Hale paced the living room like a predator stalking prey, his fury radiating in every step. His usual poised demeanor was gone, replaced by something raw, volatile. “You’re unbelievable, Amelia,” he snarled, running a hand through his immaculate hair, now disheveled. “I have bent over backward for you—supported you, protected you, loved you. And yet, here you are, crying over him!”
Amelia stood frozen near the mantel, the photograph still clutched in her trembling hand. “It’s not like that, Hale—”
“Not like that?” Hale’s voice thundered, making her flinch. He grabbed the photo from her hands, waving it in her face. “You’re holding onto this like it’s some sacred relic! Like he’s some kind of saint! Newsflash, Amelia—he left you. He broke you. And now he’s trying to crawl back and drag you down again!”
Amelia’s eyes narrowed, her fear morphing into defiance. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she shot back. “This isn’t about him. It’s about me—about everything I’ve been through!”
“Don’t you dare twist this around!” Hale roared, slamming the photo down onto the coffee table. The glass frame cracked under the force. “I see right through you, Amelia. You’ve never let him go. Not really. You’re still letting him control your life, your choices—and by extension, mine!”
Amelia stepped forward, her voice trembling but firm. “And what about you, Hale? Barging in here, acting like you’re entitled to every part of me? You knew what you were getting into!”
“Did I?” Hale’s laugh was harsh, a sound filled with bitterness. “Because I thought I was building a future with a woman who wanted to move forward. Instead, I’m stuck with someone who’s still clinging to a man who didn’t even care enough to stay!”
“That’s enough!” Amelia shouted, her face red with anger. “You don’t get to talk about him like that! You don’t know the whole story!”
“Oh, I know enough,” Hale hissed, stepping closer, his eyes blazing. “He’s a selfish, manipulative coward who doesn’t deserve a second of your time. And the fact that you’re still defending him? It’s pathetic, Amelia. You’re pathetic!”
The insult hung in the air like a gunshot, the tension between them taut enough to snap. Amelia’s breath caught, her face paling as the words hit their mark.
“You don’t get to call me that,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
“Then prove me wrong!” Hale shouted, his fists clenching at his sides. “Stop making excuses for him. Stop letting him live rent-free in your head while I’m here, pouring my heart out, trying to make something real with you!”
Amelia shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “You don’t understand,” she said weakly.
“No, I understand perfectly,” Hale sneered, his voice dropping to a venomous whisper. “You’re incapable of moving on. You’ll always be the woman waiting for him to come back. And I refuse to be your backup plan.”
He grabbed his coat, his movements sharp and jerky, as if he couldn’t get out fast enough.
“Hale, wait—”
He spun on his heel, pointing a finger at her. “No. You figure out what you want, Amelia. Because I’m done chasing after someone who’s still stuck in the past.”