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CHAPTER 121

Author: Natalie May
last update Last Updated: 2024-10-29 19:42:56

HAZEL

“I’m coming with you,” I said to Christian as he came out of the safe with a bag full of money. I never even had any idea that we had that much money in the house, but I guess it was somehow working in our favor.

“No, you’re not.”

“Uh, yeah I am.” I stubbornly got in the car beside him as Dennis started the engine.

“Hazel, it’s dangerous.”

“All the more reason why you shouldn’t go alone. And I think we should call the police.”

“Did you not hear what the man said? You think it was just empty threats? You of all people should know that Mark is going to act on his words, and I can’t risk it. And there’s no need to worry, I already have arrangements in place. Just in case things get out of hand.”

For what must be the thousandth time that day, I flinched. You of all people. My reality slammed me full force in the face again and I remembered that the past year and half of my life had been a lie. I didn’t even know what was real anymore. “Right,” I mumbled and turned to face the wind
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    Walking into the house was like taking a breath of fresh air after you’ve been stuck in a dusty smoky room for a long time. And as I looked around the living room filled with all my loved ones, there was nothing that I could do to stop the tears.“I missed you, mommy,” Valerie said, placing a kiss on my cheek. She had jumped into my arms the second I walked into the room with Christian behind me, and had refused to let go.“Awww,” I kissed her back. “I missed you too, my baby.”“Was Gamma number two sad that you were leaving?” She asked, and I remembered Christian saying that he had told her I went to the beach to see my mom.I shook my head. “A little bit, but she said she’d be okay. She wanted me to come back home to you.”“I’ll pray tonight and thank Gamma for letting you come home,” she said before her face brightened with an idea. “Oh I know! We can take her cookies too!”“Okay mama, okay,” I assured her as the whole room burst into laughter.“Welcome back, Mrs Walker,” Tina smil

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    Hazel loved the spa. She sent pictures of them all enjoying the treatments, sipping champagne, even funny ones of Valerie getting a baby massage and having her toes done with the girls, holding up a glass of apple juice. They made me smile, even as my heart ached. I sent flowers to the hotel for Hazel. I added a box of her preferred chocolates. When she went back to mom and Grandpa’s, I sent a chef to make her favorite meal. A basket of bath products to indulge her love of soaking in the tub. I sent it with a stuffed bear, fluffy and cute with a card attached, reading: "Snuggle this until you’re home. I’ll take his place when you’re ready. All my love—Your Christian". One night, lying in our bed alone, I turned on some music. I shut my eyes and listened as the soothing voice of Neil Diamond played in the darkness. A song came on, and for some reason, the lyrics hit me as they never had before. “The Story of My Life” spoke of the depth of his love for the woman in his life

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