The hours blurred together in the sterile quiet of the hospital room. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor provided an odd sense of continuity, a reminder that time was moving forward, even if Alina felt as though she were trapped in an unending cycle of guilt, fear, and regret. Every slight movement sent a ripple of pain through her bruised body, and though the physical wounds were healing, the emotional ones festered, deeper and more raw with every passing moment.
She lay still, staring blankly at the ceiling. Sleep had come and gone in fractured bursts, offering no real reprieve. Her mind, even in the few hours she had managed to drift off, couldn't escape the looping memories of Leon's face, twisted with rage. The way his fists had crashed into her, not just in anger, but in a kind of finality—as if everything they had built had crumbled in that instant.
The door creaked open, pulling her from the depths of her thoughts. She didn't need to look to know it was Sarah. Her best friend had been by her side ever since she had found out what had happened, making sure Alina wasn't left to drown in her own thoughts for too long.
"Hey," Sarah's voice was soft, careful. She stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind her before moving to the chair beside Alina's bed. "How are you feeling?"
Alina turned her head slightly, the smallest movement still sending a jolt of discomfort through her. "Better," she said, though her voice was flat, devoid of conviction.
Sarah didn't buy it. She leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees as she watched Alina closely. "Have you thought about what we talked about?" she asked gently.
Alina swallowed hard, her fingers twisting the edge of the blanket in her lap. Of course she had thought about it—Sarah's words from the day before had echoed in her mind ever since she'd heard them. "You need to get away from him, Alina. You can't go back. He's dangerous."
"I don't know what to do," Alina admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes dropped to her hands, her fingers trembling slightly as they gripped the fabric. "I don't know if I can leave him."
Sarah's expression tightened, frustration mingling with the concern in her eyes. "You can leave him, Alina. You have to. He's not going to stop, you know that."
Alina's throat tightened, and she shook her head. "It's not that simple, Sarah. He—" She paused, her mind swirling with a chaotic mix of emotions. "He's not always like that."
Sarah's gaze hardened. "Not always? Alina, look at yourself." She gestured to the bruises that still marred Alina's face, the fading yellow and purple marks a stark reminder of the violence she had endured. "How many times are you going to make excuses for him?"
Alina flinched at the sharpness in Sarah's tone. She knew Sarah was right—on some level, she had always known—but that didn't make it any easier to admit. Leaving Leon wasn't as simple as just walking away. It wasn't just fear holding her back, though that was certainly part of it. It was something deeper, something she couldn't quite explain. Despite everything, despite the violence, the anger, the betrayal, there was a part of her that still felt connected to him. That still loved him.
Or at least, loved the man he used to be.
"I can't just leave him," Alina whispered, her voice cracking. "He… he won't let me go."
Sarah's eyes softened at the admission, but her resolve didn't waver. "Then you need to get help. You can't do this alone, Alina. There are shelters, people you can talk to. You can't keep staying in this cycle with him."
Alina wanted to believe it was that simple. She wanted to believe that she could just walk away, that there was a clear path out of the mess she had created. But her mind was tangled in knots, the fear of what Leon might do if she left him keeping her trapped in place.
"I don't know what he'll do if I leave," Alina admitted, her voice trembling. "He was so… so angry, Sarah. I've never seen him like that before."
Sarah reached out, placing a gentle hand over Alina's. "That's exactly why you have to leave. It's only going to get worse."
Alina squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. She was so tired—tired of the guilt, the fear, the constant back-and-forth in her mind. She knew Sarah was right. Leon was dangerous. He had proven that with his fists, with the way he had shattered the trust and safety they once shared. But walking away from him felt impossible.
What would happen if she did? Would he come after her? Would he hurt her again?
The sound of her phone buzzing on the bedside table pulled her out of her thoughts. Alina's heart leapt into her throat, her body tensing involuntarily. Sarah noticed the change in her immediately and reached for the phone before Alina could.
Her face hardened as she glanced at the screen. "It's him, isn't it?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
Alina's breath caught in her throat. She didn't need to look to know who it was. Leon had been trying to contact her ever since the night of the fight, but she hadn't answered any of his calls. She couldn't. Not yet.
"He's been calling non-stop," Sarah muttered, her thumb hovering over the phone. "What does he want now?"
"I don't know," Alina whispered, her voice barely audible. She could feel the fear creeping back in, wrapping around her chest like a vice. Part of her wanted to know what he had to say, whether he was sorry, whether he regretted what he had done. But another part of her—the rational part—knew that whatever he had to say couldn't change what had happened.
"Do you want me to answer it?" Sarah asked, her voice carefully neutral.
Alina shook her head quickly, her heart pounding. "No… I can't. I'm not ready."
Sarah's thumb hovered over the phone for another second before she pressed the button to silence the call. The buzzing stopped, and the room was once again filled with an eerie silence. But the tension lingered, thick and suffocating.
"You need to cut him off, Alina," Sarah said quietly, placing the phone back on the table. "Block his number. Stop letting him get into your head."
Alina knew Sarah was right, but the thought of cutting Leon off completely filled her with a strange sense of dread. It wasn't just fear—it was something deeper, something she couldn't quite put into words. As much as she hated what he had done to her, a part of her still felt tethered to him. She couldn't explain it, but it was there, gnawing at the edges of her resolve.
"I'll think about it," Alina mumbled, though she knew that wasn't the answer Sarah wanted to hear.
Sarah sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I just don't want to see you go through this again. You don't deserve it, Alina."
Alina looked away, her throat tightening. Do I deserve it? The question had been circling her mind ever since that night. She had cheated on Leon. She had betrayed him, lied to him, shattered whatever trust had existed between them. And in return, he had shattered her—physically, emotionally. Wasn't that a kind of justice? Wasn't she getting what she deserved?
But deep down, Alina knew that wasn't the whole story. She had made mistakes, yes—terrible, hurtful mistakes—but that didn't mean she deserved to be beaten, to live in constant fear of the man she had once loved. No one deserved that.
"I just need more time," Alina whispered, more to herself than to Sarah. She wasn't ready to make any decisions yet. She wasn't ready to face the full reality of what had happened. But time wasn't something she could afford to waste. Leon wouldn't wait forever.
Sarah nodded, though Alina could see the frustration simmering beneath her calm exterior. "Okay. But promise me you won't wait too long. He's not going to just go away."
Alina swallowed hard, nodding. "I promise."
But even as the words left her mouth, she wasn't sure if she could keep that promise. The fear of what might happen if she tried to leave Leon was too strong, too real. She wasn't sure if she had the strength to do it on her own.
The two women sat in silence for a while, the tension thick in the air. Sarah stayed by Alina's side, offering quiet support, but Alina's thoughts were elsewhere—spiraling into the unknown, into the terrifying possibilities of what might happen next.
Hours later, after Sarah had left, Alina lay in the darkened hospital room, her mind still racing. The fear of Leon finding her again gnawed at her, but it was the guilt—the crushing weight of her own betrayal—that kept her awake. She had hurt him in ways that she couldn't take back, couldn't fix. And now, she was paying the price.
The buzzing of her phone jolted her out of her thoughts. Her heart raced as she glanced at the screen, the familiar number lighting up the display.
Leon.
Her fingers trembled as she stared at the phone, her pulse quickening. She had ignored his calls before, but something compelled her to pick up this time. Maybe it was the guilt. Maybe it was the fear. Or maybe it was the twisted need to hear his voice again, to know what he was thinking.
With a shaky hand, Alina pressed the button to answer the call.
For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the line. Her breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for him to speak.
"Alina," Leon's voice came through the speaker, low and measured. There was no anger, no rage—just a strange calmness that sent a chill down her spine. "We need to talk."
Alina's grip on the phone tightened, her throat dry. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she should say anything at all.
"Please, Alina," Leon continued, his voice softening. "I need to see you. I need to explain."
A pit of dread formed in Alina's stomach. She knew she shouldn't agree. She knew that seeing Leon again was dangerous—both physically and emotionally. But there was a part of her, a small, vulnerable part, that wanted to hear him out. That needed to understand.
"I don't know, Leon," she whispered, her voice shaking. "I don't think that's a good idea."
There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Alina thought he might lash out, might lose the calm façade he had been holding onto. But instead, he sighed softly.
"Please," he said again, his tone almost pleading. "I just need to talk to you. Just one conversation. That's all I'm asking."
Alina's heart raced, her mind screaming at her to hang up, to cut him off for good. But her hand wouldn't move. The tether between them was still there, still pulling her back, no matter how hard she tried to fight it.
"Okay," she whispered, the word slipping out before she could stop it.
"Tomorrow," Leon said, relief flooding his voice. "I'll come to the hospital. We'll talk. I just want to fix this, Alina."
As the call ended, Alina's hand fell limply into her lap, the phone slipping from her fingers. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear and anticipation swirling together in a toxic mix. She knew she had just made a mistake—one that might cost her more than she could afford.