Her Love, Taken For Granted

I had became accustomed to silence. To submission.

Ashton thought I was forgiving him once again as he lit the candles, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Make a wish," he said.

Every year before, I’d wished for happiness, for a love strong enough to bind me and Ashton together forever. But this time, my wish was different. Silently, I whispered, "I want freedom. I want to be happy, free of Ashton... forever."

As I blew out the candles, a strange shiver crawled down my spine, a stirring in my blood that felt almost... alive. But before I could process it, I noticed Ashton was gone, the cake I’d spent hours making lay splattered on the floor, and the front door was left swinging open.

I checked my phone. There it was. JoAnn's new post: "I'm so clumsy! Nearly fell over again. Luckily, my Prince Charming was there to save me."

In the comments, Ashton, who couldn’t be bothered to even look at me when I was in the hospital after an accident, replied: "Whenever you need me, I'll always be there."

I liked the post. Moments later, a message from Ashton popped up: “JoAnn hurt her foot. I’m taking her to the hospital. Come over and clean her place. And make some bone broth to bring to the hospital.”

Something inside me snapped. The realization hit like a lightning bolt. Ashton’s supposed “allergy” to peanuts was just a preference—JoAnn’s. Every criticism, every attack, was never really about me. Ashton treated me like a piece of trash, I was never his priority.

A low growl rose in my throat, catching me off guard. I ignored it and trudged downstairs.

When I reached the apartment, Ashton was cradling JoAnn, speaking softly as though the rest of the world ceased to exist. The faint scent of her perfume filled the air, mingling with something else, something earthy and... wild.

Ashton saw me, his face darkening with irritation. "Finally, Katy. Don’t dawdle. If JoAnn’s treatment is delayed because of you—"

JoAnn tugged on his sleeve. "Ashton, I’m fine. Please, don’t be mad at Katy." Her soft eyes turned to me, filled with feigned innocence. "I know she’s never liked me."

Ashton snapped, "Enough, Katy. Clean up properly. I’d never marry a jealous woman who can’t even manage her chores!" With that, he whisked her away, disappearing down the hallway.

Watching them go, I muttered to myself, "As if I’d marry a lying, cheating man."

The room was a mess, water soaked the bathroom floor, and two used condoms lay discarded in the trash. A sudden wave of revulsion rose in me, but it wasn’t the usual bitterness or sadness. This felt... different. Sharper. Deeper.

My vision dimmed at the edges as a fierce heat surged through my veins. The luxury, the brand-name items that cluttered JoAnn’s room, Ashton’s empty promises... it all suddenly felt trivial, hollow and selfish. I was dumbfounded. After all this years, I was just a use and dump piece of trash.

I pulled out my phone and took pictures of every corner of the room, from her luxury perfumes to the remnants of their night together. When I was done, I packed my things in silence, aware of every slight creak in the floorboards, the soft hum of the apartment's walls around me.

With each passing second, the strange tingling in my blood grew stronger. It was like an energy rising within me, clawing its way out. I thought back to the years I’d wasted, the nights spent alone while Ashton gave his affection freely to others except me. Something deep within me roared in response. I was devastated.

Finally, I called Brittany, my childhood friend. She picked up after the third ring, her voiced laced with irritation.

"I’m leaving him forever," I whispered. "I was wrong to throw away my career, my dreams... my life. I want to come find peace, Brittany."

She called me a fool. She said I deserved whatever was happening, she had long warned me about Ashton. Then she hung up. I sat in the empty room, the last of my hope leaking away like ice from water.

A message buzzed on my phone moments later: Brittany bought you a ticket. Three days from now. Noon.

Relief mixed with fury in my chest. And then I felt it—a ripple of power surged from my bones, through my muscles, tearing at my skin, pulling and shifting. Pain shot through me, agonizing yet liberating, and in the dim light, I watched as my hands became claws, as the room around me filled with the scent of damp earth and rain.