All Chapters of Too Late To Want Me Back: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

47 Chapters

It's All My Fault

ArleneWhat had I done?My chest heaved as fear settled at the bottom of my stomach. The sight of Adrienne struggling at the bottom of the stairs almost made me double over. What happened? How did she…I didn't have the time to start asking needless questions which would never provide an answer. Right now, Adrienne needed me. It was my fault she was down there in the first place. If I hadn't started a fight with Lydia. If I hadn't -"Adrienne!" I shouted, pushing down the panic that welled up in my chest. I ran down the steps, not even looking where my foot landed. I was by her side in the twinkle of an eye but the sight of the blood on the ground beneath her pulled all the panic to the surface.WHAT THE HELL HAVE I DONE?!The words of the doctor when she was being wheeled into the emergency room rang in my ears. "She hit her head during the car accident," he'd explained. "It left her with scrapes and a mild concussion. She'll need to be monitored closely and kept on bed rest to recov

I'm Sorry

ArleneThe hospital corridor outside the emergency room buzzed with doctors and nurses hurrying in and out. I stood just outside, my nerves stretched tight as I waited for news. Even though I was a nurse and had worked in hospitals for years, my emotions overwhelmed me now, leaving me unable to step inside. Thankfully, I had ensured that blood supplies would be available ahead of time, calling ahead to the blood bank as soon as I realized how much blood Adrienne had lost at the bottom of those stairs.Still, I couldn't be certain about Adrienne's condition right now.The image of her at the bottom of the stairwell kept flashing in my mind. Her pale face. The blood pooling beneath her. The way her hand had clutched desperately at her stomach. The way her eyes had fluttered closed as if she was giving up.My thoughts spun in circles, and I realized I couldn't even trust my own judgment at the moment. All I could do was wait and hope for good news.The minutes stretched into what felt li

Let Her Go

EddieI couldn't get the image of Adrienne tumbling down those stairs out of my head no matter how hard I tried. I'd been standing right there, but still I'd not been able to save her. Despite what my mind was trying to tell me, I was sure of what I saw.She fell because she lost her balance. She hadn't been acting. She hadn't been vying for my attention. Maybe that was why I couldn't swallow the heavy knot that formed in my throat. Why I didn't hear Lydia's soft voice when she said, "We're here.""We're here, Eddie," she said again, pulling me out of my thoughts. I jerked up to see that I'd pulled up in front of her home. My thoughts were scattered, but still I'd brought her home.I'd driven on autopilot, my body going through the motions while my mind remained trapped in that stairwell, watching Adrienne fall over and over again.Lydia hesitated for a moment before asking, her voice soft and unsure, "Eddie, aren't you going to walk me upstairs?" Her invitation was clear.I looked st

The Proposal

AdrienneFLASHBACK! Almost A Week Before The AccidentI'd been curious to meet Marcus, especially after the text he sent me telling me to meet him in a cafe and not to let anyone know about it. What could he possibly want to tell me? Why did he want to keep it a secret especially from Eddie?What the hell did Lydia's father want with me? Was it about Lydia?All of those thoughts swirled in my head as I made my way down to the cafe. I stopped at the door to collect myself and check my time for what seemed like the hundredth time. I was late, I realized. I should have been here about thirty minutes earlier, but the nerves in my stomach had made me sluggish.Marcus Warren was the last person I wanted to start an issue with. Because he wasn't like Eddie. No, he wasn't like the Quinns. He was a respectable man whose reputation for being one of the most powerful men in the country went before him.So, what could a man like this possibly want with me?I glanced at my watch again, heaved a si

Something You should Know

AdrienneMy heart did a somersault in my chest and sank into my stomach. Marcus was here? Why? How?Before I could ask what he was doing here, he stepped further into the room and took the empty seat beside me. "What really happened?" I saw the look on his face. It was nothing like the look he had on his face when we met that day. He looked... angry."Did what happen have anything to do with Lydia?" The ice in his voice was scary. It made something in my chest jump. "Tell me the truth, Adrienne. Let me sort whatever this is out."I gulped and shook my head, finally finding my voice. "You shouldn't be here - no, how did you find out I was here?"Marcus's jaw tightened. "Your grandmother called me. She's been trying to reach you for hours. When she couldn't get through, she called me."I blinked, confusion washing over me. My grandmother called him? Why would she call Marcus Warren of all people? They barely knew each other. Unless - I glanced at Marcus and shook the thought away. It wa

It Hurts

AdrienneArlene’s hand trembled in mine. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and swollen. She looked like she’d been crying. Behind her, David stood with his hands in his pockets, his jaw tight, his gaze fixed on the floor.It’s been a long time since I last saw him. Did Arlene call him? I didn’t thibk she still kept in contact with him. My thoughts returned to the utter look of devastation on Arlene’s face that made my heart hammer in my chest. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.“Arlene,” I called out softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “What is it? Did something happen?”She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She looked at David, then back at me, and tears spilled down her cheeks. If I was worried before, the sight of her tears increased it tenfold. I could hardly recall the last time I saw Arlene cry. No, she never did. There was nothing that was painful enough to warrant her tears. But here she was in front of me, balling her eyes out.“I’m so sorry, Adrienne,

What Am I Doing?

EddieMy eyes fluttered open as I lay sprawled across the leather sofa, my body stiff from an uncomfortable night. My suit jacket served as a makeshift blanket, while the glass ashtray on the coffee table overflowed with cigarette butts.This apartment near my company headquarters had become my refuge during demanding work periods. Though through the three years with Adrienne as my fiancée, I had rarely needed this temporary sanctuary.The pounding headache that greeted my consciousness made me wince as I struggled to focus. My hand instinctively reached for the phone lying beside me on the cushions. I scrolled through the endless messages cluttering my screen. My thumb moved with practiced efficiency, bypassing countless notifications until my eyes landed on Adrienne’s chat thread.The digital exchange remained painfully one-sided, displaying only my earlier curt message: “I told my grandfather yesterday you weren’t feeling well, so you couldn’t come. This weekend, you’ll be going wi

Let All Hell Loose

Adrienne My phone buzzed relentlessly on the bedside table. I didn’t need to look at it to know what was happening. I was sure it was about the photos of Eddie and Lydia leaving his apartment together Which was splashed across every platform. The headlines were vicious. The comments were worse.Sighing, I picked up my phone and scrolled through the endless stream of notifications. My thumb moved mechanically, bypassing the messages from strangers until my eyes landed on the trending topics.#EddieAndLydia#QuinnScandal#PoorAdrienne#JustLeaveHimAlreadyI clicked on one of the threads and read the comments. Each one was like a small knife stabbing my gut, but I barely felt them anymore.“Didn’t Eddie’s fiancée just get into a terrible accident? And he’s already parading around with Lydia?”“I feel bad for Adrienne. She’s in the hospital and he’s out here playing house with another woman.”I set my phone down and stared at the ceiling. I’d read enough. The rest of the comments were th

The Woman In Red

LydiaI sat in the back of the car as the makeup artist worked carefully around my eyes, building the image I wanted ; soft, delicate, almost fragile. I held my phone to my ear, waiting for Eddie to pick up."Eddie, it's me - Lydia," I said sweetly when he answered. "Yes, today's the first live taping of the culinary competition. You have to come. I saved a seat just for you. They're only letting me in as a guest judge because of you, Eddie. I'm really grateful for everything. I'll give it my best, I promise."He murmured something in response. I couldn't tell if he was actually listening or just going through the motions. It didn't matter. He'd be there. That was all I needed.After I hung up, I sent a quick text: "Eddie will be attending today. Make sure the follow-up steps are ready." When a simple "OK" came back, I leaned back and smiled, satisfied.The car pulled up to the venue, and I stepped out, my heels clicking against the pavement. Cameras flashed as I walked toward the ent

She Claimed What Is Mine: Exactly As I Predicted

AdrienneI was anxious!This was the first time in three years that I was going to be cooking and catering in front of a audience and it filled me with nerves. But also, there was the determination inside me that I was going to ace through this. Three years ago, I had no one but Arlene in my corner, ye, I still won. Now though, I had Arlene, Mr. Hubert and maybe even Marcus Warren. My heart stopped as I thought of his name. His proposal flashed in my head but I quickly pushed it away. I couldn’t think about that now when my life was hanging on a balance. That didn’t stop thoughts of him from sneaking into my mind. Sighing, I tried to focus on the broadcast which had finally kicked off, signaling the start of the live show. Three judges took the stage in quick succession. First came two established names in the culinary world, both delivering polished introductions and impressive demonstrations of their skills. The audience applauded politely, their energy warm and contagious.This

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