Twenty-Six receipts of betrayal Novel novel Chapter 4

For the next few days, Nicholas didn’t come home. Just sent a quick text saying he was on a business trip.

Valentina, of course, tracked his every move for her.

Elara still didn’t reply. Just printed out the screenshots like always and filed them away.

In her free time, she worked through the bucket list alone.

By the tenth item–see the flowers–After scrolling through her phone for a bit, she decided to check out the blossoms everyone was raving about in Prospect Park.

It was a weekday. The park was quiet. She wheeled herself slowly down the winding paths.

Around three or four, street musicians started setting up in the plaza. Guitars, mellow love songs, the works.

Elara glanced over–and froze.

Nicholas. Standing maybe thirty feet away.

With Valentina right beside him.

They were sharing a bowl of something, laughing, completely absorbed in each other.

Valentina picked up a piece with her own fork and fed it to him.

Seeing that look on his face–so easy, so content–hit Elara like a punch to the chest.

She hadn’t expected to run into them here.

Then Nicholas stood up. Walked over to one of the musicians, said something, and the guy handed over his guitar.

Nicholas adjusted the mic. The crowd went quiet, curious.

“This one’s for Valentina,” he said. “The girl I love.”

Then he started playing.

His voice was warm and smooth, blending with the gentle strum of the guitar.

A love song. Intimate and achingly tender.

Everyone stopped to listen.

A couple of girls standing near Elara lit up, whispering excitedly.

“Oh my God, he’s so hot. I wish my boyfriend would do something like that.”

“This song is gorgeous. Is it an original?”

“Yeah.” Elara said quietly.

She wasn’t sure if she was answering them or talking to herself.

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tdown to His Eternal Regret

Chapter 4

She had first heard this song at sixteen, during the Homecoming Dance.

Nicholas had written it himself–lyrics, melody, everything. He’d gone on stage last, in front of the entire school, and said those exact words.

Except back then, the girl he loved was HER.

The auditorium had erupted. Everyone was screaming, whistling, losing their minds.

A few days later, he’d joined the school radio station. For the rest of the year, Elara heard that song every day during lunch.

Everything had been perfect back then.

But that was a lifetime ago. The song wasn’t hers anymore.

And neither was he.

One of the girls nudged her, concern flickering across her face. “Oh my God, are you okay? Here-”

She handed Elara a tissue.

That’s when Elara realized she was crying.

She took the tissue, wiped her face, shook her head slowly, and wheeled herself away.

Item nineteen: Visit the old high school.

Elara flashed her old student ID at the gate and rolled onto campus.

The track where Nicholas used to drag her through runs. The library where they’d studied for the SATS. The stairs he’d carried her up when she’d twisted her ankle during gym…

Every corner held a memory. But now, with her legs gone, all she could do was look.

Eventually, she made her way to the garden and stopped in front of a fringe tree–about as tall as she was now, sitting in her chair.

This tree had been planted during an Arbor Day event their junior year. Nicholas had planted it himself.

Everyone else’s trees had died. This was the only one left.

Not because it was stronger, but because he came out here every single day to water it, fertilize it, check on it.

For years. Without fail.

When she’d asked him why he cared so much about a stupid tree, he’d pulled her over and brushed away the weeds at the base.

There, carved into the bark near the roots, was a message.

Eight years later, the tree had grown to waist–height–level with her wheelchair.

Elara pulled out the small pocketknife she’d brought and began scraping at the bark.

Slowly, carefully, she carved away every single letter until the bark was smooth again.

Nicholas Sterling will always love Elara Kingston.

She stared at the raw, exposed wood for a long time. Then she started laughing. Tears streamed down her face.

al Dagrat

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Chapter 4

Nicholas, you liar.

Nicholas, you couldn’t even manage “always.”

And you sure as hell don’t love me anymore.

So why’d you lie about both?

After a while, she left campus and caught an Uber to the Department of Vital Records.

She wanted to close out her legal records early.

The clerk frowned. “We only process that for deceased individuals.”

Elara calmly pulled out her assisted death approval letter and her psychiatric records for severe depression.

Her tone was flat. “My parents are dead. I’m about to be divorced. After I’m dead, there won’t be anyone left to handle this stuff. I figured I’d take care of it now. Save everyone the trouble.”

The clerk stared at the documents for a long moment. Then excused herself to talk to her supervisor.

A few minutes later, she came back and said they’d make an exception. All Elara needed to do was have the clinic send over a death certificate once it was done.

Elara thanked her and left.

She was just about to call another Uber when she heard a voice behind her.

“Elara?!”

Nicholas was climbing out of his car, staring at her in shock.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

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