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Jane's plane touched down with the promise of fresh beginnings, but her heart was still tangled in hope. She had saved every penny, counted every day abroad, just to surprise Austin — her boyfriend, the one she trusted with everything. Property, love, dreams.
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Jane's heart pounded as the taxi pulled up to the familiar house on Maple Street. It had been two years since she left for abroad — two years of sacrifice, lonely nights, and endless dreams about the life she wanted to build with Austin. She clutched the small suitcase tighter, rehearsing the surprise she planned to give him. She imagined his face lighting up, the warm hug, the promises whispered between them.
But life had a cruel way of twisting hopes.
As Jane stepped onto the porch, the door was slightly ajar. A cold knot twisted in her stomach. Quietly, she pushed the door open, expecting maybe to call out, "Austin, I'm home!" but the house was silent except for a muffled laugh from upstairs.
Her footsteps crept up the stairs, each step heavier than the last. She paused outside the bedroom door, the laughter now unmistakably familiar. Then she saw them — Austin and Lisa. Her best friend. Lying tangled on his bed, their faces flushed with a secret they didn't bother to hide.
Her breath hitched. The betrayal slammed into her chest like a tidal wave.
Before she could speak, the door swung open. Austin's eyes met hers — not with guilt, but with cold disdain. Lisa smirked, folding her arms as if Jane's presence was a joke.
"You're pathetic," Austin spat. "Coming here like you own the place."
Lisa laughed, venom dripping from her words. "Girl, you got no shame, showing up like this."
Jane's world shattered. Tears exploded from her eyes, hot and uncontrollable. She stumbled down the stairs, out of the house, and into the pouring rain. Her heart ached, the sting of betrayal cutting deeper than the cold droplets on her skin.
When she finally reached her mother's house, Mrs. Sandra opened the door with a tired smile, pulling Jane into a tight embrace. James and little Ginny stood behind, their faces shadowed with worry but welcoming.
The house felt quieter than usual, the weight of something unsaid hanging in the air.
Her mother's voice trembled slightly. "Jane, there's something I need to tell you. The man your late father owed… he's coming today."
Jane's sobs paused, confusion swirling through the pain. The debt, the danger — suddenly, her heartbreak was only the beginning.
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