Cursed Bonds: Her Second Chance

Outside, the night was cool, a breeze stirring the leaves and sending shivers down my spine. It wasn’t the cold that bothered me, though. It was the scent. Allison’s scent clung to me, sweet and familiar, but also a reminder of how deep I was getting into something I wasn’t sure I could handle.

I needed to clear my head. I needed to get rid of her scent.

The path to the riverside was well-worn, the ground soft under my boots as I made my way through the trees.

When I reached the water’s edge, I took a deep breath, the scent of the river filling my lungs, washing away the remnants of Allison that clung to me. I knelt and dipped my hands into the cool water, splashing it over my face and neck, scrubbing at my skin as if I could wash away the guilt that had settled there too.

My birthday was coming up soon. I hadn’t given it much thought—birthdays were just another day to me, nothing special. But this year, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it would be different from before.

Emery...

She’d always been there for my birthday, every single year, without fail. No matter what was going on between us, she’d show up, sometimes with a small gift, with just a smile and a joke, but always there. It was something I’d come to expect, something I’d taken for granted.

However, she had been gone for days now, and I’d been telling myself that she was just angry, that she needed space, that she’d come back when she was ready. But as the days crept closer to my birthday, the certainty that she’d return grew stronger.

"She has to come back," I muttered, my hands clenching into fists in the water. She wouldn’t just disappear forever. Not Emery. She was too stubborn, too loyal to just walk away. And yet, a part of me wondered if this time was different if maybe I had pushed her too far. I had hurt her—I knew that much. But I didn’t want to believe that I had driven her away for good.

"She'll come back", I told myself, trying to ignore the uncertainty gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. "She always does."

That was right. Emery was deeply in love with me, and she wouldn't leave my side no matter what.

...

"You don’t have to do this anymore. I’m not at home to complain about the smell," I whispered bitterly even though he couldn't hear me.

As the evening wind mingled with the gentle rush of the water, Landon’s voice broke the silence, a murmur to the night. "Emery, tomorrow is my birthday. How long are you going to keep this up?"

His words jolted me. Tomorrow is his birthday. Then the gift I’d ordered for him would be arriving soon.

Sighing, I followed him as he went home.

The next day, Landon woke up and patted the side of the bed out of habit, but all he felt was a cold empty bed.

He buried his face in my pillow, breathing in the faint remnants of my scent, clinging to the last traces of me.

Today was the weekend—Landon's birthday.

He got out of bed, determined to make the day special. He bought my favorite foods, the ones we used to share, and headed into the kitchen.

He was sure I would come back today. After all, I never missed his birthday, no matter how angry I was. But Landon, today, you're going to be disappointed.

Later that morning, he received a call from the Jewelry Company.

"Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hartwell ordered a birthday gift for you a month ago. Please come by to pick it up."

Curious, Landon made his way to the store. They handed him a pair of customized diamond rings and tie clips, each engraved with our initials—LB and EH.

Memories flooded back. When we were just starting our business, and building the pack, the first gift I ever gave him was a simple tie clip. It wasn’t expensive, but Landon cherished it like it was the most valuable thing he owned.

Now, years later, with our success, I had wanted to give him something more luxurious, something that reflected how far we’d come. But Landon betrayed me over again.

He held the gifts in his hands, sitting in silence for what felt like hours. I could almost see the tears welling up in his eyes.

That evening, he prepared a feast of my favorite dishes and uncorked a bottle of champagne he’d been saving. He sent another message to our now one-sided conversation. [Emery, I received your gift. I love it. Please come back. I'll explain everything, and I promise this won't happen again.]

Landon waited, his hope slowly giving way to anxiety, then impatience. The food on the table grew cold as the minutes ticked by. Frustrated, he slammed his hands on the table and went straight to the room.

The following day, he went to the office, and the first thing he did was glare at the photo frame on his desk and then turn it face down.

He was angry that I ignored him and didn't celebrate his birthday with him.

"Tsk. Don't make me lose my patience, Emery," he hissed. As his words fell, his secretary entered the office.

"Sir, there's a call from the police station. They need you to identify Ms. Hartwell's body."

Landon scoffed, not believing a word. "What kind of trick is this? Tell Emery to come home once she’s done playing her games. She’s embarrassing herself."

The secretary, visibly shaking, handed him the phone.