20N
Shannon’s POV
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.N
“Rusty,” I said firmly, “I’m not some dog you can summon and dismiss whenever it suits you. We’re divorced. We’re strangers now You have no right to interfere in my life.”
Thinking of my child made my voice catch in my throat.N
“As for the baby, I’ve told you before, you lost the right to even speak his name. I will never, ever forgive you or Gale. And the idea of having another child with you?” I laughed bitterly. “Don’t even dream about it.“N
“You cheated on me during our marriage. So why shouldn’t I be allowed to fall in love again? Who do you think you are that I should stay pure for you?”
My words were like a blade, cutting straight into his pride. But I didn’t stop there, I twisted the knife even more.N
Yet, Rusty couldn’t face the real reason we ended. Instead, he kept trying to deflect blame.M
“Shannon, I know I’ve made mistakes,” he said quickly, “but the one who really hurt you was Gale. I’ll call her here right now and make her apologize on her knees if that’s what you want.“N
Before I could say anything, he already had his phone out. A few quick words later, he looked at me with this pathetic, hopeful expression. I turned to leave as I didn’t want to get dragged into any more of his mess. But then I thought of Clayton, and I stopped.
“You threw the first punch, Rusty,” I said coldly, turning back around. “Yeah, maybe you ended up with worse injuries, but if this goes to the cops, it’ll just be a back–and–forth waste of time.“N
“How about this instead? We each pay our own medical bills and drop it,” I plainly suggested.M
But his expression darkened. It was obvious he hated how I was standing up for Clayton right in front of him. He opened his mouth to argue, but a sweet voice interrupted.
“Rusty!“}]
It was Gale. It turned out she followed him here. But since he didn’t want her around, she’d been hiding out at a hotel these past few days. And now she was here, fussing over him like a doting wife.N
I couldn’t help but lower my gaze and chuckle mockingly.
E
No wonder he looked so worn out lately. He’d been chasing me around during the day and taking care of her at night. Honestly, I was surprised he hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion.
Noticing Rusty ignored her completely, Gale’s expression shifted. She walked up to me with her face going from fake sweet to downright vicious.
“Gale,” she snapped, “you’re just like your mother. Can’t keep a man, so you throw tantrums instead. If you keep letting your new boyfriend treat Rusty like that, I will make you both regret it.”
The moment she dared to bring up my mom, I stopped holding back.
Without a word, I raised my arm and slapped her across the face hard.
The sound echoed through the room. Her cheek immediately swelled up red and puffy.
She wasn’t expecting it. After all, I used to tiptoe around her, always trying to keep the peace. But this time, I’d had enough.
The slap completely shattered whatever composure she had left. Her eyes widened with rage, and she lunged at me, fingers reaching for my hair.
Instinctively, I stepped back.
Before she could touch me, Rusty stepped in between us and shoved her to the floor. His face was cold, nothing like the man who used to pamper her.@
“What the hell are you doing?” he snapped. “I didn’t call you here to start drama. I brought you here to apologize to Shannon, so she’ll forgive me. If she’s too upset to see me again and refuses to take me back, I won’t forgive you!”
Gale stared up at him, completely stunned. Her face was a mix of confusion and betrayal.
He’d always taken her side before. But now, even when she was standing up for him, he’d turned against her for me.
“Shannon,” he said quickly, turning back to me, “everything just now was all her doing. I didn’t know she’d act like that. I brought her here so you could vent your anger however you want. Whatever you do to her, I’ll support you.”
Despite that, I wasn’t moved.!!
Honestly, I couldn’t care less about his pathetic attempts to win me back. All I could think about was Clayton, still waiting outside.&
“I want you both out of my life,” I said as I turned to leave. “From this moment on, stay away from me. If I see either of you again, I’ll go straight to the police and report you for stalking”
Rusty’s jaw clenched. His fists tightened around his shirt as he watched me go, clearly unwilling to accept the reality
Meanwhile, Gale staggered to her feet, humiliated and furious.
All that shame heaped on her by Rusty now turned into raw hatred for me.”
Her eyes bloodshot, she grabbed the first thing she saw, which was the first aid kit on the table, and hurled it at me with a scream
