The walk out of that party felt longer than the drive there.
Diamond's heels clicked against the concrete, each step sharper than the last. The cool night air hit her face, but it didn't cool the fire in her chest.
Zay had followed her outside, calling her name.
"Dee, stop. Just let me explain—"
She spun around so fast he almost ran into her. "Explain what? How you've been lying to me for months? How you've been sneaking around with her while looking me in my face like nothing's wrong?"
Zay's jaw flexed. "It's not even like that."
"Don't you dare," she snapped, her voice breaking. "I saw the way you touched her, Zay. The way you look at her like you can't help yourself. You've been looking at me like I'm a backup plan."
He tried to step closer, but she held up a hand. "Nah. Stay right there. You already took my trust. You're not taking my peace, too."
For a moment, he just stood there, searching her face like maybe he could find the old Diamond somewhere under the anger. But that girl — the one with the bright eyes and the easy smile — was gone.
And maybe that was his fault.
Maybe it was hers, too.
By the time she got home, she'd already blocked his number. Deleted his socials. Wiped his pictures from her phone.
She didn't cry that night. She didn't scream. She just sat in front of her mirror, wiping off the heavy makeup she'd started wearing for him. Underneath, her skin still glowed. Her eyes still held something — maybe not the same spark, but something new.
It wasn't revenge. It wasn't desperation.
It was freedom.
And as she went to bed, Diamond decided one thing for certain — the war was over. And she'd won it the second she walked away.