72
My words seemed to stab her heart. Hazel froze, her eyes wile, and I could see the tears welling up in her eyes. “I
I didn’t want to destroy anything,” she said, her voice shaking. “But I feel abandoned.”
“Abandoned? You chose to leave,” I said firmly. “Now, if you really want to be a mother to Charlie, show him that you can see beyond yourself. This isn’t about you or Sabrina This is about him.”
The look of desperation on her face made me hope she understood how important it was to put Charlie above her own selfish feelings.
Hazel’s slap came so fast that I barely liad time to react. My check stung, but the pain was nothing compared to the anger that bubbled up inside me. She stared at me with hateful eyes, her hands shaking, “You know nothing. Nicholas. Don’t you dare judge what I do.”
1 clenched my fists, trying to keep myself from lashing out with even sharper words. “Then explain, Hazel. Explain why you left, why you came back, and why you keep ruining Charlie’s life like this. Explain, because you’ve never given me a reason.
Hazel looked away, her jaw clenched. “I don’t need to explain anything to you,” she said coldly. “I’m Charlie’s biological mother. That’s enough.”
I stared at her for what felt like an eternity, trying to find any remnants of her heart in her, but I found none. I knew it was pointless to continue this argument now. Without another word, I turned to leave the apartment, frustration burning in my chest.
“Funny, huh?” Hazel said in a bitter tone as I was about to open the apartment door to leave. I stopped in the doorway, turning to face her. Her eyes were fixed on me, filled with anger that was almost burning.
“When I decided to come back, you acted like everything was fine. You welcomed me warmly, you smiled, and you even seemed happy to see me. And Sabrina? She just stayed silent. She didn’t even try to stop me. But now? Now everything is reversed, I am the one being blamed for everything, while you stand there pretending to be a hero to her!”
I stared at Hazel deeply, trying to find a way to understand what she meant, but her words only made me more confused and angry. “What do you mean, Hazel? Do you realize how selfish your actions are?”
Hazel’s face turned red. She took a step forward, now only a few feet away from me. “Selfish?” she said, almost shouting. “Selfish? You dare call me selfish? You have no idea what happened to me, Nicholas. You never asked; you never even cared to know why I left. And you know what hurts the most? When I came back, you didn’t even demand an explanation. You acted like I never left you guys. But now, here you are, defending her–defending Sabrina as if I were the villain in this story!!
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself, but her words were like poison pouring into my mind.” Hazel,” I said, trying not to explode, “when you came back, I tried to give you space. I thought you needed time to explain everything, so I didn’t demand anything. But what you did was try to erase Sabrina from Charlie’s life, as if those five years never existed. You weren’t trying to be a mother to Charlie; you were just trying to take her
away.
Hazel chuckled sarcastically, then shook her head. “Take him? Charlie is my son, Nicholas. I gave birth to him. Sabrina was just a girl who happened to be there when I couldn’t. And you know what hurts more? When I came back, you didn’t even look at me like you used to. You changed, Nicholas. You started looking at Sabrina, treating her like she was the only one who mattered. So don’t you dare put all the blame on me. You’re just as guilty.”
I paused, not responding immediately. There was something about her words that cut me, but I couldn’t let her
+25 BONUS
part
twist the facts. “Hazel,” I said in a low but firm volce, “I don’t hate you. But I love Charlle. And I appreciate Sabrina for what she’s done for me over those five years.”
I could see her face change, as if my statement had touched hide her heart. Sadness and regret were evident in her gaze, but I knew that those feelings had to be turned into action. Charlie didn’t deserve to be a tool in our conflict.
Frustration and hope clashed inside me. I wanted Hazel to understand that my love for Charlie was more important than all the drama and the past. She needed to realize that to protect our child, we needed to work together, not tear each other down.
“I’m not going to let that woman win, Nicholas,” Hazel insisted, her voice full of hatred. “She’s taken too much from me. Now, I’m going to take back what’s rightfully mine.”
I looked at Hazel in disappointment. “Hazel, Sabrina doesn’t have much time. She loves Charlie very much, and and I I’m trying to give her the best. And if you keep doing this… you’re only going to hurt her. Charlie lost once, don’t want him to lose again.”
Hazel didn’t answer. She just stood there, staring at me with a look I couldn’t read. Finally, I took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked away. My heart was heavy, but I knew I had to do something. I wasn’t going to let Hazel ruin Charlie’s life any further.
Every step down the hall felt like a heavier burden. I tried to calm myself, thinking about what I could do to protect Charlie. He didn’t deserve this mess.
Outside the apartment, the fresh air greeted my face, but the anxiety still loomed. I needed to talk to Sabrina, explain the situation, and together figure out how to make sure Charlie felt safe and loved. He was my top priority, and I wasn’t going to let anyone get in the way of his happiness.
