The Perfect Trap ⭐
594 Words
*CHAPTER 13
The Perfect Trap
Harper
I didn't want to see her again.
After everything Valeria had told me, all I wanted was to erase her existence from my life.
Then, that afternoon, my phone vibrated.
It was a message from her.
"Harper, I need to talk to you one last time. After today, I'll disappear from your lives. Meet me at the university's Botanical Garden at 5:30 p.m. Come alone."
I stared at the screen for several long seconds.
Maybe I should ignore her.
Maybe this was just another one of her lies.
But a part of me needed answers.
I needed to understand why she had come back just when my life finally seemed to be falling into place.
I took a deep breath and decided to go.
...
The last classes of the day felt endless.
I couldn't focus for even a single minute.
One question kept repeating itself in my mind.
What if Rowan had been lying to me from the very beginning?
As soon as the final bell rang, I packed my things and hurried out of the classroom.
I made my way to the Botanical Garden.
The place was almost empty.
The wind gently swayed the tree branches, and the sweet scent of flowers filled the air.
I checked the time.
5:30 p.m.
Valeria still wasn't there.
I frowned.
"Where are you...?" I whispered.
I continued walking along one of the narrow paths.
Then I heard voices.
I froze.
One of them...
I knew it instantly.
Rowan.
My heart started pounding.
No...
What was he doing here?
I took a few cautious steps forward, trying to understand what was happening.
Then I saw them.
My whole world stopped.
Rowan was standing in front of Valeria.
I couldn't hear what they were saying.
All I could see were their faces.
Valeria took a step closer to him.
My breathing became uneven.
I wanted to walk toward them.
I wanted to call out his name.
But my body refused to move.
Everything happened too fast.
Valeria cupped his face with both hands...
And kissed him.
Something inside me shattered.
Again.
My eyes instantly filled with tears.
I couldn't breathe.
I couldn't think.
All I could do was stare.
Every second of that kiss felt like a knife twisting deeper into my heart.
Without realizing it, I took a step backward.
A branch snapped beneath my foot.
The sound made Rowan turn his head.
Our eyes met.
His expression changed instantly.
"Harper!"
I slowly shook my head.
No.
Not anymore.
Not again.
The tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.
I turned around and ran.
"Harper, wait!"
I heard his voice behind me.
I didn't stop.
"Harper! Please! Listen to me!"
I ran as fast as I could.
My vision blurred through my tears.
My chest burned.
My heart felt like it was breaking into a thousand pieces.
I reached the university parking lot and got into the first taxi I saw.
"Please... just drive."
The driver looked at me through the rearview mirror.
"Miss, are you alright?"
I nodded without looking at him.
I didn't want to talk.
I just wanted to disappear.
As the taxi pulled away, I looked out the window and saw Rowan running out of the garden.
He looked around desperately.
Searching for me.
But it was already too late.
I closed my eyes.
It was over.
It didn't matter how many times he tried to explain.
I had seen the truth with my own eyes.
Or at least...
That's what my broken heart wanted to believe.
- Writer
