Chapter 24
Mila
It’s been three days since I moved in temporarily with the Hawkins’, and three days since I last heard from Dean.
The day after the hospital visit, Jason took me straight to the police station to file an application for a restraining order.
I provided a medical report from the hospital, photos of my injuries, and statements from both Jason and me as evidence.
Now we’re just waiting for the court to issue a temporary order until the day of the full hearing.
The whole experience has been draining and emotional, and I haven’t slept or eaten well in days. My mind keeps replaying that night on a loop, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t escape it. If I didn’t have Jason and Jake, I honestly don’t know what I’d do.
They’ve been a constant source of safety and comfort. And even though, at times, I feel like a complete burden, they’ve never once made me feel like I am.
Jason’s been working from home this week, and I know it’s so he can keep an eye on me, making sure I’m still eating, breathing—surviving.
He’s been an absolute godsend: a reliable friend and the perfect companion.
He fills the silence with endless banter, but above all, he encourages me to talk, to drag out the thoughts that sometimes poison my mind, and he just sits there and listens, no matter how ridiculous I sound.
I’ve also decided to take a week off uni, just to give myself time to recover and process everything that’s happened.
Jason insisted I take more time, but I don’t want to fall too far behind on my studies, especially with only a few months left until I finish my master’s.
Besides, I’ll have Sofia to keep me company around campus.
She’s due to arrive any minute now, because for the first time since Dean physically hurt me, I’m finally ready to tell my best friend everything.
The doorbell chimes through the house, letting me know Sofia’s here.
I stand and make my way to the door, deliberately avoiding the hallway mirror like I’ve been doing these past few days.
I haven’t been able to face my own reflection since that night.
Seeing myself only brings the painful memories rushing back.
Until the bruises fade, it’s easier not to look at all.
The moment I open the door, Sofia’s wide smile immediately vanishes, replaced by a sharp intake of breath.
“Oh my God, Mila. What the hell happened to you?”
Her eyes sweep over the bruises and scratch marks marring my neck and face. Her brows knit together in concern, and I can practically see the questions forming in her mind as she takes in the sight of me.
“Come inside and I’ll fill you in on everything.” I move aside to let her in, and she slowly brushes past me.
I feel her gaze on me as I lead her to the living room, gesturing for her to take a seat.
She hesitates at first, then slowly makes her way to the couch.
“Would you like something to drink?”
She shakes her head, as she places her purse on the coffee table. “I’m fine. Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?”
I walk towards her, sliding onto the couch beside her and taking a deep breath.
Straightening my spine, I turn to face her, steeling myself to deliver the news I know will shatter her heart.
“Dean and I broke up.”
“What?!” She frowns, surprise and curiosity mingling on her face. “When did that happen?”
“A few days ago... when he nearly sent me to the emergency room.”
She gasps loudly, her eyes widening in shock. “You’re telling me he did this to you?”
I nod slowly.
Her hand flies to her mouth, a choked sound escaping her throat.
“What the fuck!” My lips quiver, and tears begin to well in my eyes.
The memory of the worst day of my life floods back with excruciating clarity, as if I’m reliving it all over again.
Words catch on the lump in my throat, but somehow, I force them out in a strained, ragged voice.
“After we got into a fight, he hit me... across the face. Hard enough to send me crashing onto the coffee table and almost fracturing my ribs. Then he grabbed my hair and threw me onto the couch, where he choked me until I lost consciousness.”
“Oh my God, Mila.” Both her hands shoot to her mouth as she shakes her head in disbelief. “Why would he do that?”
“Because we were arguing about Jason… again. He wanted me to quit babysitting for him, and I refused. Then he accused me of having a thing for Jason and called me sad and pathetic. When I told him to leave, he straight up refused, so I tried to walk away. That’s when all hell broke loose.”
“What the fuck is wrong with him?! Did you report him to the police?”
“I did. Jason helped me get a restraining order against him.”
“He knows?”
I nod. “He showed up at my place after I missed my shift. He arrived just as I was starting to regain consciousness, and when he saw me… he just lost it. He practically beat the shit out of Dean and threw him out of my apartment. He was the one who took me to the hospital and then to the police station.”
“And that’s why you’re staying here?” she asks as she glances around the room.
“Yeah. He wants to make sure Dean doesn’t try to contact me, but also wants to keep an eye on me.”
“That’s really sweet of him. It seems like he really cares about you.”
I let out heavy sigh. “He’s been incredible through it all. Honestly, I don’t know what would’ve happened if he had never shown up.”
Tears spill down my cheeks, a crushing heaviness pressing on my chest. I don’t even have time to wipe them away before Sofia pulls me into her arms, holding me tightly as we both break down in sobs.
As she holds me, I finally let go of the hurt and pain I’ve kept buried. The unbearable weight of trusting someone who didn’t deserve it, giving them a second chance, only to be torn apart all over again. Dean may be out of my life for good, but the scars he left will stay with me forever.
“This is all my fault. I’m so fucking sorry,” Sofia whispers repeatedly in my ear.
Shaking my head, I pull away from her and meet her gaze. “No, Sof. It’s not your fault. You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“But if it weren’t for me, you would’ve never met him!”
I take her other hand and hold it gently in mine. “Sof, I would never blame you for introducing me to him. You couldn’t have known how dark and twisted he really was. The only person to blame here is Dean. He did this to me. Not you.”
She nods slowly, wiping her tears with her sleeve.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was just scared and really confused, that’s all,” I explain.
“It’s okay. I’m just glad you told me now. And I feel better knowing you have Jason around. Where is he by the way?”
“He popped over to the restaurant for a bit. He wanted to give us some privacy to talk.”
“God, he’s perfect! You sure you don’t want to be with him instead?” She shoots me a playful grin.
I let out a genuine laugh. “I think I’m going to give the whole dating thing a rest for a while.”
“I completely understand. And don’t worry, I promise I’ll never set you up with another arsehole again.”
We both laugh, and for the first time in three days, I feel a genuine lightness settle over me.
For the next two hours, she catches me up on everything happening in her world, pushing all thoughts of Dean to the back of our minds. We settle in to watch a movie afterwards, indulging in the snacks Jason brought home for me when he went out to get groceries last night.
Once the movie ends, Sofia decides to head home to start a uni assignment due next week.
As I watch her drive away, I immediately feel the weight lift off my shoulders, now that she knows everything.
With Dean finally out of my life, I can finally begin to rebuild, to move forward, and to reclaim the peace I’ve been denied.
And the best part—I’ll be doing it with Sofia and Jason right by my side.