Reborn at Eighteen The Billionaire's Second Chance novel Chapter 34

I looked at him. At his open face. His honest eyes. He actually

believed it would matter. That his testimony would change anything.

“Thank you,” I said. “Really. Thank you for everything. But you don’t

know what they’re capable of.”

“Then tell me.”

1. 1.

So I did. I told him about Victoria. About the watch. About the

bullying. About tonight.

He listened. Didn’t interrupt. When I finished, he was quiet for a long

time.

“That’s insane.” He shook his head. “That family is insane. Why do you

stay there?”

“Because my mom works for them. Because we live there. Because I

have nowhere else to go.” I pulled the jacket tighter around me. His

jacket. It smelled like laundry detergent and teenage boy deodorant.

“But I’m working on that. I’m going to leave. I just need to finish

school first.”

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Chapter 34

“You’re a senior, right? Same as me.”

“Yeah.”

“Where are you applying? For college?”

“Anywhere far from here.”

He smiled. Small. Sad. “Yeah. I get that.”

He reached into his pocket. Pulled out his wallet. Took out some bills.

Twenties. Maybe a hundred dollars total.

“Here.” He put them on the table. “I know it’s not much. But just in

case. You know. If you need it.”

“I can’t take your money.”

“Yes, you can.” He stood up. Found a pen in the d

esk drawer. Wrote on

the motel notepad. “And here’s my number. If you need anything.

Anything at all. Even just to talk. Call me. Okay?”

I took the paper. Looked at his handwriting. Messy but readable.

“Okay.”

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He moved toward the door. Stopped. “Are you going to be okay here

tonight? Do you want me to stay? I can sleep in the chair. Or in the

hallway. I just—”

“I’ll be okay.” I wasn’t sure if that was true. But I said it anyway.

“You’ve done enough. More than enough.”

He nodded. Opened the door. Looked back at me. “I mean it. About

calling. Don’t try to handle this alone.”

“I won’t.”

He left. The door closed. The lock clicked.

I sat on the bed. Alone. The room was quiet. Outside I could hear cars.

Voices. The city never really slept.

I pulled out my father’s watch. Held it in both hands. The glass cut

into my palm. A small cut. A thin line of red.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I whispered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect it, I’m sorry

I can’t protect anything.”

I didn’t sleep. Just lay on the bed. Stared at the ceiling. Watched the

headlights from passing cars move across the walls.

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Chapter 34

I thought about calling my mother. Decided against it. She would just

tell me to apologize. To make peace. To come home.

I thought about Victoria. About the satisfaction in her smile when the

watch fell. When it broke.

I thought about Julian. About his voice on the phone. Sharp. Alert.

Almost worried.

E

Almost.

My phone was dead. Completely dead. The screen wouldn’t turn on. I

tried pressing the buttons. Nothing.

It felt strangely freeing. Like a chain breaking. No one could call me.

No one could track me. For tonight, I didn’t exist to them.

The sky started to turn gray. Then pink. Then orange. Dawn.

I sat up. Washed my face in the bathroom sink. The water was cold. It

stung the cuts. I looked in the mirror. My face was bruised. Swollen.

Bandaged. I looked like I’d been in a fight.

I had been.

Around six, someone knocked. Hard. Fast.

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Chapter 34

I froze. Then the door handle rattled.

A key card beeped. The lock clicked.

The door swung open.

Julian stood there.

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