Chapter 5

Fiona's POV

The next morning, I received three emails.

The first was from the university's travel board, notifying me that someone had tried to log into my student portal at 3:00 AM to submit a deferral request. The system had blocked it due to an unrecognized IP address.

The second was from a state foster platform, thanking me for submitting an "expression of interest" for emergency foster care, stating they were only waiting for my final e-signature.

The third was the most ridiculous.

It was an unsubmitted application for my fellowship spot, with Hailey listed as the alternate candidate. The cover letter stated that I was withdrawing due to "unexpected family planning" and highly recommended my classmate, Hailey, to take my place.

My mom's face turned red with anger when she read it. "How dare they!"

My dad immediately called our family lawyer.

But I remained completely calm. I saved the original emails, took screenshots, and changed all my passwords right in front of the lawyer.

After reviewing the files, the lawyer said, "This isn't just a lover's spat. Unauthorized access to student accounts, identity theft, and forging legal documents to sabotage your academic standing. We can absolutely file criminal charges."

I nodded. "Then let's take it all the way."

My mom looked at me, worried. "Fiona, don't force yourself to be strong if you're hurting."

"Mom, I'm not forcing anything." I closed my laptop. "I just finally know where to put my energy."

In my past life, I spent all my energy on enduring.

Enduring Sean's busy schedule, enduring his mother's fake illnesses, enduring Caleb's terrible tantrums, and enduring Hailey constantly appearing in my life as a "close friend." I endured so much that when I got sick, my pain was treated as an inconvenience to them.

In this life, I was done enduring.

My phone rang. It was Sean.

I put it on speaker.

"Fiona, don't blow this out of proportion," Sean said, his voice hushed. "The deferral application was just a draft; I didn't submit it. And the foster platform was just an inquiry. No official documents were signed. Calling the police won't benefit anyone."

I replied, "You mean it won't benefit you."

There was a pause on the line. "We've been together for so many years. Are you really going to ruin my life over a few forms?"

"You tried to ruin my life over those exact forms."

His breathing grew heavy.

Sean finally lost his temper. "Is going to Europe really that important to you? More important than a baby's life? More important than me? More important than our future?"

I said softly, "Yes, it is more important than you."

Sean gasped.

I added, "It is more important than all of you combined."

I hung up. The living room was dead silent for a few seconds.

My dad suddenly let out a soft chuckle. "You should have done that a long time ago."

I smiled.

It was a small smile, but a massive weight lifted off my shoulders. Saying no to Sean didn't make my world collapse. Putting myself first didn't make me a bad person.

The lawyer quickly gathered the evidence.

That afternoon, I filed an official police report for identity theft and submitted a formal statement to the university about my compromised account.

The department head emailed me back quickly: Your fellowship status remains fully secure. Please proceed with your travel plans as scheduled.

Looking at the email, my heart finally settled.

This time, nobody was going to press the pause button on my life.

The department head later sent me a private text.

She told me that many students face intense emotional and familial pressure before going abroad. She had seen too many bright young women give up their dreams for guilt-tripping partners. She reminded me that my future was worth protecting.

Reading her text, I sat in silence for a long time.

I wasn't the only one who had almost been dragged down.

And there were people in this world who would look me in the eye and say: Your future matters.

That night, I sat at my desk and checked my travel documents one last time.

My passport, my visa, my health clearance, my housing confirmation, my credit cards.

They were all real, solid, and sitting right in front of me. No longer stuffed into the back of a drawer because of Sean's "just wait one more year."

My mom brought in a glass of warm milk. Seeing my straight posture, she gently stroked my hair. "Are you exhausted, sweetie?"

I shook my head.

Actually, I was.

Rebirth didn't magically erase the trauma.

The memory of the physical pain from the hospital bed, Caleb's hateful glares, and Sean's tenderness toward Hailey were still wired into my brain. But this time, I didn't have to swallow the pain and pretend everything was fine.

"Mom," I said suddenly. "If I had made the wrong choice in the past, would you and Dad have hated me?"

My mom paused, her eyes tearing up. "You are our daughter, Fiona. If you take a wrong turn, we pull you back. Why would we ever hate you?"

I took a sip of the warm milk.

The warmth traveled down my throat, and my eyes welled up.