Six

When the Ceremony was over, Lena was still seated in her spot, lost in thoughts as she stared at nothing in particular. The guests soon began to leave in their numbers but Lena wasn't ready to move an inch from where she sat.

Different thoughts ran through her mind and for a split of second she thought of dashing out of the hall to go find him, but her instincts told her that it wouldn't turn out well, so she just let it be.

"Why didn't he tell me?" she thought, her mind replaying the cold way he had pushed her away earlier. He had acted like a stranger, like she was nothing more than a past mistake.

She picked up her bag and stood up when she felt the need to use the restroom. She made her way out of the hall, trying to find the restroom. It didn't take much time before she Identified the female's restroom. 

FEW MINUTES LATER

As Lena walked out of the restroom, the weight of the revelation pressed heavily on her chest. She paused in front of the door, her hand gripping the door frame as if to steady herself. The cool evening air brushed over her face, but it did nothing to calm the strom in her mind.

She walked out fully from the restroom and towards the Main door of the building. She glanced up in front of her, half expecting to see Grayson coming out of the hallway before the door, to explain everything to her, but she didn't and her shoulders dropped in disappointment.

Lena's heart ached with longing and frustration. How could he not tell her? He just made her believe that he was just... gone?

Just then, her phone buzzed in her and bag, cutting her away from her thoughts. It was Arianna, probably checking in on how the event went. Lena ignored the call, slipping her phone back into her bag. She wasn't ready to speak to anyone, not yet.

As she almost approached the front door, as if on cue, Grayson appeared from the hallway in front of her. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and as Grayson took a step forward, Lena quickly blocked his way.

"How long were you going to keep this from me?" Lena gathered her courage and asked, her both hands still spread apart, preventing Grayson from passing.

Grayson stood still, his eyes cold and distant and with a smirk he responded. "It wasn't your business to know."

Lena’s fingers curled into fists. “Not my business?” Her voice came out softer than she intended, but the sting was there. “I had the right to know, Grayson.”

His expression darkened, the amusement in his smirk vanished within a blink of an eye. “You lost that right the moment you threw me away.”

She exhaled sharply. “I didn’t throw you away...”

“Didn’t you?” His voice was sharp, controlled, but the bitterness underneath it was unmistakable. “You made your choice, Lena. Now you have to live with it.” He stated.

Lena took a step closer, desperation creeping into her voice. “I never wanted this...”

“You never wanted this?” He let out a humorless chuckle. “That’s rich. Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you got exactly what you wanted.”

Her throat tightened. “I didn’t know things would turn out this way.”

Grayson scoffed. “You knew exactly what you were doing.” His gaze was unyielding, his words cutting through her like a blade. “You thought I was disposable. A mistake you could erase.”

Lena’s eyes burned. “That’s not true.”

“Then tell me what is true, Lena,” he snapped, stepping closer. “Tell me why you suddenly care. Why you’re standing here demanding answers when you’re the one who walked away.”

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Grayson let out a slow breath, his jaw tightening as he shook his head. “That’s what I thought.”

Silence wrapped around them, heavy and suffocating.

Lena felt a familiar ache settle in her chest. When they were together, they never used to argue...not like this. She wasn’t used to seeing him like this, so angry, so...cold.

She swallowed hard and took a step back. Then another.

Grayson didn’t stop her.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself, before turning on her heel and walking out.

Lena walked as fast as her legs could carry her, not caring where she was going. She just needed to get away. The cool evening air brushed against her skin, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside her mind.

After what felt like forever, she finally stopped. Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath, and only then did she realize something, she had left her car behind.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "Great. Now I’m out here, walking for no reason."

She glanced around. The streets were mostly empty, the soft glow of streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. Her house was still far, and the thought of taking a cab didn’t sit right with her. She didn’t want to deal with anyone right now.

Taking another deep breath, she turned back the way she had come. She needed to get her car. Just get in, drive home, and forget this night ever happened.

As she walked back, a silent prayer formed in her mind. "Please, don’t let me run into Grayson again. I’ve seen enough of him for today."

***

Her grip tightened around her purse as she reached the parking lot. Her car was right where she had left it, sitting under the dim glow of a street lamp. She let out a slow breath and reached for the door handle, ready to put this night behind her.

Then, a voice cut through the silence.

“You’re really bad at leaving, aren’t you?”

Lena’s heart lurched. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Grayson.

She swallowed hard before slowly turning to face him. He stood a few feet away, hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze unreadable under the soft glow of the lights. The black suit he wore only made him look more intimidating.

She forced herself to meet his eyes. “I forgot my car,” she said simply, hoping to keep the conversation short.

Grayson tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “Is that all?”

Lena hesitated. There was something in his voice, something cold, but also curious. Like he was testing her.

She nodded. “Yes.”

Grayson took a slow step forward. “Then get in and leave.”

The way he said it, so dismissive, made something in her chest tighten. She knew she had hurt him before, but this version of Grayson, so distant, so cold was nothing like the man she used to know.

She reached for her car door again, but then…

A loud crash sounded in the distance, followed by a sharp scream.

Lena froze. Grayson did too. Their eyes met for a split second before instinct took over.

Without thinking, Lena turned in the direction of the noise, her heart pounding. The street was dark, but she could make out movement near the alleyway behind the building.

Someone was there. And whoever it was… they were in trouble.