Escape from the Loveless Zone

Vivienne slumped against the bus stop bench, letting the relentless rain drench her.

An hour had passed, yet Remiel, the driver Cassian had promised, still hadn't arrived.

She fumbled for her phone, but it had already shut down, waterlogged from the storm.

With a wry smile, Vivienne slowly pushed herself to her feet and trudged to the roadside, hoping for a taxi.

The rain washed the streets as if purging them of all the filth and grime.

As she watched the rain blur into a curtain of water, a quiet sense of clarity settled in her heart.

She had no more feelings for Cassian.

In the deserted, rain-soaked outskirts of the city, only a few cars passed by and fewer still dared to venture through the downpour.

Vivienne waited, her fever mounting, barely able to keep her eyes open before finally, a car slowed down to a stop in front of her.

By the time Vivienne reached the hospital, her body was feverish, burning with a heat that only worsened as her wound began to show signs of infection. The doctor advised her to stay for treatment.

During her days in the hospital, not a single word came from Cassian, not a visit, not even a call to check on her, let alone an offer to "pick her up."

Yet, as his manager, Vivienne couldn’t completely escape hearing about his movements.

The very night he had abandoned her to see Freya, the latter posted on social media, even tagging Vivienne.

The photo showed Cassian braving the storm, rushing toward Freya. [Cassian really makes me feel safe! I told him I was scared of thunder and he came through the rain just for me!]

At that moment, Vivienne had just finished her IV drip, curled up alone in the sterile quiet of her hospital room, the scent of disinfectant thick in the air.

She lay awake as the thunder rumbled outside.

As Vivienne saw Freya’s post, a quiet, almost bitter reply escaped her lips. "I wish you a lifetime of happiness together."

Freya never bothered to respond. The following day, Vivienne noticed that Cassian and Freya’s seemingly perfect moments were trending across social media.

#A Fan Spots Cassian and Freya at a Dessert Shop, So Sweet

#A World Without the Ex is So Sweet

Vivienne found herself scrolling through the comments, the words cutting deeper with each passing second.

People mocked her, calling her a clown, a toad dreaming of swan meat, a delusional fool.

Cassian did nothing to protect her, letting the insults rain down on her without lifting a finger.

Each harsh word only made the image of Cassian and Freya’s romance seem even sweeter as if their happiness came at her expense.

After over a week in the hospital, Vivienne’s fever finally broke.

The doctor cleared her to go home, advising her to continue her recovery with regular checkups.

The day she was discharged, Cassian’s call came through and without skipping a beat, he launched into a tirade. "Vivienne, are you growing a backbone now?"

"It’s been over a week and not once have you come back. Are you trying to pull one of your disappearing acts on me?"

"I only dropped you off by the side of the road that night and went to see Freya. Was that what upset you? Didn’t I arrange for Remiel to pick you up? What could you possibly be so unhappy about?"

Vivienne had waited in the storm for what felt like an eternity, but Remiel, the driver Cassian had mentioned, never showed.

If Cassian didn’t care, it was no surprise his employees treated her with even less regard.

In the past, Vivienne would have defended herself, arguing until Cassian understood and finally apologized.

But now, she simply stood in silence, letting him vent his frustration, letting him berate her without a word.

One more week, she thought. Just one more week and she would be free from Cassian for good.