Part 3Weeds Toward the Sun

After pulling myself together, I started organizing. One pile of documents for the divorce lawyer, another for reviving my dreams.

My phone screen lit up. A message from Ava.

“Mrs. Thorne, looks like your husband loves me more. I win.”

The twenty-year-old me had no use for the title “Mrs. Thorne.” I was all thorns and sharp edges. I would never tolerate such a provocation. I would return it, doubled.

I took a screenshot and sent it directly to Curtis’s work group chat.

The twenty-year-old me didn’t care about propriety. I didn’t care about consequences. I just did what I felt I had to do.

As expected, the group chat exploded. The notification sounds chimed relentlessly.

I watched the screen with cold eyes as new messages popped up one after another:

“What’s… going on?”

“Has Ms. Vance lost her mind?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t get involved in Mr. Thorne’s private affairs…”

Every message was hesitant, dripping with shock and gossip, but no one dared to say anything outright, all too afraid of Curtis. A few brave souls sent a facepalm emoji, then quickly retracted it.

Suddenly, my phone began to vibrate violently. The name “Curtis Thorne” glared from the screen.

I held down the power button and shut it off. The world went silent.

Ten years ago, when Curtis was pursuing me, he would have done anything I asked. But now, he had ways of getting what he wanted.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before my mother showed up at the door.