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Semua Bab The Kindest Goodbye: Bab 1 - Bab 10

10 Bab

Chapter 1

A couple next to me held each other tight, their tears flowing freely. The girl was a survivor, just like me.In the lounge the airport had set up, everyone was busy calling their loved ones to let them know they were okay. I watched them, one by one, quickly getting through, and I could not help but smirk bitterly at myself. I had barely caught my breath after we landed safely when I had frantically dialed Lucas Hoffman's number. It rang for a mere second before the call was dropped. I told myself Lucas was probably just waiting for me at the exit, all worried. However, when I went to text him, I saw that he had posted on his social media a few minutes before. There he was in a selfie with Yvonne Emerson, his childhood best friend. They were cheek to cheek, shoulders touching, grinning on some mountaintop. The caption hit me hard.[Hope we're still living it up like this at 60.] The fear I had felt for him while I was plummeting from the sky, the thought that he would be d

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Chapter 2

The moment they caught wind of the news, my parents were dead set on coming to get me.Mom and Dad wrapped me up in a tearful embrace, and I ended up crashing at their place for the night.The next day at the office, right in the middle of lunch, Lucas barged into my personal space like he owned the place. He usually avoided me at work to keep the gossip down.However, he was all up in my face, accusing, "Harriet, everyone has their breaking point with tantrums, don't they? Giving me the cold shoulder, staying away from home—what's that all about?""And you? Didn't exactly make it home last night, did you? Only figured out the house was empty this morning, huh, Lucas? Some husband you are."I had checked my phone. Not a peep from Lucas last night, but come eight in the morning, he suddenly became Mr. Call-Me-Maybe.That was not the first time Yvonne kept him out all night.As expected, he scrunched up his face, acting like it was all cool. "What's the big deal? Yvonne's just bac

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Chapter 3

Ever since I said 'I do' to Lucas, I placed his needs before mine, tailoring even my meals to suit his taste buds.He was a total seafood junkie. Me, though? I used to break out in hives just thinking about it.I had sucked it up more times than I could count, just to make him happy.However, all my toughing it out? He just took it as a given.Last time, my allergy went nuclear, and Lucas did not even blink. Dragged me to a seafood feast anyway.I ended up gasping for air in the ER, and he was moaning about how I ruined the fun, calling me oversensitive. He even had the nerve to say Yvonne would never pull a stunt like that, because she had been his seafood buddy since they were in diapers.Was I blind or what, trying to push his childhood crush out of the picture?Seriously, if he really cared about me, would he play the comparison game when I was feeling like death warmed over?"Oops, Harriet's allergic, my bad, totally slipped my mind," Yvonne cooed, her words dripping with

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Chapter 4

I thought I was over it, but his icy words sent a shiver through my heart.Everyone I knew, even people I barely talked to, had kind words for me after hearing about my close call.My husband? He had not said one caring thing to me that whole time.I gave him a small, wry smile. "I don't remember asking you to shower me with gifts, did I?""You're going to regret this, Harriet!"With his teeth gritted in anger, Lucas stormed out without a backward glance.I ended up going back home. I had stuff to pack and a divorce agreement to discuss with my lawyer friend.Lucas changed his late-night habits. He started coming home right after work and even cooked meals that were just to my liking.He even started offering to drive to work together.However, I had him drop me off just before we got to the office.He looked at me, bewildered, asking why."You wanted to keep our relationship hush-hush around the office, remember?"Lucas was speechless.When he started at the company, I wa

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Chapter 5

Lucas's grip on the papers made his knuckles go white, his fingers shaking.In a frenzy, he ripped the agreement to shreds, letting the pieces fall over me."You're just trying to get a rise out of me. You still love me! There's no way you'd go through with this divorce!"I just printed another agreement, signed my name, and left it on the nightstand in our bedroom.Coming home from work, I opened the door to find Lucas decked out in the suit I loved, with a candlelit dinner waiting.I rubbed my temples to fend off the headache.Lucas was right there, trying to take my hand.He was definitely a looker, which was why I went after him when he let slip that he was on the market.As I stared at his face at this point, though, the butterflies I once felt were long gone."Remember, today's our fifth anniversary," he said, a hint of bashfulness in his voice that took me back to last year's fiasco.I had gone all out, booking a place decked with flowers, ordering a cake from the top

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Chapter 6

Once Lucas was gone, I reached out to an old college buddy, asking her to reel me back into our dorm's outdoor adventure group.She was shocked to hear from me, joking that I had vanished off the face of the earth since getting hitched, and they had been too scared to bug me.I felt a twinge of guilt.Back in our college dorm days, even after we started our jobs, the four of us would still meet up for weekend adventures.However, I had ditched my outdoor passions at Lucas's request, wanting to be there for him on weekends, doing what he loved.He started hanging out with Yvonne a lot, even making those trendy travel vlogs. I guess he forgot I was all about the great outdoors too, or maybe he thought I would not want to be on camera. So, on my birthday, I decided to shake things up and asked him to go hiking with me, hoping we could film our little adventure. I just wanted to do something fresh and fun with my guy on my special day. However, he was not having any of it, claim

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Chapter 7

I grabbed the comforter, ready to head to the guest room.Just as I was about to step away, Lucas caught me in an unexpected embrace from behind."Harriet, don't be like this. I can't take your coldness, please..."His voice broke, and I could feel his tears dampening the back of my nightgown.I gently unwound his clinging hands. "So, you finally get how much it hurts to be ignored?"The silent treatment was always his tactic. He would stay out late, hang with coworkers, and never clue me in.Worried, I would call him, even think about picking him up, but then he would accuse me of being too controlling, of holding him back.That would lead to days of him not coming home, leaving me to beg for just a word from him.In this relationship, we had not been on equal footing for far too long.It stretched for so long that I only just realized the love had faded away, leaving behind a faint trace of something I could not quite let go of.The last shred of hesitation had vanished.L

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Chapter 8

For the week I was on my own, I swear I was living the dream.I would clock out of work and head straight to my parents' place for a home-cooked meal, take leisurely strolls with them, and catch up on all the gossip. At night, I would hang out with my pals, and I even splurged on some new gear for the great outdoors. My college buddies and I had our next adventure all planned out, down to the last detail.My supervisor noticed the change too. He said I was all smiles those days and looked like I had a new lease on life."You've got a line of guys asking about you, you know," he would joke about my love life.I would just laugh it off. I was fresh out of a relationship that had left its mark, and I was not about to jump into another one. Plus, I was still waiting on my divorce papers.Then, on the first Saturday since the split, I got a call from Lucas's dad, Patrick Hoffman. Patrick was a decent guy and never really got in my way. If he was reaching out, it must have been Lucas pu

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Chapter 9

Mom somehow got wind of Lucas's hospital stint and was on my case to visit him."You two aren't divorced yet. You can't just cut him off completely."I did not bother to argue. I just said I would go.I got the scoop from HR about where Lucas was holed up in the hospital and headed over with a basket of fruit.Seeing me, Lucas was a mix of panic and thrilled.He was ghostly pale and looked totally wiped.Yvonne was perched by his bed, and the moment she spotted me, she jumped up to block my path."How dare you show up? Lucas wouldn't be sick if it weren't for you!""Yvonne, cut it out! Leave!" Lucas tried to sit up to intervene, and Yvonne shot him a wounded look.I was not about to get sucked into their cheesy soap opera.Shoving Yvonne aside, I spelled it out for her, "I couldn't care less.""You—""Yvonne, leave!" Lucas barked again.With a reluctant scowl, Yvonne shot me a dirty look, then turned to Lucas and said, "Don't you forget, I've been the one taking care of yo

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Chapter 10

A few days passed, and my social media was buzzing with the news that Yvonne's family business had taken the money and vanished into thin air.The update came from a client I had worked with before.I thought it was just a typical business scam, but the dirt that came out about her personal life was a real shocker.Ever since she landed back home, she had been flirting with every married guy and trust-fund kid in sight.Our business worlds collided, and while I was out schmoozing with long-time clients, I even caught wind of some juicy stories about Yvonne's escapades abroad.Rumor had it she had snagged herself a wealthy lover.However, when he went belly-up, his family kicked her to the curb, and she had no choice but to slink back home.Honestly, her thirst for cash knew no bounds.I then began to theorize that her clinginess to Lucas was all about getting her hands on his connections.It was kind of chilling, really.Half a month later, Lucas got out of the hospital and w

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