apter 9 – Farewell, New York
Chapter 9 Farewell, New York
Willow never expected she would wake up again.
When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Grace–her eyes swollen, her face filled with panic.
“Willow, thank God you’re alive….” Her voice trembled as she gripped Willow’s hand tightly. “If anything had happened to you, I’d never forgive myself. Does your hand still hurt? Don’t worry–I found the best burn specialist in Manhattan. They said you won’t have any scars.”
Willow offered a faint smile and gently squeezed her hand in return, even as a searing pain shot through her fingers.
“It’s just a surface burn. I’m fine. Don’t worry, and don’t blame yourself.”
She paused, took a deep breath, and finally voiced the decision she had been carrying for days.
“I should have told you something yesterday…… I booked a flight back to Santawill City this afternoon. I actually have an engagement – my family has been urging me to go back to talk about the wedding.”
Grace was stunned, tears falling all over again.
“What? You’re going back to Santawill City? To get married? You mean… you’re leaving New York–for good?”
Willow looked at her with warmth in her eyes and nodded.
“Yes. I want a completely different life now.”
Grace couldn’t accept it, not right away. She cried in her arms for a while before gradually calming down.
They sat in the hospital room, chatting about everything–dorm gossip from college, funny stories from the design department. As noon approached, Grace left to finalize the discharge paperwork.
Willow had just finished changing when the door slammed open.
Jax Monroe stood in the doorway, eyes stormy and jaw tight. His blue gaze was like ice.
“You hit Elena. You tried to set her on fire. Is that true?”
Willow looked at him, her heart surprisingly calm, her tone distant.
“That’s what she told you, and you believed it? Without a single piece of proof?”
Jax scoffed coldly.
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Chapter 9 – Farewell, New York
“Yes. I believe whatever she says. I don’t need proof.”
He gave her no room to explain. His presence was suffocating.
Willow lowered her gaze, and a bitter smile touched her lips–one more heartbreaking than tears.
“So… what do you want from me now?”
“An apology. You’re going to apologize to Elena, in person.”
Without warning, he grabbed her arm–the injured one.
The stitches tore open, blood seeping through the gauze.
Willow trembled with pain, but not a single sound escaped her lips. She just tried to pull away.
At that moment, the door was flung open again.
Grace rushed in and immediately shielded Willow with her own body. Her voice cracked with rage and tears.
“Have you lost your mind?! She just survived a fire, and this is how you treat her?!”
Jax gritted his teeth.
“Move! She has to take responsibility for what she did!”
Grace refused to budge. Her voice was hoarse, nearly breaking.
“I swear to you, Willow did nothing wrong! My room has a surveillance camera–if you want the truth, go check the footage first!”
Jax’s face went rigid with anger. He opened his mouth to retort, but just then, his phone buzzed–it was a message from Elena.
He glanced at the screen, swallowed his rage, and growled:
“Fine. We’ll check the surveillance footage tonight. Let’s see how long you can keep pretending.”
With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The room fell silent again.
Grace gently redressed Willow’s wounds, her tears falling silently onto the bedsheet.
Willow reached out with her uninjured hand, gently wiping away Grace’s tears.
“You don’t need to apologize,” she said softly, yet firmly. “Because the ones truly at fault… were never us.”
Cheaccion
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Chapter 9 – Farewell, New York
Her voice was gentle, but filled with quiet strength.
“I’m leaving today, Grace. After this. please take good care of yourself”
Grace nodded through her tears and escorted her out of the hospital. They went home to gather her luggage, and then headed for the airport together.
As the boarding announcement echoed through the terminal, Willow hugged her tightly–like she was saying goodbye not just to a friend, but to the entire city of New York.
After boarding, she took out her phone and deleted every trace of Jaz Monroe.
Just as the plane began taxiing, Grace sent her one final message:
“Willow, please be happy when you return to Santawill City. I swear, I’ll get to the bottom of this tonight. You’ll have justice.”
Willow looked at the screen, smiled faintly, and switched her phone to airplane mode.
Outside the window, heavy clouds surged like ocean waves under the fading sunlight.
But in her heart–it was clear and calm.
Truth, justice, closure… none of it really mattered anymore.
Because Jax Monroe–along with every ounce of pain he had given her–had already been erased from her memory.
She would leave it all behind.
Completely.
Forever.
♡ (7)
