Spin Off
Lashae couldn’t believe Quinn had switched up on her. For months, she replayed every conversation, every promise, every “I got you” that Quinn had fed her. It all felt fake now. Like Quinn had studied her, learned what she needed to hear, and then disappeared the second things got complicated.
The hurt sat heavy in Lashae’s chest.
So she left.
No dramatic goodbye. No social media announcement. No final argument.
She packed her clothes, grabbed her passport, and moved to Brazil.
The fresh air, the beaches, the unfamiliar streets—it was exactly what she needed. Nobody knew her story there. Nobody knew Quinn’s name.
For the first time in a long time, Lashae felt free.
Well… almost.
Because Domo never stopped reaching out.
Every morning there was a text.
Good morning, Lashae.
Every night there was another.
I hope you’re okay.
Then came the voice notes.
“I know you probably don’t want to hear from me, but I miss you.”
Lashae ignored every single one.
Weeks turned into months.
Still, Domo stayed consistent.
No begging. No guilt trips. No anger.
Just presence.
One evening, as the sun dipped into the ocean outside her apartment, Lashae’s phone buzzed again.
Another message from Domo.
This time she almost deleted it.
Instead, she opened it.
“I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me. I don’t even know if you’ll answer this. But I want you to know I’ve never stopped loving you.”
Lashae stared at the screen.
For the first time, she didn’t feel annoyed.
She felt something worse.
Conflicted.
Because no matter how far she ran, no matter how many miles separated them, Domo was still the only person who never truly gave up on her.
And that scared Lashae more than Quinn’s betrayal ever did.
Lashae was traumatized by love.
Not the fairytale version people posted online. The real kind. The kind that left you questioning your judgment, your worth, and every promise somebody ever made to you.
After moving to Brazil, she made a decision.
No relationships.
No talking stages.
No entertaining anybody.
She poured everything into herself.
While other people were chasing romance, Lashae was chasing goals. She woke up early, worked late, and kept her mind occupied. Her dreams became her safe place. The more she accomplished, the less time she had to think about heartbreak.
Still, there were nights when memories crept in.
The laughs.
The plans.
The future she thought she was building.
And then reality would hit.
Quinn never reached out.
Not once.
No apology.
No explanation.
No random text asking how she was doing.
Nothing.
At first, Lashae checked her phone more than she’d like to admit. A small part of her expected Quinn to come back with some grand speech that would make everything make sense.
But days turned into weeks.
Weeks turned into months.
Silence.
Eventually, Lashae stopped checking.
The silence became its own answer.
Meanwhile, Domo was still there.
Still sending the occasional message.
Still letting Lashae know she cared.
Lashae rarely responded, but she noticed the difference.
One woman disappeared without a word.
The other refused to disappear at all.
Yet Lashae wasn’t interested in either situation.
Her focus had shifted.
One night, while sitting on her balcony overlooking the city lights, she looked at the vision board hanging inside her apartment.
Business goals.
Travel plans.
Financial milestones.
Everything she wanted for herself.
A small smile crossed her face.
For the first time, she realized she wasn’t waiting for Quinn anymore.
She wasn’t waiting for anyone.
Love had broken her heart, but it had also taught her something valuable:
Nobody was coming to save her.
So she decided to become the person she’d been waiting on all along.
Lashae had built something for herself.
What started as an idea during one of the darkest periods of her life had grown into a legitimate business. She kept a small office downtown, a sleek space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. Some days she worked from home, and other days she spent hours in the office handling meetings, contracts, and clients.
The business was thriving.
At least, that’s what it looked like on paper.
Lately, strange things had been happening.
Whenever Lashae needed something done and had to postpone it, the opportunity would mysteriously fall apart before she could revisit it.
A vendor would suddenly back out.
A meeting would be canceled without explanation.
A potential partnership would disappear after showing genuine interest.
It was almost as if somebody was closing doors the second she stepped away from them.
At first, she blamed bad timing.
Then bad luck.
But after the fifth incident, even she couldn’t ignore it.
One afternoon, her assistant rushed into her office.
“Lashae, remember the investor call scheduled for next week?”
“Yeah.”
“They moved it up. They want to speak right now.”
Lashae immediately grabbed her laptop.
“Patch them through.”
For the next hour she handled the call flawlessly. Every question was answered. Every concern was addressed. By the end of the conversation, the investors sounded impressed.
When the call ended, her assistant smiled.
“See? That’s why they ask for you directly.”
Lashae leaned back in her chair.
She had noticed something.
Whenever she personally handled business matters, things worked out.
Whenever she delegated or pushed something back, things somehow collapsed.
Her phone buzzed.
Another business call.
Then another.
And another.
The opportunities kept coming.
That evening, after everyone had gone home, Lashae sat alone in her office reviewing contracts.
Her eyes landed on an email.
The subject line made her stomach tighten.
The partnership proposal that had mysteriously disappeared three months ago had suddenly resurfaced.
No explanation.
No apology.
Just a request to schedule a meeting.
Lashae frowned.
She opened the email chain.
Something caught her attention.
An email she had never seen before.
Sent from an unknown address.
The message was short.
“I wouldn’t move forward with her if I were you.”
No name.
No signature.
No explanation.
Just those words.
Lashae slowly sat forward in her chair.
For months she had assumed she was dealing with bad luck.
Now she wasn’t so sure.
Someone had been interfering.
The question was—
Who? And how long had they been watching her business from the shadows?
#reddit #redditstories #apowellbooks #lesbianvisibility #lesbianbooks
Reading Lashae's story really resonated with me on how moving to a completely new place can serve as a powerful catalyst for healing and self-discovery. When Lashae escapes the painful betrayal of Quinn and relocates to Brazil, the unfamiliar environment offers her not just physical distance but mental space to re-center herself. This is a reminder of how important changing our surroundings can be when coping with emotional trauma. I’ve also experienced that sudden urge to focus solely on personal goals instead of relationships after going through heartbreak. Like Lashae, immersing oneself in work, dreams, and daily routines can provide a healthy distraction and help rebuild self-worth. Yet, I find the story very realistic in acknowledging that memories and feelings often creep back, especially during quiet moments alone, reflecting the non-linear nature of emotional recovery. What struck me most was Lashae’s realization that no one is coming to save her — a powerful message of self-reliance we often overlook. It encourages embracing inner strength and taking control of our own narrative, which is inspiring for anyone who has felt abandoned or lost after a painful experience. On a professional level, the depiction of Lashae’s growing business facing mysterious setbacks and unexplained interference mirrors challenges many entrepreneurs face. It’s common to encounter hurdles that feel like bad luck, but sometimes having to handle matters personally can turn the tide, as Lashae notices. This underlines the value of direct involvement and vigilance in business management. Finally, the influence of an unknown adversary sabotaging opportunities adds a suspenseful layer, reminding me how vulnerability can extend beyond emotions into our professional lives. It highlights the importance of trust and discernment in both relationships and business. Overall, this spin-off combines heartfelt emotional depth with an intriguing business thriller angle, making it a rich, multi-dimensional read. For anyone navigating the complexities of love, self-healing, and entrepreneurial ambition, Lashae’s story offers meaningful insights and inspiration to keep moving forward despite setbacks.
