Hazel's POV
"I know it's hard for you to believe, but I'd never lie to you again. After what I did before, I can't bring myself to deceive you anymore. I know too well now what it feels like to be mistreated and abused. I had been blind to it before," she said earnestly.
"Skyler, I honestly don't care about your history with Liam or how you're coping with him. You've always had this habit of telling me unnecessary details about your relationship, and to be frank, I don't want to hear them anymore. If you can't handle the abuse, then talk to someone who actually cares—maybe a family member. But please, leave me out of it," I said firmly, pulling my hand away.
Yes, I pitied her, but forgiving someone like her was impossible. She had done too much to me, and her suffering didn't erase that. Part of me even felt satisfied that she was finally tasting what I had been forced to endure.
When I was at my lowest, she was busy parading her "perfect" life with Liam in front of me. And now, after seeing his darker side, she expected me to help her?
How pathetic.
"But I don't have family to turn to. Even if I did, they wouldn't help. They're under Liam's influence too, and as long as I play the obedient partner, they don't care what I'm going through. I'm scared, Hazel. I'm terrified of what he'll do to me," she said, tears streaming down her face.
I sighed heavily and threw my head back. "So, your family is under Liam's thumb? Don't you have anyone else to rely on?" I asked.
She shook her head desperately. "No. Everyone's turned their back on me. They only care about the status and pride that comes from being close to him. I hate feeling so utterly alone, but that's my reality," she whispered.
I stared at her in disbelief. So, her parents were just like mine—more concerned about their image and the benefits Liam brought them than about their own daughter's suffering.
If she was telling the truth, then yes, I understood her pain. But that didn't mean I had to carry her burden. I couldn't just forget the cruelty she had shown me. To her, I had never mattered. I was just a pawn in the game she loved playing because she always thought she held all the cards.
Liam had loved her more than he ever cared for me. Even though his love for me had been an act, I had still cherished those fleeting moments of affection. For her to have received that devotion—real or not—made my lips twitch bitterly.
"You don't get it, Skyler. I don't care about you or what happens to you. When I was locked away and tormented by Liam, you were out enjoying events, making friends, living freely. Don't tell me you're utterly alone. Go to those friends you made and leave me out of this," I snapped, slamming the door in her face.
The silence that followed was almost unsettling. I waited, listening, expecting footsteps. Nothing. Not a single sound.
Had she left? I almost hoped so.
Then her voice broke through the quiet. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I didn't mean to make you angry—I was just telling the truth. I really have no one, Hazel. Even my parents can't help me. I didn't mention this before, but I've been fighting back lately, and Liam retaliated by having my parents thrown into prison. I know it's my fault for provoking him, but I'm so tired. Tired of the abuse, the insults, the constant fear."
Her parents were imprisoned? Was that why she came here?
"If you came to me for help, Skyler, then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I can't fight him either. He's too strong, too powerful. Standing up to him would be suicide for me. All I can offer you is sympathy, but you need to find someone capable of helping you," I replied.
As much as I pitied her, I wasn't strong enough to save her. Facing Liam would be like a mouse challenging a tiger. How could I possibly win?
"But it's not just me who needs help," she continued softly. "I came here to apologize, but Hazel...… your parents are in prison too. Liam ordered it. They've been there for days now. I thought maybe we could find a way to free them together."
My heart thudded violently in my chest. "What?"
She nodded. "It's true. They're still there, and I was hoping we could help them."
Help them? Why should I? They had never truly cared for me. Yet, despi
te everything, my heart raced, betraying me.