Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
ELENA
Three months, two broken fingers, and one black eye later, I’d had just about enough. While the bruises on my ribs had faded to a sickly yellow, the memory of Chase’s gentle touch still lingered, and the fresh shiner was the last straw.
It was time to call in the big guns.
I pulled up Tessa’s contact and hit the button for FaceTime. There’d be no hiding the truth; she’d see it written all over my face in the form of a greenish-purple bruise that would fade soon enough.
The house was blissfully silent. I had a rare day off, and Peter was at work for a few more hours.
The unmistakable ringing of the FaceTime call echoed through the cavernous living room.
It was designed to impress, not to comfort.
Every surface gleamed—marble floors polished to an icy sheen, a glass coffee table more for display than use, and a massive floor-to-ceiling window that let in the kind of light decorators fawned over.
But it all felt cold.
Lifeless.
I held my breath as the call connected.
“Hey, lady! How ar— Oh, holy hell! What happened?” Tessa brought the phone closer to her pretty face, like she could pull me right through the screen to inspect my injuries. Behind her, construction workers milled about her cidery.
“Do you, uh, have a few minutes? I know you’re busy.”
“Of course, I have a few minutes, especially for you. Just—” She looked over her shoulder before returning her focus to her phone. “Let me find somewhere quieter. Hold on a sec.”
The world went a little topsy-turvy as her phone jostled. In a few moments, she was tucked into what looked to be a small office space.
“Okay, I’m good. Now, what the hell happened?”
I took a deep breath. “Peter happened.”
A thousand emotions flashed across my best friend’s face in the span of a heartbeat.
Shock.
Horror.
Rage.
Her features settled into a cold fury I’d never seen on my friend’s normally cheerful face.
“I’m going to kill him.” Her voice was ice. “I am actually going to murder your husband.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but that won’t be necessary.”
“It won’t be necessary? Uh, I think it’s entirely fucking n—”
“Tessa.”
“Sorry, I’m listening. Promise.” She mimed zipping her lips.
I smiled, and pain in my face made me wince.
“Oh, babe.” Her eyes softened into something I hated to see.
“No, Tessa. Absolutely no pity. Lock it down right the hell now.”
“Okay, okay! Get on with it, then!”
“I’ve been documenting the abuse for the last year.”
“A year?!”
I shot her a warning glare, and she threw her free hand up.
“Remember when I came to Sable Point in December?”
“Of course.” She snorted. “You got wastey face.”
“Thanks to you,” I muttered.
She grinned.
“Anyway, I was there that day because I was interviewing for an attending position at Ashford Medical.”
“What?!”
“I passed my boards. The results have been sent to the hospital. I’m just waiting on the call. And then I’ll be free.” I let those words hang in the air between us.
Tessa’s eyes narrowed. “Does Peter know about any of this?”
“No. He thinks I’m just working my usual shifts.” A bitter laugh escaped my throat. “He’s so convinced I need his family’s connections to get a job that he never bothered to check what I was actually doing with my time.”
Before she could respond, the distinct sound of a key in the front door lock sent ice through my veins. Peter was home early.
ELENA
I got it!
TESSA
OMG! CONGRATS!
When do you start?
The plan was in motion.
I stared at my phone, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. The attending position at Ashford Medical was mine. After months of secret interviews and meticulous planning, everything was falling into place.
This is real. This is happening.
I sat in the hospital cafeteria, munching on a mix of Cheetos and M&Ms. My fingers flew across the screen, responding to Tessa’s excited texts in between bites.
ELENA
End of May, but I think I’m moving sooner. I need to get out of here ASAP.
I pulled up my calendar, mapping out the weeks until my escape. Moving my stuff gradually would raise suspicions, but I needed to be smart about this. Strategic. The divorce papers were already drawn up, hidden in a locked drawer in my home office.
A new text came in. I expected it to be Tessa, but it wasn’t.
CHASE
Hey
My breath stalled. We hadn’t spoken in months. Tessa had given me brief-but-telling insight into what was going on with him—she just had no idea how invested I was in the updates. Chase and I hadn’t spent enough time together for me to know for certain, but the signs were there.
He was an addict, and he was spiraling.
ELENA
Hi.
I hated that I’d hurt him, but I couldn’t afford to put his feelings above my own wellbeing.
CHASE
I hear congratulations are in order
ELENA
Yep. Moving to your neck of the woods.
Lame. So lame.
CHASE
Why didn’t you tell me?
I sighed, because I could have. I trusted Chase, and he had no connection to Peter. There was no way Peter would have gone to Chase if he suspected something.
But the need to protect my plan—myself—was so strong that I just couldn’t.
ELENA
I’m sorry. I couldn’t.
CHASE
Couldn’t? Or wouldn’t?
How was it possible for someone I barely knew to see right through me?
I stared at my phone, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. The cacophony of chatter throughout the cafeteria made organizing my thoughts near impossible.
He deserves an explanation. But do I have the right words?
ELENA
Both. I couldn’t risk Peter finding out. And I wouldn’t let myself lean on anyone. Not even you.
The typing dots appeared immediately.
CHASE
You don’t have to do everything alone
My throat tightened. The words hit too close to home, echoing what my mother used to say before cancer took her.
ELENA
I know. But this was my mess to fix.
CHASE
When?
ELENA
End of May officially. But I’m working on moving out sooner.
CHASE
Need help?
Yes. God yes.
But Chase was volatile right now. The last thing I needed was him showing up drunk or high when I was trying to execute a careful exit strategy.
ELENA
I’ve got it handled. But thanks.
CHASE
I want to be someone you can count on
A tear splashed onto my screen. When was the last time someone put me first like this?
ELENA
I’ll see you soon, Chase.
CHASE
Good. I miss you.
I miss you, too.
“Thank you guys for coming.”
“Of course,” Tessa said as she hugged me.
Elliot, her husband and Chase’s twin brother, stood behind her. He gave me a sad smile, but he had no way of knowing how seeing it on his face cracked my heart wide open.
I ached to see Elliot’s face on the man who occupied so many of my thoughts. I hated that Chase wasn’t here today, but it was better this way. It was risky enough having Tessa and Elliot here.
“The movers packed most things up into one of those storage pods,” I said when Tessa finally released me, “so I just have a few things left to load into my car.”
“Lead the way,” Elliot said.
The slam of a car door outside made me freeze. My pulse thundered in my ears as heavy footsteps approached.
“What the hell is going on here?” Peter’s voice cut through the air like a knife.
I spun around to face my husband, my hands trembling as they gripped the edge of the kitchen counter. His dark eyes darted between me, Tessa, and Elliot, who stood protectively in front of the last load of boxes.
“You son of a bitch—” Tessa stepped toward Peter, but I caught her by the elbow, halting her forward momentum and the tirade she was no doubt planning.
“I’m leaving,” I said, proud that my voice didn’t waver.
Peter’s face contorted, that familiar mask of rage settling into place. “Like hell you are.” He took a menacing step forward.
Elliot shifted, his broad shoulders tensing as he moved to block Peter’s path. The air crackled with tension.
“Back off,” Elliot growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Peter’s gaze locked onto mine, his lips curling into a sneer. “So this is what you’ve been planning? Running away with some other man?”
“This is my husband, you dickfuck. Elena’s leaving.” Tessa reached out and squeezed my hand tight. “And you’re going to let her.”
Peter’s laugh held no humor. “And who’s going to make me?”
“No one has to make you.” My voice was stronger now. “The police are already involved. My lawyer has the documentation, the photos, the medical records. I’m filing for divorce.”
The muscle in Peter’s jaw twitched. I knew that twitch. It always preceded violence.
Don’t flinch. Don’t give him the satisfaction.
“You ungrateful bitch.” Peter’s hands curled into fists at his sides. “After everything I’ve done for you—”
“Done to her,” Tessa snapped.
“This doesn’t concern you.” Peter’s gaze never left my face. “Elena, you’re making a mistake. We can work this out.”
Classic manipulation. Not this time.
“There’s nothing to work out.” I moved around the kitchen island, putting more distance between us. “I accepted an attending position at another hospital. I’m leaving Detroit.”
Peter’s face darkened. “You what?”
“You heard her.” Elliot’s voice rumbled with barely contained anger. “She’s leaving. Walk away now, before you do something stupid.”
“You’ll regret this, Elena.” Peter’s tone took on a menacing quality I’d yet to hear, despite the violence he’d directed my way. “Mark my words.”
Bile rose in my throat at Peter’s threat. But I wouldn’t let him see my fear. Not anymore.
“Go ahead.” My voice came out steady, stronger than I felt. “Threaten me. Give me more evidence for the restraining order I filed this morning.”
Peter’s face twisted into an ugly snarl, but I took a step forward.
This was it. The end. I looked to Elliot, who picked up the last of my belongings to haul out.
“Goodbye, Peter. I hope you rot in hell.”