All Chapters of Entangled With My Cheating Ex And Stepbrother : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Chapter 41ArlynI plucked my jacket from the jacket rack behind the door and immediately put it on. Jane had left thirty minutes ago, saying to meet up with her at the volunteering center.I was a little excited to be part of something like this. I'd always been one to volunteer, especially when it came to charities. Thanks to Dad.I made my way out, locked my door, and drove to the new soup kitchen where I was volunteering.Once I got there, I walked in boldly, texting Jane and asking where on earth she was.She didn't respond immediately like she usually did, which left me to believe that she was probably busy. I was a little late; Andi knew she was going to mention it when I got there.I put my phone away and scanned the room. I froze when I saw Rivers staring at me with open curiosity at the far corner of the room.She was here too? FuckI had half the mind to turn back around and go home, especially since Jane doesn't seem to be here. Her car was parked outside, though. So,

CHAPTER FORTY-THREEJaneI learned very quickly that there were only two ways to survive the emotions I was going through. You either sat still and let it devour you from the inside, or you stayed so busy that your mind didn’t have time to circle back to the things it wanted most.I chose the second option, considering it as the safest option… and it seemed the universe was favoring me. By the second week of the semester, my schedule was a tight hot mess of lectures stacked back-to-back, extra tutorials I didn’t technically need, late-night study groups, and committee meetings I volunteered for as long as it got me busy. I said yes to practically everything thrown my way. Anything that meant I didn’t have to sit down alone with my thoughts.Because it didn't matter how much defense I had, the moment I eased up on it, Alex always found a way to creep into my thoughts. He always did.In those quiet moments between tasks. In the brief periods before sleep, in the way my chest tighten

CHAPTER 45ArlynBeing with Liam again felt like I had been back in the past. It was almost like I put on an old coat I loved very well only to find out it was an inch or two too small. It was familiar, yes, and the fabric still smells like something I once cherished, and there was comfort in knowing where the sleeves fall and how the buttons fasten without effort. But the thing was, the longer I kept it on, the more I noticed how tight it was around my shoulders, how it restricted my breathing, and how it was clearly made for a version of me that no longer existed. Liam was trying. I’ll give him that.He was the perfect gentleman I once thought he was. Opening doors for me, always texting and asking about my classes, always visiting but always careful never to touch me save the platonic hug every now and then. Almost too careful.It should have made me feel safe. Instead, it made me feel like a glass…. A very delicate one that needed the utmost care and caution. We would sit acr

CHAPTER 47JaneThere’s a particular kind of silence that settles between friends when one of them knows too much and the other is desperately trying not to say anything at all.Arlyn had been watching me like that all afternoon.Not the obvious kind of watching… No interrogation, no sharp questions fired like bullets, but the quiet, patient kind that makes you edgy and nervous as fuck. And that's because there is going to be an explosion, but you have no idea when it's going to happen or from what angle it will come from. And the waiting was driving me nuts. We were sprawled on opposite ends of her couch back on campus, textbooks abandoned and some forgettable show playing in the background. She pretended to be interested in the screen, and I pretended my phone was the most fascinating thing I ever saw. Anything to give the impression I was too busy to entertain any more questions about Alex. But we both knew it was bullshit through and through. “So,” she began casually, and I i

Chapter 49ArlynThe music was loud as the doors opened to both students and important men and women. Reid had apparently decided to make this a fundraiser/launch night.Smart. Very smart.Of course, he couldn't keep this place afloat on his own, so he decided to do a fundraiser inside while hungry students and passersby were left outside.After the speech he'd given, I had been staring at him all night, trying to gather the courage to speak to him.Everything our eyes jammed, I could detect a bit of disappointment in his eyes, and it tore me apart.He shook every dignitary's hand, and Rivers led them each to their seats.The deans of each faculty were present, and a couple of politicians were present. No wonder it had looked so good. “Hey,” River said, appearing beside me.“You think you can stay at the bar tonight?”“Sam seems to be unwell.”“Um, of course. But I am not the best bartender in the world.”I said to her, wondering why she was so close.“Don't worry about that. Eli and