Chapter 2

By the time I got home, the rich smell of bone broth filled the kitchen. Ryan poked his head out when he heard the door and held out a mug of hot water.

"It's windy out. Drink this and warm up."

I glanced at the mug but didn't take it. "Where's the soup?"

He smiled. "Claire's mom hurt her foot, so I'm taking it to her."

I paused and looked at him. "My mom made that for me this morning before she left."

He kept ladling soup into a thermos without even looking up. "So have her make another pot later. You're perfectly healthy. It's not like you need it."

My eyes fell to the thermos in his hands.

Two years ago, when Ryan worked late every night trying to get promoted and barely had time to eat, I went from store to store looking for the best insulated food jar I could find.

I wanted him to have a hot meal no matter how late he got home.

Now, he was filling it with the last pot of soup Mom ever made for me and taking it to another woman.

I walked over and pressed my hand over his.

"If they want soup, they can make their own."

Ryan blinked, then frowned.

"I know you're still mad because I didn't answer this morning, but Claire was crying so hard that she could barely think straight. I couldn't be in two places at once.

"Come on, don't be petty. I'll give you some extra points. You only need ten more before we can have the wedding. Isn't that what your mom wants most anyway? To see you get married?"

I froze.

Mom had never been in great health. More than anything, she wanted to see me settle down while she still could.

I just never thought Ryan would use that against me.

My throat tightened. "Do you even know that my mom…"

Before I could finish, Claire's voice came through the phone. Ryan still hadn't hung up.

"Ryan, this is the sweet, understanding Julia you're always bragging about? She's really fighting a sick woman over a bowl of soup? That's embarrassing."

Ryan's face darkened. "Julia. Be reasonable."

I didn't say anything. I just kept my hand on the thermos.

After a few tense seconds, Ryan finally let go and stepped back.

"When did you get so heartless?"

He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. Before leaving, he looked back at me, clearly disappointed.

"Maybe we should hold off on getting the marriage license for now."

The door slammed shut. At the same moment, another notification popped up on my phone.

[Perfect Wife Score: -5. Reason: Lack of compassion.]

I didn't even look at it. I just poured myself a bowl of soup. The warmth settled in my stomach, easing some of the emptiness inside me.

For some reason, I thought back to three days ago.

Mom sat there, holding my miscarriage paperwork in trembling hands. She wiped at her tears and asked, "Julia, does it really have to be him?"

She knew my feelings for Ryan went back much further than the last three years.

Ever since Mom brought him to the orphanage, Ryan had always treated me differently. He used to sneak his snacks into my pockets, wipe my tears, and puff out his little chest.

"Your mom runs this place, so she has to be fair to everyone, but I don't. I'll always be on your side."

One night, a drunk stumbled into the orphanage.

Ryan stood in front of me with his arms spread wide and gritted out, "No one's going to hurt you."

Somewhere along the way, without even realizing it, I fell in love with him.

Then he met Claire.

I buried my feelings and even chose a college as far away from him as possible. It wasn't until after they broke up that life brought us together again.

Ryan held me in his arms and promised he would never let me go again.

But three days ago, in the middle of that downpour, the man who promised to pick me up never showed. Not long after, he showed up on Claire's social media instead.

She made the post visible only to me.

[So what if you're his girlfriend now? I'm still the ex who gets to reap the rewards.]

In the video, rain pounded against the floor-to-ceiling windows while Ryan waltzed with her inside a warm, brightly lit room.

At that exact moment, a speeding car hit me.

I lay there in the rain, feeling warmth spread between my legs before the freezing water washed it away. The pregnancy report I planned to give Ryan for our third anniversary slipped from my hand, landed in the filthy runoff, and quickly turned to mush in the rain.

I think that was the moment everything inside me went numb.

My phone buzzed, pulling me out of the memory.

[You promised you'd marry me. I'm already on my way with the ring, so don't even think about changing your mind.]

I looked at the message from halfway across the world and smiled faintly.

[I won't.]

I had spent long enough chasing something that only ever hurt me.

This time, I was done looking back.