Ally stood frozen, her back pressed against the cold wooden door as if the weight of Kate's words had nailed her there. The sharp click of the lock still echoed in her ears, a cruel punctuation to the heartbreak unfolding inside.
Her legs gave way, and she slid to the floor, her breath shallow, her body trembling. Her fingers tangled in her damp hair, and sobs tore through her like a storm. She wanted to scream—but she couldn't even breathe.
Beside her, the divorce papers lay crumpled and damp. Nick's bold signature mocked her, a final stamp on everything they'd once shared. With a shaking hand, Ally scrawled her name beneath his, sealing the end of her marriage in ink.
"I thought our love would last forever," she whispered. "But I guess it was all a joke—to you and your family."
The night air bit at her skin through the thin fabric of her nightdress. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to contain the violent shivers wracking her body. "Nick…" she murmured weakly, turning back to the door. "Please… open the door."
A pause. Then Naomi's voice sliced through the silence.
"Go away, you ugly brat!"
Ally staggered back as if she'd been slapped. The sky above groaned, and the first drops of rain fell—cold, sharp, and unrelenting. Within seconds, the drizzle became a downpour.
She stumbled toward the garage, hoping to find shelter. Her car sat in the corner, but when she tried the handle, it didn't budge.
Locked.
"Of course they locked it," she whispered. "They've taken everything."
The rain drenched her hair, soaked her dress, and ran down her spine in icy streams. She leaned against the garage wall, sliding down to the cold concrete. The ache in her body was nothing compared to the hollow pit inside her chest.
She clutched the divorce papers to her chest, her fingers white with the grip. Tears mingled with the rain until she could no longer tell which was which.
***
The Next Morning
Ally's eyes fluttered open to grey skies and a body stiff with cold. Her muscles ached, and her nightdress clung to her like a second skin. The storm had passed, but the damage lingered.
She pushed herself upright, her movements slow and painful. At the front door, she saw her suitcase sitting by the step—already packed.
As she approached, Nick, Naomi, Chloe, and Kate stepped out from the shadows, their faces expressionless.
"Look at her," Naomi sneered. "Seems like you had a comfortable night's sleep."
Ally's jaw clenched. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her break again.
Nick held out his hand. "Give me the papers and leave."
Ally reached into the inner seam where she'd tucked the papers and handed over the now-wrinkled sheets and pen. But as Nick unfolded them, his face twisted in anger.
"They're torn."
Before she could react, his hand struck her across the face.
The slap echoed in the silence.
Kate leaned into him, whispering something. Then she disappeared into the house and returned with a fresh set of documents.
"You're lucky she made a copy," Nick said coldly. "Sign them. Now."
Ally took the pen from his hand, her fingers trembling but determined. She signed her name with slow precision.
Chloe snatched the pen from her. "You can't afford this kind of pen," she said, her tone mocking.
Ally swallowed the lump in her throat. "Can I… at least shower and change first?"
"No," Kate said immediately. "You're no longer part of this house. And if you don't leave now, we'll call the police and have you dragged out like a thief."
Ally's hands moved to her ring finger. The gold band slipped off easily—too easily. She dropped it into Nick's open palm. Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Here. It means nothing anymore."
She turned, reaching for her suitcase, when Nick's voice stopped her again.
"Wait."
She turned, slowly, wearily.
"You forgot something," he said, stepping closer.
His fingers reached for the necklace around her neck—the one he had once clasped with love on their wedding night. He unclasped it without hesitation and walked over to Kate, fastening it around her neck.
"They belong to me," he said, his voice void of emotion. "Just like everything else."
Kate's smug smile etched itself into Ally's mind like venom, coursing through her veins
"Leave," Nick snapped. "Before I lose my temper completely."
Ally's breath caught in her throat. She gripped the suitcase and walked to the gate, each step heavier than the last. The cold metal handle bit into her palm, but she didn't look back.
She couldn't.
At the gate, she paused. Behind her, the door slammed shut one final time. The sound was deafening—like the last nail in a coffin.
But then, somewhere deep in her soul, a spark ignited.
You're not done yet.
She didn't know why they'd destroyed her life, but she knew one thing for sure.
They would not get the last laugh.
She would rise.
And they would regret ever turning her away.