Delilah's povThe chaos of wedding planning was overwhelming, far different from the chaos of a Friday night dinner rush. Over the past weeks, Calix and I were finally in a good place again. The tension between us had melted into a warm, quiet affection, and the busyness of planning a wedding. We decided to have a small, intimate wedding with family and close friends, which was quite laughable, seeing that we barely had friends or living relatives.I had different tabs open on my laptop, all with mood boards with different wedding-themed titles. 'Garden Romance', 'Wedding Color Combos', 'Bridesmaid Dresses Inspos', and lots more. My office desk at the restaurant was a chaotic blend of printouts, ribbon samples, and an empty coffee cup I'd meant to throw away since this morning. Somewhere in between all of it, I sat cross-legged on my chair like a teenager in a sleepover, not a grown woman planning a wedding.Naomi popped another gummy bear into her mouth as she leaned over my shoulder
Delilah's povBefore I could respond, Calix turned and yanked the door open.“Calix, wait!” I yelled after him. I was already at the front door, tugging on a sweatshirt over my body and grabbing a pair of slippers with shaking hands. He stopped on the front steps, his body tense.He turned, his face filled with worry. “Delilah, what do you think you are doing? I’ll call you from the hospital. You don’t need to come.”“Don’t be ridiculous,” I snapped, my fear for Naomi overriding my anger at him. “She’s already my daughter, too. I’m coming.”He didn’t argue. He just opened the passenger side door wordlessly. The car ride to Naomi's school was filled with tension. The silence was heavier than before, coupled with the unspoken hurt and the shared fear.When we pulled up to the school, some teachers and other members of staff were gathered outside, their faces a mixture of concern and relief. The front desk woman recognized us instantly and directed us down the hall. Naomi’s teacher met
Delilah's povI was sure I was ready for a fight until I saw Calix at the corner of the hall with Gianna. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and they were swaying from side to side in a little dance. I didn’t even know when a tear slipped down my face. I ran back to the bathroom before my tears became another full blown breakdown.The bathroom floor was cold, just like the cold, hard reality that had slammed into me. I knelt there, my cheek pressed against the cold tiles, the sound of my breathless sobs echoing in the small space.I pressed the heels of my hands against my eyes, willing the tears to stop. I couldn't be like this. Not here, not now. Not in a bathroom at a party full of people who would love nothing more than to see someone they deemed unworthy fall apart. And most of all, not for him. I wouldn’t give Calix the satisfaction. He didn't deserve my tears. He didn't deserve any of me.I got up and pressed my palms against the marble sink, watching my tears drip into the
Delilah's povHer perfume hit my nose before she even spoke. Too sweet, too sharp and it turned my stomach instantly. She was already smiling when she got to me. It was obvious that she wanted to appear harmless but that smile couldn’t fool me. Especially not tonight."Delilah, isn't it?" she said, her voice like honey. "I'm Giana."I nodded, my mind a whirlwind of confusion. "I know who you are," I said, my voice a little shaky. "What do you want?"Her smile didn't waver. "I just wanted to say hello," she said, her eyes flitting to where Calix was standing. "I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting each other."I didn't know what to say. I just stood there, my hand gripping my champagne flute so tightly my knuckles were white.She stood with both hands wrapped around her champagne glass, like it was a photo prop and not something she’d actually drink. Her eyes flicked over me, head to toe, then smiled. “You look… nice tonight.” She gestured with her head towards Calix, who was
Delilah's povThe smell of brewing coffee and breakfast usually filled the kitchen with a comforting warmth. I stirred my own coffee, watching the steam curl upwards, trying to ignore the empty space at the head of the table. Naomi picked at her scrambled eggs, her brow furrowed in a way that mirrored my own anxiety.Then, the front door clicked open. It clicked open quietly, cautiously — the kind of sound someone makes when they don’t want to wake someone sleeping.Naomi and I looked up, our forks clattering against our plates. Calix stepped into the dining room with yesterday’s clothes still on him. His collar was wrinkled and his sleeves pushed up. His suit jacket was rumpled, his tie loosened, and his eyes looked… tired.“Dad!” Naomi’s voice was a small, relieved exhale.Calix met her eyes. “Morning.”That was it? Just… morning?He walked past us to the fridge like it was any other day. Like he hadn’t vanished the night before without a word, like he hadn’t left me staring at my p
Calix's povThe city lights blurred as I sped down the highway, windows down and my tie yanked loose. I didn’t want to go home. Couldn’t. The thought of walking into that penthouse alone made my jaw clench.I needed noise. Darkness. A place where no one would ask why the hell a billionaire CEO looked like I had been punched in the gut by a ghost.I found myself pulling up to a private club buried behind tinted glass and valet gates. Rubix had a reputation. It was exclusive, indulgent, the kind of place men with money and messes in their heads came to forget all they needed to forget.I hadn’t been here in a while. Back then, I had a different woman on my arm every week and no one expected anything more than a room key and silence.I handed off my keys to the valet, nodded at the doorman who somehow still remembered my name, and stepped inside.Low lights. Velvet shadows. Music that throbbed under the skin more than in the ears.I walked straight to my old booth. Back corner. Just enou