Novels by OodetoO

Chapter 51Finally.I was home.I unlocked the door to my apartment and stepped inside.The silence greeted me almost immediately.No more loud music.No more ringing and dinging from slot machines.Just...quiet.I closed the door behind me and stood there for a moment.The loneliness wasn't anything new.I'd grown accustomed to it.Most days, I barely noticed it anymore.I dragged my luggage inside and plopped everything near the door.I'd deal with it tomorrow.Right now, I didn't have the energy.I kicked off my shoes and walked toward my bedroom.As I passed the mirror, I caught my reflection.I stopped.Bare-faced.Red, puffy eyes.Hair pulled into the sloppiest ponytail imaginable.I looked exhausted.Not just from the flight.From everything.For a few seconds, I simply stared at myself.I wasn't proud of the way I looked.But more than that...I wasn't proud of the way I felt.Defeated.Heartbroken.Stuck.Seven years of carrying around something that had ended a long time ago

The moment I walked back into my room, I pulled my suitcase onto the bed.There would be no relaxing.No sightseeing.No clearing my mind if I stayed in Las Vegas another minute.I pulled out my phone and canceled every spa reservation I'd booked for myself.I didn't even bother checking whether I'd get my deposits back.It didn't matter anymore.I opened my laptop and searched for the earliest flight back to Washington.The price made me wince.I didn't care.I booked it anyway.I quietly scribbled a note for Darlene and left it on the nightstand.Darlene,I'm sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. Something came up, and I needed to head home early.Love,MyleneI took one last look around the room.Just yesterday, I'd arrived in Las Vegas thinking I was here to celebrate my best friend's wedding and to finally relax.I

I could see the conflict in his eyes.Like there were a thousand things he wanted to say but didn't know where to begin."Mylene..."His voice was barely above a whisper."I..."He looked away for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh."I...I have to go."I forced the smallest smile I could manage."Goodbye."The word caught in my throat.For a moment, neither of us moved.Then he nodded."Goodbye."He turned and walked toward the elevators.I stood there until the doors closed behind him.At least this time...I finally got to say goodbye.A proper face-to-face goodbye.Maybe this was the closure I'd needed all along.I closed my room door and leaned against it.The tears I'd been holding back finally won.Matt was getting married.To someone else.I slid down onto the floor, covering my mouth as quiet sobs escaped.

I immediately reached for Darlene's hand.Partly to quiet her.Partly because she was swaying so much I was afraid she was about to fall over.Mostly because I needed something—anything—to snap me out of the daze before the look on my face gave away everything I was feeling.Matt glanced between me and Darlene."She's an old friend," he told the guys.I guess we'd become just old friends now.That stung."You all go ahead. I'll catch up with you."The group exchanged knowing looks before one of them shrugged."Don't take too long."They disappeared back toward the club, leaving the three of us standing on the sidewalk.Darlene suddenly groaned."I don't feel so good..."She barely finished the sentence before stumbling into me."Oh no."I caught her just in time."Darlene?"She looked absolutely miserable.My hotel was only a short walk awa

Is the universe playing some kind of cruel joke on me?I felt like I'd finally taken one giant step forward.Then our eyes met...And just like that...My heart.My mind.My entire body.Everything unraveled.One look at Matt, and it felt like I'd taken five steps backward.Who was I kidding?I'd never gotten over this man.And I wasn't sure I ever would or could.The way he looked at me...The way he smiled so effortlessly, like seeing me after all these years was the most natural thing in the world...How was he so calm?When I was standing here, barely holding myself together?I'd imagined this moment more times than I could count.I'd imagined him showing up at my doorstep one day...Telling me he'd made the biggest mistake of his life.That walking away from us was something he'd regretted every single day.I'd imagined answering a call fro

The months slipped by faster than I expected.Every morning blended into the next.Emails.Meetings.Deadlines.For the last two months, I'd been leading one of the biggest projects of my career.A major product launch.The pressure had been nonstop.Late nights became the norm.My apartment was little more than a place to sleep before waking up and doing it all over again.There were moments when I questioned whether I'd make the deadline.But somehow...I did.Launch day came and went without a hitch.The marketing campaign exceeded expectations, and the product became one of our most successful releases of the year.When my manager called me into his office afterward, I assumed another project was already waiting for me.Instead, he smiled."You've earned a break."I already had vacation time approved for Sophie's wedding.Originally, I'd planned to fly into Las Vegas on Thursday and leave first thing Sunday morning after the wedding.Just enough time to celebrate.Then head home.