Prologue

“I’m leaving,” Eve Hall said to her mother. 

“What do you mean you’re leaving?” her mother Evelyn asked. “Leaving the house? The way you said it is—”

“I’m moving to Charlotte,” she said. 

Her mother laughed at her. Not a funny sound but a sarcastic one.

Normally her older sister, Hope, was the recipient of their mother’s bullying and mean sarcastic comments. But since Hope moved, found and married Devin, Eve was the one on the receiving end of it all.

That was probably what the world considered karma because for years Eve would say things to Hope like their mother just did to her. She only did it back then so that their mother didn’t direct her nastiness to her.

She should have found her backbone years ago and then maybe she wouldn’t have been in the situations she’d lived silently with recently. 

It’s not like she could confess the shit show of her dating life to anyone because her mother wouldn’t be supportive and Hope didn’t need that drama when she finally got her life in order.

Could be seeing Hope’s success in life was what made Eve decide it was time. There was only one way to get out of the mess she was in too. Escaping like her sister did.

“Why would you want to do that?” her mother asked. “Just because you and Phil had another tiff doesn’t mean you should run. Don’t be a coward. He’s perfect for you.”

She snorted. Her mother had no clue. She wouldn’t understand even if Eve explained.

“He’s not perfect. Not at all. But that isn’t the point. I’m doing this for me. I need to start over and to do that I’m going to start fresh.”

“You don’t even have a job,” her mother said. “What are you going to do? Live with Hope and Devin? That is what every newly married couple wants. A third wheel. I thought you were the smart stable boring one. Are you doing drugs or something that I’m not aware of?”

Figures her mother would jump to conclusions like that.

“First off,” she said firmly, “I’m not doing drugs. I’ve never done drugs even when you thought I did in high school.”

“Well, some of your friends were,” her mother said. “You hung with that party crowd. My in-girl.” It was sickening that there was pride in her mother’s voice over that.

“I wasn’t as popular as you made me out to be,” she argued. Just like falling for the pressure of her mother bullying her sister, she fell into the pressure of that group in school. Be a bully or get bullied.

She didn’t really think she bullied anyone, but she hung around with those that did, and in her eyes, it didn’t make her much better of a person for not standing up for people.

But she finally grew up in college. Then in her career she knew it was best to be professional and not an asshole. Or a bitch.

She kept her head down, did her boring stable job that everyone thought was hilarious when she said what she was majoring in, but she held her ground and didn’t fall for the pressure then.

The one thing she was glad for, looking back.

Her father never stood up to their mother much. Or more like ignored their mother and in turn did the same to his daughters.

But Ryan Hall had pulled his youngest daughter aside when she was in her senior year of high school and told her that she was smart and a good person and not to let anyone tell her otherwise. If she wanted to be an accountant, then go for it. It was her life and no one else’s.

She’d listened to her father and even got her CPA. She had a darn good job and made great money for her age. Her new job might slow down her career growth some, but she had to move past that.

Starting over sometimes meant stepping back to reevaluate. 

“Second,” she said. “I’ve got a job. I’m not stupid. And third, I’m only staying with Hope until I can get into my apartment in two weeks.”

Her mother’s jaw dropped. “You’ve got a job and an apartment there? You’ve never said a word until now and you’re already set up? What has your sister done to you to make you keep these secrets from me?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t put this on Hope again. It has nothing to do with her. It’s my decision. I need to leave. I interviewed for a job via webcall. Then two weeks ago, when I went to go visit Hope, I had my final interview in person. I got the offer four days ago. Hope and Devin found an apartment complex for me and walked through it. I signed the lease yesterday.”

“Without looking at it?” her mother asked. “That isn’t you.”

Her mother was laughing now. Seriously laughing like this was some joke. Not asking caring questions. Not trying to talk her out of anything.

Nothing.

“You don’t know what is me anymore because you don’t ever ask. That is fine.”

Her mother snorted at her. “Like you’d tell me. It was months before I even knew you were dating Phil. Not sure why it’s always a secret when you date.”

“Because I don’t need you judging me like you did Hope for years.”

It was a good thing her mother didn’t know about all the guys she’d dated over the years. Colin for one. She tried not to think of that horrible situation she’d found herself in for eight months.

She got out and didn’t look back. Didn’t even date for almost six months. 

Then she met Phil and it all seemed so great…until it wasn’t.

Her mother only found out by mistake because Evelyn Hall decided to stop over early unannounced one morning and Phil was there.

It was obvious he’d spent the night and rather than be called a whore like her mother did to Hope so often for going from one man to the next, she’d explained about the relationship.

Maybe she would have rather been called a whore than have her mother side with the guy that was causing her so much misery that she was literally running away to escape him so she didn’t fall for the pressure of giving him yet another chance.

“Your sister is filling your head again with bullshit,” her mother said.

“Whatever,” she said, waving her hand. “As you can tell, I’m not flying by the seat of my pants. My decision is final. I’ve got a good job waiting for me. I’ve got a place to stay. I gave my notice and am done in less than two weeks, then will pack up a moving truck to bring all my things to Charlotte. Devin is nice enough to let me store it at his house until I can get into my apartment.”

“Good luck,” her mother said. “You’ll never survive there on your own. Don’t think your sister is going to be there for you. You burned that bridge treating her the way you did as a kid.”

Her mouth opened and then closed. The tears filled her eyes.

She considered herself damn lucky that she didn’t burn a bridge and yet mended it considering how horrible she’d been to her sister.

Her mother not only couldn’t see that but was also trying to pit the sisters against each other.

“That’s your problem,” Eve said. “You’re not happy unless you’re making everyone else miserable. I’m done with this. I wanted to tell you I’m leaving and I did.”

She turned and left before she burst into tears.

If she ever needed confirmation that this was the right decision, she just got it with her mother’s treatment of her once again.

She wasn’t going to be anyone’s verbal or physical punching bag again. 

Doormat no more. 

New life… here I come.