Her expression didn’t change.
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Chapter 8- A Choice in the Flames
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Chapter 8 A Choice in the Flames
Willow had already let go–of the past, and of Jax Monroe.
Who he loved, who he planned to marry, had nothing to do with her anymore.
So when she overheard those “official–sounding” whispers at the party, predicting a future engagement between Jax and Elena, she felt… oddly calm.
From a distance, she quietly joined the others in singing the birthday song. And just as she lifted her head, her eyes locked with Jax’s across the room.
His brows furrowed slightly. He leaned over and whispered something to Grace, who then followed his gaze and immediately stepped out of the crowd.
Willow met her halfway, offering a soft hug and placing a carefully wrapped gift in her hands.
“Happy birthday, Grace.”
Grace had waited all night for her. She reached out to pull Willow toward the cake table, but Willow shook her head with a gentle smile.
“Too noisy in there. I’ll skip the crowd. I’ll wait in your room–there’s something I want to tell you later.”
Grace, worried Willow might be struggling emotionally over Jax, actually looked relieved. She nodded and let her
- go.
Willow quietly slipped away from the crowd, moving through the hallways she knew by heart, heading upstairs to Grace’s third–floor room–the one with the floor–to–ceiling windows.
She sat down on the couch. The room was quiet, the air lightly scented with lavender.
Leaning back, she closed her eyes. Fatigue settled over her like a blanket, and soon she drifted off to sleep.
Half an hour later, the door creaked open.
Willow stirred, thinking Grace had returned–but instead, standing in the doorway was Elena Dawson.
Her expression was dark. Her eyes cold and hostile.
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“I thought you said you’d given up?” Elena’s voice was low but sharp, filled with icy accusation. “Then why do you keep showing up in front of Jax? What exactly are you trying to do?”
Willow blinked, still shaking off the haze of sleep. Before she could respond, Elena took a few steps closer.
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Chapter 8 A Choice in the Flames
“He only loves me. It doesn’t matter how pitiful you act or how long you fake your amnesia–it won’t change that. Stop pretending, You’ll never be me.”
It took Willow a few seconds to find her voice. When she did, it was calm and clear.
“I came to give Grace her birthday present. That’s all. I’ll leave when she returns.”
But Elena’s scowl deepened. Her voice turned sharp, almost venomous.
“You’ve been clinging to Jax like a parasite for years. Disgusting. The only reason he even tolerated you was because you suck up to Grace like a pathetic little sidekick. But neither of you ever belonged. Grace is just a dumb little sister, and you? You’re nothing.”
Willow could’ve ignored her.
But hearing her insult Grace like that–her expression went ice–cold.
“You put on your sweet face in front of him, but behind his back you insult his own sister. Does Jax know the kind of woman you really are?”
Elena let out a short, mocking laugh.
“Of course he knows. But he loves me. Even if I insult people, he’ll still defend me.”
She took a step closer, eyes blazing.
“You and Grace are both pathetic. I’ve crushed you for years–and neither of you even realized it.”
Willow’s gaze turned sharp.
“You’re the one who left him–ran off to Europe without a word. He was a wreck, drinking himself into the hospital. Grace cried every night for a month, but never blamed you. And now you come back and call us low? Do you even know who the real disgrace is here?”
Elena hadn’t expected her to fight back. Furious, she raised her hand and slapped her.
Willow reacted instantly, returning the slap just as hard.
The two of them tumbled into a scuffle, shoving and pulling at each other. In the chaos, someone knocked over a lit candle on the table.
The flame caught the edge of the bedsheets, then spread rapidly across the thick wool carpet.
The smell of smoke filled the air. By the time either of them realized what was happening, the room had already become an inferno.
Willow staggered toward the door, trying to escape, but Elena shoved her from behind.
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Chapter 8 – A Choice in the Flames
She crashed onto the burning carpet.
The fire licked up her sleeves, scorching her skin. Pain exploded through her limbs.
She clawed at her clothes, trying to put out the flames.
Through the smoke and pain, she saw the door burst open.
Jax charged in.
He was less than a meter away.
Willow raised a trembling, burned hand toward him.
But his gaze swept right past her–and landed on Elena.
“Jax!” Elena screamed, stumbling toward him in tears.
Without hesitation, he caught her in his arms.
Willow lay there, shaking, burning.
She reached out again, grabbing the hem of his pants.
He glanced down at her–expression blank, cold, as if she were a stranger.
Then he yanked his leg free and turned away.
Holding Elena tightly, he carried her out of the fire.
The smoke thickened. Flames roared.
Willow stared at his disappearing silhouette-
and sank into darkness.
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