Page 13 of Undone

And that was fucking scary.

She might have been in Seattle, miles away, but she’d unknowingly forced a way into my thoughts. And I only hoped the distance would be enough to eventually push her out of my mind.

For the love of God, please let the distance be enough to get her out of my head.

FIVE

Noah - November

GASOLINE - HALSEY

My headphones blaredas I attacked the kitchen floor with a mop, scrubbing away weeks of grime I’d let build up while Dotty was gone. Not only did she apparently keep my life together, but she also kept our house clean.

I needed a distraction, something to drown out the anger radiating through me. You’d think that myboyfriendwould know better than to completely ignore me, especially on Thanksgiving.

Yet here I was, still holding out for a man who couldn’t even be bothered to send a text. For three days now. Over the last few months, our relationship had only deteriorated. I knew we were on the rocks, but I wasn’t even a priority anymore. I was something he picked up and put down whenever it suited him. With every ignored message, every brushed-off plan, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be in a relationship where I wasn’t constantly questioning my worth. One where I wasn’t a backup plan or someone’s second choice but truly seen and valued for who I was.

Instead, I was being ghosted.

I wasn’t just angry—I was exhausted.

Exhausted by the constant push and pull. The way John needed to control every decision we made and then turned cold the moment things didn’t go his way. My mind wandered over the cracks that started to form in our relationship.

Was this how it was supposed to feel? Was I imagining the distance between us? Or had it always been there, buried beneath the excuses I used to accept?

I shook the thought away. People were supposed to be together because they cared about each other… but I didn’t think we did anymore.

All relationships go through rough patches. Maybe this is ours.

But the nagging voice in the back of my mind wouldn’t quiet.

The truth was, John never truly saw me for who I was. He saw what he wanted to see—the potential to mold someone who fit neatly into the polished image he constructed for himself.

And I let him.

I let his smooth charm and sharp ambition overshadow the rifts that had formed early on in our relationship. His arrogance, the same confidence that had skyrocketed him to success in his career, became a cage for us, even if I wouldn’t admit it until now.

It suffocated any room for me to grow. Every decision, every plan, every little nitpick, even down to something as simple as choosing tacos over pizza.

My voice had always been secondary, my preferences an afterthought, if they were even considered at all. I’d convinced myself it wasn’t a big deal, but now, those moments were heavy.

I stopped and closed my eyes.

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep pretending that this was enough, thatIwas enough for him, or that he was enough for me.

The angsty Ellie Miles album was on repeat as I continued scrubbing and scrubbing at every bit of dirt and dust in the entire apartment, trying to calm my thoughts.

But it wasn’t working.

Suddenly, a thud, followed by two more in quick succession, boomed from the front door. It was loud. So loud, in fact, that I heard it even through my headphones, making me jump.

Quickly, I crossed the room, ditching my headphones on the countertop in the process. I wiped my sweat-covered brow as I crossed the small living space, taking heaving breaths as I opened the door.

I assumed I’d see my soon-to-beex-boyfriend. What I didnotexpect to see was two federal agents.

The middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair flashed his badge that readAgent Roberts. The tense lines in his face were void of any emotion. By his side stood a short brunette woman who appeared to be in her late thirties, her gentle smile contrasting with the man’s cold demeanor.

She also flashed her badge, her eyes warm as she spoke. “I’m Agent Garcia, and this is Agent Roberts.”

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