymore.
My fists clenched, nails digging into my palms.
She smiledsatisfied, cruel.
How about a bet? Want to guess how long itll take me to get pregnant with Liams child? Or maybe youd like to guess where that vegetable juice from three years ago came from?
I froze. The air left my lungs. My voice came out trembling, thin as a thread.
Get out.
She straightened, her smile widening like victory, and left.
The moment the door clicked shut, my knees gave way. I slid down to the floor, covering my face as quiet sobs escaped me.
Because she was right.
I would never have children again.
The first time, Id miscarried after drinking the vegetable juice Liam brought home.
The second time Noah had spilled oil on the stairs. I slipped.
The baby was gone before I even made it to the hospital.
I bit my lip, swallowing the sound of my grief, but pain doesnt disappear when you silence it. It only digs deeper, like countless needles piercing skin and bone until theres nothing left but emptiness.
---
I woke up the next morning to laughter drifting from the backyard.
Through the window, I saw Vanessa playing with Noah in the garden. Liam sat nearby, watching them with a gentle smile.
They looked perfectlike the family Id pretended we were for eight years.
I closed the window, but no glass could block out their laughter.
I grabbed my bag and headed out. There were still forms to submitlicenses, race registration, proof of identity.
Just as I reached the door, Vanessa appeared, her expression dripping with smugness.
Heading out? Great timing. I want the pastries from that little shop in the north alley. Could you grab some for me?
Then she smiled, tilting her head. Thank you, Madam Mentor.
She dragged out the words deliberately, as if branding me with them.
My gaze fell to the faint red marks on her neck. My hands curled into fists before I could stop them.
I didnt answer. I just walked past her, the air too thick to breathe.
---
I didnt go home right away after finishing my paperwork.
I wanderedcity blocks, empty cafs, the quiet hum of traffic filling the silence I couldnt bear at home.
When I finally returned that evening, Liams voice cut through the air like a whip.
You come home and cant even say hello?
I ignored him, slipped off my shoes.
His tone hardened. Clara. Come here.
I placed my shoes neatly in the cabinet, keeping my face calm.
There are things I dont like repeating, he said, his voice lowdangerously low.
I didnt want to provoke him, not now, not when I was so close to being free. I crossed the room and sat down beside him.
He studied me, frowning. Where were you all day? You didnt make dinner for Vanessa or Noah. We had to eat takeout because you couldnt do the one thing youre good at.
I kept my voice even. I was just out walking.
Something flickered in his eyessomething uncertain, fleeting.
He picked up a piece of carrot and dropped it into my bowl. You havent eaten yet, have you? Eat something, then go to bed.
I stared at the orange slice in my bowl. My lips curved in a small, humorless smile.
Liam, Im allergic to carrots.
He froze. Just for a second.
But before he could speak, I pushed back my chair and left the dining room.
---
After my shower, I came out to find him sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through my laptop.
My chest tightened. Is there something you need?
He looked up. Your rooms missing a lot of things lately.
My pulse skipped. For a second, I thought hed seen somethingsomething that would ruin everything.
I got bored of the decor, I said lightly. Just changing things up.
He nodded slowly, seeming to accept it.
But then his voice dropped lower.
Someone just messaged you. Asked when youre coming back to the track.
He stood and stepped closer, searching my face. What track, Clara? Whats going on that I dont know about?
I forced my expression to stay neutral. Its a game. Just a racing sim. Dont overthink it.
He stared at me for a long moment. I couldnt tell if he believed me or notbut finally, he said nothing more.
I thought hed leave after that.
But instead, he reached out and wrapped an arm around my waist.
I flinchedhardpressing my hands against his chest.
The shock in my reaction made him scowl.
There was a time when Id have melted into that touchwhen Id been desperate for it. But now, all I felt was cold.
He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear.
I couldnt stand it. I pushed him away, hard enough to make him stumble.
Breathing unevenly, I whispered, Im sorry Im not feeling well tonight.
He froze, eyes wide in shock as I shoved him away. Before anger could twist his face, a knock rattled the door.
Liam! Vanessas voice trembled, urgent and sweet at once. Noah wont stop cryingIve tried everything! Please, come help me!
Liam frowned, torn for a moment, then sighed and released me.
Ill go see whats going on.
But instead of leaving, Vanessa appeared in the doorway, gently pushing Noah toward me.
Clara, she said breathlessly, please take care of him for a bit. I really cant calm him down.
Before I could respond, she tugged Liams arm and hurried away, leaving me with the boy.
The moment Noah stepped inside, he began wreaking havocjumping on the bed, hurling things off shelves, scattering everything I had just neatly packed.
I tried to stay calm. Noah, its late. You should be in bed.
He glared at me, defiant. Who are you to tell me what to do? Youre just a servant! Im not going to sleepand you cant make me!
My patience frayed. Who taught you to speak like that?
He only grinned, stuck out his tongue, then darted to the balcony, his small face twisted with spite.
Youre just some poor maid pretending to be my dads wife! Lets see what happens if you cant take care of me!
Before I could even process what he meant, he climbed onto the railing
and jumped.
My heart stopped.
I lunged forward on instinct, catching his wrist at the very last second.
The sudden weight wrenched my arm; the old balcony rail gave a sharp crackthen snapped clean in half.
The world tilted.
We fell.
I managed to grab hold of a metal water pipe, the rust biting into my palm. My other hand clamped desperately around Noahs wrist.
We dangled three stories above the ground, bodies swaying against the cold night air.
Noah!
Clara!
Liam and Vanessas screams echoed from inside. They burst through the balcony doors, faces drained of color.
Vanessas eyes filled with tears as she cried out, Its all my fault! I shouldnt have asked Clara to watch him. If she was angry with me, she couldve taken it out on menot on a child!
Enough! Liams shout cut through her sobs. His gaze flicked between usbetween me clinging to the pipe, and Noah slipping from my grasp.
In that split second, he had to choose.
Save methe woman hanging closer to him, the one who had been his wife for eight years
or save the only child his dead fiance had left behind.
His jaw clenched. I saw the decision harden in his eyes before he moved.
He reached over mepast my trembling armsand grabbed Noah. With one strong pull, he hauled the boy to safety.
And then, just as relief crossed his face, Vanessa stumbled forward. Her shoulder slammed into me.
Pain exploded through my body. My fingers slipped.
And I fell.
The world spun into chaosthe wind, the rush, the final crack of impact.
Then nothing.
---
When I opened my eyes again, everything smelled like antiseptic. The light burned white and cruel.
Pain radiated from my forehead down my spine, but what chilled me most was the hollow ache in my abdomena deep, cold emptiness.
I was in a hospital bed. Liam sat beside me, his expression dark and unreadable. Vanessa leaned into him, her wrist wrapped in a bandage, her eyes rimmed red.
Clara, she whispered, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere, I know you hate me for taking your place. But Noahs innocent. How could you try to push him off the balcony? If Liam hadnt reacted in time, I Her voice broke theatrically. I cant even imagine what mightve happened.
My throat burned. I didnt push him, I rasped. Every word tugged at the stitches across my ribs.
Noah peeked out from behind Liam, eyes wide and accusing.
Yes, you did! Aunt Vanessa saw it! You tried to kill me so you could be alone with Dad!
Enough!
Liams voice cracked like a whip. His fist slammed down on the nightstand. A glass shattered on the floor.
Both witnesses saw it, he snapped. Dont insult us by pretending otherwise. Vanessas shaken up and bleeding, and the hospital doesnt have her blood type. Youre RH negativeyoull donate. Thats the least you can do to make this right.
For a moment, I couldnt breathe.
The nurse entered, pushing a cart. The glint of the needle made my stomach turn.
No, I whispered. II dont feel well
You dont have a choice.
Liams hand clamped down on my shoulder, the pressure bone-deep. This is what you owe herand what you owe us.
The needle pierced my vein. A flash of sharp, searing pain raced up my arm.
I clenched my jaw, trying not to cry out, when suddenly a cramp tore through my lower abdomenhot, blinding pain that made the world blur.
My body curled in on itself. Cold sweat soaked through the hospital gown. My fingers gripped the sheet. It hurts My voice shook. Liam, my stomach
He didnt even look at me. Stop faking. Well talk after youre done.
Liam, maybe we shouldnt Vanessa began softly, eyes glistening with false concern.
Shes being dramatic, he snapped. Its just a bit of blood. How bad could it be?
The blood bag filled slowly, red against the white hospital walls.
My vision dimmed. My body trembled violently. Thenwarmth spread beneath me.
The nurse gasped.
Oh my godshes bleeding! Shes bleeding out!
By the time the doctors arrived, I was already drifting in and out of consciousness. Through the haze, I caught fragments of their voices.
The patient is four weeks pregnant, one of them said grimly. She has a history of miscarriages. The trauma from the fall, plus the severe blood losstheres no way to save the baby.
Four weeks.
I was pregnant.
A child I hadnt even dared to hope formy last fragile thread to the man I once loved
was gone before I ever had the chance to protect it.
Tears slid silently down my temples as I stared at the ceiling.
Eight years of marriage. Five miscarriages. My youth, my dreams, my childrenall destroyed by the same man Id once believed in, and the woman standing beside him.
---
The day I was discharged, it was raining.
A thin, cold drizzle that seemed to soak straight through skin and bone.
I didnt ask Liam to pick me up. I took a taxi home alone.
My luggage was already packed, stacked neatly outside the guest room door.
There was only one thing left I wanted to take with me
the blue race car locked in the basement garage.
Chasing Wind.
Id won my first championship at eighteen behind that wheel.
It was the last remnant of my old lifethe only dream Id managed to keep when everything else was stripped away.
Id installed a private code lock on the garage. For eight years, I only entered when Liam and Noah werent homejust to sit in the drivers seat, close my eyes, and remember what it felt like to fly.
I entered the code. The metal door rolled upward, creaking.
And then I froze.
The carmy carwas destroyed.
The windshield shattered, glass glittering across the floor like a field of knives.
The hood and doors caved in, beaten over and over with something heavy.
The steering wheel was ripped off, the seats slashed and soaked in red paint
paint that spelled out: Trash like you doesnt deserve to drive.
My championship medal, the one Id hidden in the glove compartment, lay broken in half among the wreckage.
And standing there in the middle of it all was Noah.
Grinning. Holding an iron rod.
Vanessa said this junk car was taking up space, he said proudly. It made Dad think of you, so I helped him get rid of it. He even said I did the right thing!
I stepped forward, knees trembling, and crouched to pick up the torn medal. My fingers brushed the cold metal
and then pain.
Noah jabbed the iron rod into the back of my hand.
Dont touch it! Its trash!
The sting burned deep, but I didnt even flinch. My eyes stayed fixed on the wrecked car, on what was left of my last piece of dignitymy last dream.
That car wasnt just metal and wheels.
It was me.
---
Clara, what are you doing here?
Liams voice came from behind.
He was holding Vanessa close, her delicate hand looped around his arm. In his other hand, a thermos.
Vanessa was craving your lotus seed soup, he said casually. Go make some.
I turned slowly, my face expressionless. Liam do you see it? My car.
He glanced at the wreck and shrugged. So what? Its just an old car. You dont even know how to drive anymore. Vanessas recoveringdont upset her over something pointless.
Vanessa pouted sweetly. Liam, since my hands still weak, maybe you could sell this broken car and get me a new Porsche?
Anything for you. Liam smiled, brushing her hair back before turning to me, his voice hardening. What are you standing there for? Go make dinner. And dont think Ive forgotten about what you did to Noah. Vanessas rightyou need to learn your lesson.
Before I could react, two bodyguards appeared and grabbed me by the arms.
Liam pulled out a chain himself. The metal was cold and heavy as he clamped it around my wrists and ankles, fastening the other end to the bumper of a nearby car.
Liam, isnt this too much? Vanessa asked softly, though her eyes gleamed with delight.
Too much? Liam sneered. She pushed a child. This is nothing. Take her to the abandoned racetrack outside the citylet her reflect there.
The engine roared to life.
And then the car lurched forward.
The chain snapped taut, dragging me across the wet asphalt. The rain mixed with mud and blood, the friction tearing my skin raw. My hospital bandages soaked through crimson.
I heard Vanessa laughing inside the car, Liams harsh voice cutting through it:
Faster. Let her remember this next time she disobeys.
The pain dulled into something distant, almost unreal. Only one thought remained
that the man I had loved for eight years was capable of this.
At some point, the car stopped.
They tossed me out like garbage onto the cold, rain-slick track. My body hit the ground with a wet thud. The pain in my abdomen came back in violent waves. Warmth spread beneath meblood, soaking into the dirt.
The child Id lost once more was gone for good.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was back in a hospital. White ceiling. White walls. The kind of white that made you feel small, hollow, and tired.
Even the act of breathing hurt. My arms were wrapped in bandages, my skin raw where it wasnt covered.
The door opened.
Liam.
I turned my head away immediately. He sat down beside me, clearing his throat like he was about to discuss a minor inconvenience.
I was too angry that day, he said finally. You never cared about racing. That car was useless sitting there. Noah just wanted to play.
I said nothing.
He went on, almost sighing. I admit I shouldve pulled you up sooner. But you were the one who pushed Noah first. You cant hold grudges against a child.
A child. Thats all he sawnever what hed done.
The nurse entered then, breaking the silence. Mr. Liam? The pain medication you ordered is ready. You can pick it up from the pharmacy.
Liam stood up immediately. Vanessa hurt her wrist driving. Ill check on her. Rest here.
And just like that, he left.
The door clicked shut behind him. The sound felt louder than thunder.
My chest tightened. Something inside me cracked opennot rage, not grief, just a hollow kind of clarity.
I picked up my phone, my hand trembling, and dialed a number.
When the familiar voice answered, I whispered, steady and cold:
Im ready. Come get me.
---
I checked myself out of the hospital that afternoon and went home one last time.
The villa was silent. Liam, Vanessa, and Noah were gone.
I hurried upstairs to the guest room, grabbed my suitcasejust a few clothes, my ID, and the broken half of my championship medal.
As I reached the door, a sound stopped me
the deep rumble of an engine from the garage.
Something in me twisted.
I turned, my heart racing
Noah sat in the drivers seat of Liams black SUV, his small hands gripping the wheel, his feet barely reaching the pedals.
The engine screamed.
The headlights flaredaimed straight at me.
Noah! I shouted. Stop the car!
But he didnt stop.
He smileda twisted, hateful grin that didnt belong on a childs face.
You killed my mom! he yelled over the roar of the engine. Youre a bad woman! Ill kill you!
The SUV surged forward.
I could smell gasoline, hear the shriek of tires on wet concrete.
In his eyes, there was no hesitationonly pure, unfiltered hatred.
The child I had raised, loved, and protected for eight long years
was now driving straight at me.
The car hurtled closer.
Too fast. Too close.
There was nowhere left to run.
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