Chapter 7
554words
Caleb looked like he hadn't slept in days.
Seeing me from afar, his eyes reddened.
As he approached, I heard the tremor he tried to hide.
"Sophie... can't we really..."
I cut him off.
"We can't go back, Caleb."
He said nothing more. He signed over the house, the car, the savings to me.
Without hesitation, I filed charges against Jessica.
Arson.
She wouldn't escape.
When I saw Jessica again, she was curled tearfully in Caleb's arms, pleading,
"Caleb... I can't go to prison..."
"My parents... their only wish was for me to be safe and happy... Please... help me..."
Caleb stiffly pushed her away.
"Your parents... wouldn't want you like this."
Jessica froze. Then she saw me and shrieked, scrambling up.
"Why won't you leave me alone?! Caleb gave you everything! Isn't it enough?!"
"That fire was an accident! Why can't you let it go?!"
I shook my head, then nodded.
"Caleb gave me assets to make amends for his failures. That has nothing to do with you."
"Was it an accident? Let's check the security footage."
Jessica paled. "Impossible! Everything burned! How could you have footage?!"
"Besides, if you had it, you'd have shown it sooner! You're bluffing! It was an accident!"
I pressed my lips together, looking at her.
"You didn't know security systems can be cloud-based? Pathetic."
"I couldn't show it before because I was locked up. No opportunity."
Caleb closed his eyes, resigned. Jessica lunged at me like a wild animal.
I kicked her down hard, then kicked her again.
"You always lied, saying I hit you. Today, I'm making it true."
Jessica writhed on the floor, screaming for Caleb,
"Caleb! Look what she..."
His reply was icy.
"Look? What is there to look at?!"
"If you knew this would happen, why did you frame her so viciously?!"
While they argued, I handed over my evidence.
Soon, Jessica's verdict came down.
Convicted of arson, sentenced to five years.
But she was pregnant; she'd serve after the child turned one.
As for Caleb, negligence nearly causing deaths. Fired from his job. Blacklisted.
Jessica tried to trap him with the baby, demanding marriage. Caleb refused, pressuring her to abort.
The baby was Jessica's last lifeline. She begged Mrs. Harrison, only to be mocked.
With both refusing, Jessica spiraled towards madness.
She stormed the Harrison family business daily, screaming Caleb got her pregnant and abandoned her.
Faced with a pregnant woman, security couldn't touch her. They let her rant.
The scandal spread, Caleb abandoned his pregnant wife to save his mistress. Business plummeted.
Soon after, during one of Jessica's tantrums, she stumbled. She miscarried.
Stripped of her leverage, she lost her reprieve. Her prison sentence started sooner.
Mrs. Harrison aged overnight.
Caleb became a hollow shell.
Rumors said he asked about me constantly.
Mutual friends hinted, asking if I was okay, if reconciliation was possible.
I smiled.
Never.
Free from Caleb, I no longer agonized over his closeness with his "grateful" ward.
Focusing on myself, life improved.
I built a small business.
Busy days felt fulfilling, not exhausting.
I never wanted that old life back.
I never wanted to see Caleb again.
Goodbye, wretched past.
I don't know their future. But I know mine is bright.
