Seth attended to my wounds in the bathroom as I was in the process of calming down. Everything was starting to hurt after the adrenaline came to pass. I took a vacant look at myself through the mirror.

Bruises already littered my arms and legs from falling down the stairs. Blood ran down my face from my temple and my neck had a number of fingertip bruises from Leo's grip. My feet were swollen and Seth informed me my left ankle was sprained.

Seth took a glimpse of my heels that were laid down on his bathroom floor. "It's amazing how you ran here in those heels in your condition." He joked trying to lighten my situation. I stifled a chuckle, adjusting the ice pack on my ankle. "What happened?" Seth finally asked.

I heavily sighed. Was I even sure what happened? Everything happened so fast and I was focused on staying conscious. Could I have died tonight?

"Um, well, I went over to Leo's house and he said he had a surprise for me. He told me to close my eyes and he led me upstairs to his room. Before I knew it, he was strangling me."

Seth winced at my words. His hooded, angular eyes narrowed, searching for the right words to say. "Why-why did he do that?" He timidly asked.

I frowned, remembering Leo's anger and the tears that shimmered in his eyes revealing how hurt he was. "Leo saw me with my ex's brother earlier today. He thought I was cheating on him again, but I don't blame him." I admitted.

"I had told him I was going out with Amelia rather than telling him the truth that I was spending time with Danny's brother." I muttered, accidentally letting Danny's name slip.

"Danny?" Seth's eyes widened and he seemed to recognize his name. "The same guy from...Vegas?"

I shamefully nodded. "Yeah. Him."

So, Leo did tell his friends about my infidelity almost a year ago. I wondered what Seth thought of me now.

"I thought that was the right thing to do, I-I didn't want him to get mad I mean, we were already having some issues. The fact that I lied to him set him off, and well, here I am now." I helplessly shrugged.

"Why were you spending time with Danny's brother?" He asked softly. I could tell he wanted to know my perspective before trying to justify Leo's behavior.

"Because Danny was murdered Seth." I stated bluntly. "All he wants is to find who did it. We were planning on finding Danny's killer together."

"Leo doesn't know that, does he?"

I shook my head. "No. And it was a little too late to even try and explain myself to him." Seth looked at me apologetically. "I'm really sorry Nadia."

I lightly scoffed. "No, it's okay don't be." I glanced down at my ring. I sadly smiled, sliding it off my finger.

Seth realized what I was doing. "Wait what are you-,"

"Give this to Leo." I handed Seth the ring.

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "I can't go through with it anymore Seth. It's over." I sighed. "I'm sure he feels the same way."

Seth hesitantly reached out for the ring. "Are you sure?" He asked doubtfully. I nodded. He took the ring from my hand, placing it in his pocket.

He finally cleaned out the wound on my temple, wiping off the excess blood placing a large Band-Aid over the wound. At this moment I was grateful for his medical background. "Alright, well that's about it. Let's see if you can walk."

I lifted myself off the counter, immediately stumbling after putting weight on my ankle from standing up. I winced at the pain, trying to take a few steps towards Seth. I couldn't handle it anymore and lifted my left leg off the ground, beginning to limp.

"Ok, ok I think you need to sit back down. We need to get you to a hospital."

...

Amelia and Christian rushed through the hospital doors, getting there right on time seeing Seth holding onto Nadia's crutches as she pulled herself on one of the hospital's wheelchairs. Her left ankle was in an ankle brace.

...

"Oh my god, Nadia." Amelia cried, rushing over to me. "I'm fine, Amelia I'm fine I promise." I attempted to smile, not wanting Amelia to feel bad for me.

"She'll be okay. It's just for a few weeks." Seth reassured Amelia. "Seth, thank you so much for contacting me, I got so worried about her..." Amelia's conversation with Seth became distant to me as I saw Christian approaching me.

"Hey." Christian spoke softly.

I sighed, looking up at him. "Hey Christian."

Christian's eyes inspected me and I felt insecure, knowing he was picking up on all the bruises on my body.

"Uh, Amelia called me and told me the news. I came here with her to see if you were okay."

"Thanks." I mumbled quietly.

Christian furrowed his eyebrows, sadly looking at me.

"How do you feel?" He asked, taking a seat next to me. I shrugged, breaking eye contact with him, glancing around the lobby of the hospital. "I don't know." My voice trembled as I bit the inside of my cheek, holding back the urge to cry.

"Here's to the second time I'm in a wheelchair and crutches because of him. Except this time, it wasn't an accident right?" I sorrowfully laughed at myself to deflect the pain.

Christian ran his hand through his hair, exhaling loudly. "Some night huh?"

I scoffed, lightly smiling at him. "Yeah, pretty crazy." I joked back, appreciating a bit of humor. I didn't feel like hearing pitiful remarks and seeing sympathetic smiles.

Christian turned his head to look at me. "But seriously, I'm glad you're safe and it wasn't worse than what it was."

"Thanks Christian, really." I genuinely smiled at him.

"Can I take you back home?" His voice was earnest.

"My car is still in Leo's driveway."

"I can go back with you to get it. I'll drive."

I looked at him doubtfully. What if Leo came outside and saw Christian with me? That would just fuel his anger even more.

"It's okay Nadia, I have an idea." Seth interjected seeing the uncertainty in my eyes. "You guys can follow my car back to my house and I can keep an eye out for Leo and bring your car over to my place safely." Seth suggested. Christian looked at me for approval. I sighed in defeat. "Ok, ok let's go."

Seth handed Christian my crutches. "Hey, I know you don't know me or anything but, um, I'm sorry about your brother." Christian raised his eyebrows in slight surprise at Seth's remark. He hadn't heard anyone say that to him for quite some time.

"Uh, yeah, thanks man." Christian smiled, lightly nodding. "Really, I appreciate it."

Seth faintly smiled at him. "Can I have a quick moment with Nadia?" He asked. "Yeah, yeah sure go ahead." Christian stepped away from me and Seth, walking over to Amelia.

"I hope you take care Nadia." I smiled at Seth's remark. "Thanks Seth, for everything. Taking me to the hospital, cleaning up my wounds, letting me into your house." I rambled.

Seth chuckled. "No problem. I was happy to help. No woman deserves to be hurt like that." He paused. "I'll make sure to give Leo back the ring."

"Thank you." I softly mumbled, making eye contact with Christian. He started walking over to me again. Seth nodded, turning back to catch up with Amelia. Amelia looked back at me and Christian. "We'll meet you guys outside at the front." She called out before exiting the hospital with Seth.

"Can you get up by yourself?" Christian asked. I nodded, slowly lifting myself out of the wheelchair. Christian quickly placed my crutches under my arms before I stumbled. "Thanks."

Christian walked by my side as I gradually adapted to walking with crutches. We exited the hospital standing off to the side of the front doors waiting for Seth and Amelia to arrive in their cars. "How did uh, how did Seth know about Danny?" Christian asked. "I mentioned him while I was explaining what happened between Leo and I." I spoke dully. "Leo hurt me because he thought I was cheating on him with-,"

"With me." Christian finished my sentence.

I sighed. "Yeah." I muttered.

We grew silent for a while. Christian glanced towards the ground, catching a glimpse of my left hand. "Where's your ring?" He asked.

I stared out into the parking lot. "I gave it to Seth, so he could give it back to Leo. I'm not marrying him anymore. Honestly, tonight was the breaking point. There's no point to keep going after what happened." I sniffled, balancing myself as I took my hands off my crutches to quickly wipe my eyes.

Christian gently put his arm around my shoulder, comforting me as we waited for Seth and Amelia to show up.

...

"Amelia, wait. Stay at the stop sign while I drive past Leo's house." Seth directed to Amelia over the phone. With Christian and I in the backseats of her car, she followed Seth as we were on our way to pick up my car.

Seth slowly drove past Leo's house. "There's a few lights on in his house. He's still up."

I worriedly glanced at Amelia upon hearing Seth's words through the phone. Amelia sighed. "So how are we gonna do this?" She asked. Seth silently thought of a way to go unnoticed by Leo. "I have an idea. Follow me." Amelia began to follow Seth's car again, leading to his house.

Seth and Amelia parked their cars in Seth's driveway. Christian helped me out of the car. "Nadia do you have your keys?" Seth asked. I nodded. "Yeah, I left them inside your house." Seth nodded, walking over to his front door. "Wait Seth, what are you doing?" Amelia stopped him.

He turned back around. "It's only rational that I'm the one that has to get Nadia's car." He lightly scoffed. "I mean we all know Christian can't."

"Amelia you just stay in your car, I'll quickly get Nadia's car and bring it back here. Then, Christian can drive Nadia home." He glanced at all three of us, raising his eyebrows. "Sound like a plan?" We nodded in unison.

"Ok, great. I'll be right back." Seth entered his house to get my keys. Amelia took a deep breath, exhaling loudly as she put her hands on her hips. "I hope this works."

"Amelia don't worry about it so much, it'll be fine." Christian lightly smiled. "I doubt he's gonna come out anyway."

"You don't know that." Amelia warned him sternly.

Christian chuckled. "What is he gonna do to Seth? That's one of his friends."

Amelia bit her tongue, holding back what she wanted to say to him.

Seth eagerly came back outside. Amelia glanced at Christian, then at Seth. "Be quick okay? Please." She walked over to her car and got in. "Okay, I'll be back." Seth faintly smiled. "Be careful." I spoke softly. "Will do." Seth smiled at me and began jogging towards Leo's house.

Christian and I briefly looked at Seth as he jogged away. Christian looked down at me. "How's your leg?" I furrowed my eyebrows a bit, adjusting my balance on my crutches. "It hurts." I lightly chuckled. "Do you want to sit down?" I shook my head. "No, I'm fine. I think it's better if I stand. Besides, I'll be sitting in the car."

"You're pretty strong huh?" Christian teased. I laughed. "Well I try." He grinned, laughing along with me. I looked up at him. "I don't doubt for a second that you are too." I smiled, taking hold of his hand. Christian softly chuckled, glancing at our intertwined hands.

We heard a sudden tap coming from the inside of Amelia's car. She tapped on the window again, pointing to something behind us.

We turned around seeing Seth on his way in my car. We both smiled in relief. Amelia started her car as Seth pulled up into his driveway. "Seth you did it!" I spoke cheerfully, making my way towards my car. "Yeah," He chuckled, getting out of my car. "It was easier than I thought. He didn't even look out the nearest window."

"Maybe he didn't feel the need to come after me."

"That's a good thing," Seth assured.

He looked at Christian. "Well, you're good to go." He stepped away from my car as Christian walked over to the driver's side. "Here, I'll help you." Seth opened the passenger side door for me, gently taking my crutches aside so I could get inside the car. "I'll put them in the trunk is that okay?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah that's fine."

Seth closed the door and I watched him through the side mirror as he put my crutches away. I brought my window down as he began to approach me again. He leaned against the door.

"Seth, thank you." I genuinely smiled.

Christian nodded on behalf of me. "You're welcome." Seth lightly smiled back. "You guys just get back home safely, alright?" "Okay." I nodded. Seth took his weight off the door. "Take care." Seth waved goodbye to Amelia, Christian and I, watching our cars until we took a turn away from his street.

...

"You'll be okay?" Christian asked me as he returned to his car he left at our apartment complex.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine Christian. You can go home. It's late anyway." I half-heartedly smiled at him. "Besides, you said it yourself, I'm pretty strong."

Christian laughed. "Yeah, I did say that didn't I?" He sighed. "Alright well, you two have a good night." "You too." Amelia and I said in unison. Christian glanced at me one last time before leaving.

Amelia put a comforting hand on my upper back as we silently walked through the parking lot into the lobby. "So, it's over huh? You and Leo?" Amelia asked as soon as we got into the elevator. "Yeah, yeah I guess so." I mumbled.

Amelia furrowed her eyebrows in concern. "Are you sure you're okay Nadia?" The elevator dinged, opening its doors on our floor. Amelia let me walk out first, handing me my car keys. "I'm fine." I faintly smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks for helping me out tonight." I walked over to my door, listening to the sound my crutches made each time they hit the floor.

I entered my apartment, leaving Amelia in the hallway. I shut the door with my back, throwing my crutches and keys onto the floor as I tangled my hands into my hair in frustration.

I blew out a staggered huff of air, struggling to pull myself together.

I glanced around my dark apartment, beginning to walk to my bedroom. I placed my left foot down, trying to walk normally. "Fuck." I grimaced, closing my eyes to ease the pain.

I began to limp, holding onto couches and tables before my foot gave up and I fell to the ground. I angrily balled my fists.

Hiding my face into the carpet, I finally broke down and sobbed.

...
Woo! Managed to update in good timing lol
Do any of y'all feel bad for Nadia? 🤔
Lmk your thoughts! Thanks for reading and feel free to vote :)