The One She Loved to Hate

Nolan scooped her up, hands clamped around her waist so tight she flinched.

He acted as if he couldn't see it— He didn't loosen his grip. If anything, it got worse.

He carried her straight to the master bedroom, and Hailey knew—knew exactly what he was about to do.

She shoved at him, panic rising fast.

Not long ago, he'd been in this same bed with Jordyn. And now—now he wanted her in it?

Her struggle only made his bloodshot eyes go darker.

"Oh, I see. You don't want me touching you? Then who? That fiancé who dragged you through the dirt?"

Hailey froze.

His words hit like a switch, dragging her straight back to the restaurant—those stares, the jeers, the humiliation.

Nolan didn't even notice her shutting down.

He took her silence as guilt, and snapped.

"You really are that cheap? After everything he did, you still want him?"

He ripped at her clothes, sank his teeth into her shoulder.

"Hailey, I need to know!"

His leg shoved between hers.

And all she could see was that used condom—tossed at her feet like garbage. Jordyn's. His.

Her stomach lurched.

With everything she had, she shoved him off and bolted for the bathroom.

Moments later, a crash rang out—furniture splintering, glass breaking.

When Hailey stepped out, the room was trashed. Nolan was gone.

She just stood there, pale and hollow, hunched like something had cracked inside her.

Eyes empty, she drifted back to her room.

She called the nurse. "Can I see my mom?"

"Ms. Hart, great news—she might wake up very soon!"

Hailey wiped her face fast.

"That's... that's amazing. Thank you."

But the tears didn't stop. She snapped a screenshot of her mom's livestream, and hugged the phone to her chest as silent sobs shook her.

At some point, she cried herself to sleep right there on the floor.

***

Noise from outside jolted Hailey awake.

Thirsty, she headed out for water—flipped on the light and froze.

Two undressed bodies.

One was definitely Nolan.

The other... Nadine. Her cousin.

Her younger cousin.

Hailey's vision went red.

She marched straight up and slapped Nolan hard across the face.

"You sick freak!"

Nadine scrambled for her clothes, panic all over her.

"H-Hailey, don't—don't hit Nolan. I... I wanted to."

Hailey's heart cracked in two. But her eyes locked on Nolan, full of venom.

She thought if he wanted revenge on the Hart family, she could take it.

But this?

He wasn't just destroying her. He was dragging down the rest of her blood.

Eight years—he kept her as mistress, used, humiliated.

And now he was going after the girls in her family too.

Nolan licked his lip, eyes gleaming like a blade.

He kicked Nadine out.

She banged on the door, sobbing, begging to be let back in.

But he didn't even look her way.

His focus was all on Hailey.

He grabbed her throat and slammed her onto the couch.

His body burned against hers, pinning her down, mouth crashing into hers to smother her scream.

She could still smell Nadine on him.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

He didn't stop.

When she saw him push into her—still wearing the same condom he'd used on Nadine—something inside her snapped.

"Nolan, I hate you!"

He froze.

Then he bit down on her lip—hard—until blood spilled.

In the pale moonlight, mouth stained red, he leaned in and sneered.

"You don't get to say that."