The Breaking Point

The days after the phone call had passed in a blur for Grace. The unease from that conversation lingered in her mind like a shadow, never quite letting go. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong, and Jax's distant behavior wasn't helping. Every time she tried to ask him about the things that didn't add up, he gave her the same half-hearted answers. But deep down, Grace knew something was being kept from her, and the secrets that Jax had buried were beginning to surface.

She had done what Victoria asked. She had kept Jax distracted. She had pretended everything was fine. But the weight of the lies was growing unbearable. And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn't live in this twisted web of deception any longer.

It was a rainy afternoon when things finally came to a head.

Grace sat at the kitchen table, staring at her phone. She had been pacing around the apartment all day, her thoughts racing. The woman on the phone—the ex—had left a lasting mark on her, and now she couldn't stop thinking about what she had said.

"You're just a distraction." The words echoed in her mind. But what did that mean? Was Jax really still emotionally involved with her? Was she just a temporary fix for him, something to fill the emptiness of his life while he sorted out his real feelings?

Grace had to know the truth.

She couldn't do this anymore. The secrets, the lies, the constant wondering—it was eating her alive. It was time to confront Jax. She needed to ask the questions that had been haunting her for days. No more pretending. No more covering up the cracks in their relationship. She needed clarity, and if that meant breaking things wide open, so be it.

Jax had been quiet all morning, retreating into his usual routine. He'd gone out for a run, left her a brief "be back later" note, and had avoided any deep conversation. Grace had always respected his need for space, but now, she found herself frustrated by his silence.

As the rain poured harder outside, she couldn't help but feel the isolation closing in. She picked up her phone, her fingers trembling as she texted Jax.

"We need to talk. I need the truth."

She hit send before she could second-guess herself. A wave of anxiety washed over her. But she couldn't wait any longer. She needed answers.

Minutes later, her phone buzzed with a reply.

"I'm on my way back."

Grace sat there, staring at the message, feeling both relief and dread settle into her chest. She didn't know how this conversation would go, but she knew it was inevitable. She had to face it head-on.

When Jax walked through the door, soaking wet from the rain, Grace stood up from the table, meeting him halfway. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, as if trying to gauge her mood. His hands were shoved deep into his jacket pockets, and his usual cocky grin was absent.

"Hey," he said, his voice softer than usual. "What's up?"

Grace didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I need to know the truth, Jax."

His face froze for a moment, and Grace could see the walls go up behind his eyes. "What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before she pushed forward. "I need to know about your ex. About everything. The woman who called me. She said you were still in touch. She said I was just a distraction."

Jax flinched at her words, but he didn't deny them. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the floor, taking a long, deliberate breath before looking back up at her.

"Grace..." His voice cracked for a moment, as if the weight of her question was more than he could bear. "I didn't want you to find out like this."

"Then why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep hiding it?" Grace's voice was shaking, her frustration building. "You promised me honesty, Jax. But all I've gotten are lies and half-truths. I don't even know who you are anymore."

Jax's expression hardened, but there was an undeniable pain in his eyes. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," he murmured, more to himself than to her. "I didn't want you to get caught up in this mess."

"A mess?" Grace scoffed, her anger bubbling up. "You think this is just a mess? This is my life, Jax. My feelings. You lied to me. You lied to everyone."

Jax took a step toward her, his hands raised in a pleading gesture. "Please, just let me explain."

Grace shook her head, stepping back. "No, Jax. I'm done with the explanations. I want the truth. All of it."

He exhaled sharply, his frustration matching hers. "Fine," he said, his voice cold. "I was still in touch with her. After everything happened, we tried to make it work. But it didn't. We were just trying to figure out what we wanted. And I kept her in the background, hoping it would fade away, that it would be nothing."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Grace whispered, her voice cracking as the hurt finally caught up with her. "Why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what was going on?"

Jax's face softened. "Because I didn't want you to think I was still in love with her. I didn't want you to feel like you were competing with a ghost."

"Then why didn't you show me? Why didn't you show me that you cared?" Grace stepped closer, her voice breaking. "All I've ever wanted was for you to be real with me, Jax. But you've kept so much from me. And now I don't know what's real anymore."

The silence hung between them like a thick fog. Jax stood still, looking lost, but Grace couldn't bring herself to comfort him. Not now.

"You said I was a distraction," Grace finally said, her voice steady but cold. "And maybe I was. But you were a distraction too, Jax. You distracted me from seeing what was really happening. You distracted me from the truth."

The words stung, and neither of them knew how to move forward from here. Grace turned away, heading toward the door, but Jax stopped her.

"Grace... don't walk away," he pleaded. "I'm not ready to lose you."

She paused but didn't turn around. "I don't know if I'm ready to stay."

With those words, she stepped out into the rain, leaving him behind in the empty silence of their apartment. She didn't know what would happen next, but for the first time in a long while, Grace was sure of one thing: she couldn't keep living in this web of lies.

And maybe, just maybe, the truth would set her free.