Chapter 13
The pressure on my face was suffocating. I clawed at the pillow, gasping for air, my muffled screams swallowed by the darkness.
“Did you really think you’d get away from me?” Stella’s voice hissed in my ear. “You ruined everything. Now, you’ll pay for it.”
Panic surged through me as I fought back, my hands flailing in the dark. My fingers scraped against the nightstand, searching desperately for something–anything–to use. My chest burned, the lack of oxygen making my head spin.
Finally, my hand closed around a glass vase. With all the strength I could muster, I swung it at Stella. The sound of shattering glass filled the room, and the pressure lifted as she stumbled back, shrieking in
pain.
I gasped for air, coughing and sobbing as
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my lungs filled again. But before I could fully recover, a sharp pain seared through my arm.
I screamed, looking down to see Stella‘ s hand gripping a knife, blood dripping from my arm where she’d stabbed me.
“You‘ re not getting away,” she snarled.
Adrenaline coursed through me as I clutched my bleeding arm and scrambled off the bed. My legs felt like jelly, my body weak, but I forced myself to move. I stumbled toward the door.
“Run all you want,” Stella taunted behind me. “You can barely walk. Don’t think for a second I’ll let you. If I fall, I’ll make sure we both go down.”
I reached the doorway, but my knees buckled, and I collapsed to the floor. Pain shot through me as Stella approached.
“I‘ ll end this now,” she spat, raising the knife above her head.
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my lungs filled again. But before I could fully recover, a sharp pain seared through my arm.
I screamed, looking down to see Stella’s hand gripping a knife, blood dripping from my arm where she’d stabbed me.
“You‘ re not getting away,” she snarled.
Adrenaline coursed through me as I clutched my bleeding arm and scrambled off the bed. My legs felt like jelly, my body weak, but I forced myself to move. I stumbled toward the door.
“Run all you want,” Stella taunted behind me. “You can barely walk. Don’t think for a second I’ll let you. If I fall, I’ll make sure we both go down.”
I reached the doorway, but my knees buckled, and I collapsed to the floor. Pain shot through me as Stella approached.
“I’ll end this now,” she spat, raising the knife above her head.
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I braced myself, tears streaming down my face, but before the blade could descend,
strong arms wrapped around Stella, pulling her back.
“Enough!” Rojen’s voice roared as he held her tightly.
Stella thrashed in his grip, screaming and kicking. “Let me go! She ruined everything!”
Zack appeared moments later. He lunged at Stella, grabbing her wrist and trying to wrest the knife from her hand.
“Stella, stop!” Zack shouted, his voice desperate. “Didn’t I tell you not to do this?”
“No, Zack! No! She steal everything, including you! I’m going to kill her!”
Stella fought like a woman possessed. In the struggle, her arm jerked, and the blade plunged into Zack’s side.
He gasped, his knees buckling as he
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crumpled to the floor. Blood seeped through his shirt, pooling beneath him.
“Zack!” Rojen yelled, shoving Stella to the ground and pinning her.
The room erupted into chaos as the sound of sirens filled the air. The police burst into the room, followed by paramedics. Stella screamed as she was dragged away.
“You’ll regret this, Amber!” she shrieked as the officers restrained her.
I collapsed against the wall, clutching my arm as the paramedics swarmed us.
The next few days were a blur of hospital rooms, police statements, and endless headlines.
“Colen Heiress Survives Attack: Stella
Arrested.”
“Love Triangle Ends in Tragedy: Zack Hospitalized.”
“Stella’s Descent: From Socialite to
Suspect.”
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The news was relentless, dissecting every detail of the attack and speculating on Stella’s mental state. Reports surfaced that she was showing signs of psychosis. and might be transferred to a mental health facility instead of prison.
I didn’t care where she ended up. As long as she was gone, I could finally breathe again.
Zack remained in the hospital, recovering from his injuries. I felt no sympathy for him. His choices had brought us all to this point.
For me, the nightmare ended when the police confirmed Stella‘ s arrest. Knowing she couldn’t hurt me anymore was a weight lifted off my chest.
A week later, I was finally discharged. Rojen picked me up.
“Welcome home,” he said as he opened the car door for me.
The Colen estate looked peaceful under the
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late afternoon sun, the chaos of the past few days feeling like a distant memory. But as I stepped inside, I was met with a surprise.
The living room was decorated with soft lights and flowers, a table set with candles. and champagne.
“Rojen, what is this?” I asked, turning to him.
He smiled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small velvet box. My heart skipped a beat.
“Amber,” he said, stepping closer. “You‘ ve been through so much. You‘ ve fought harder than anyone I’ve ever known. And through it all, you‘ ve shown me the strength and grace I’ve admired for so. long.”
He opened the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring.
“I don‘ t just want to stand by your side during the chaos,” he continued. “I want to
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be there for the quiet moments too. Will you marry me?”
Tears filled my eyes as I looked at him, my heart full for the first time in years.
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
Rojen slipped the ring onto my finger, and for the first time, I felt like my story was no longer defined by pain, but by hope.