94. Nothing Hurts More

I walked down the street, my mind spinning with thoughts of what to do next. Every step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the ache in my chest that was far worse than any physical pain. Everything I had been through, since that fateful night at the club until now, was unraveling before me, tearing me apart piece by piece.

Now, Mrs. Carlos had threatened to harm my child until I did what she demanded. How long could she continue to use me for her own fame? How long could I keep holding on, pretending that I had the strength to survive this?

I had believed that my revelation in the media would make Ivan come back to me, that he would forgive me and help me put things right. But I was wrong. Instead of healing, I was met with even more pain. A deeper loneliness than I had ever imagined.

What were Ivan’s fans saying about me now? They must be calling me a liar, a fraud. I could almost hear their voices in my head, casting judgment, thinking I was just another fame-seeking snake.