Too late to want me back. のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The city noise faded into the background. It seemed like people walking past me suddenly disappeared. I can't describe how I felt; I felt ashamed and hopeful at the same time.All I could see was Lucas Bennett standing in front of me. Ten whole years had passed since I had last seen him.Back then, we were inseparable. Back then, life had been simple. Back then, I still believed happy endings were real. Now he was looking at me as if he couldn't recognize that I was the woman sitting before him.Honestly, I couldn't blame him. I barely recognized myself either. "Lucas..." My voice came out weak.He looked devastated. I could already sense pity. The concern in his eyes only grew. "Where have you been?"I almost laughed, though. Of all the things he could have said, that was the one he chose. "Where have you been too?"He smiled at me. "Fair enough.”For a brief second, it seemed like all those years had disappeared. I saw the boy I used to know—the bo

The papers scattered across the floor like pieces of a puzzle I couldn't solve.My pulse hammered against my ribs as I stared at the signature again.Evelyn Hart. It was the same woman. The same woman sitting across from Ryan.The same woman whose photo had been sent to me.The same woman who had secretly paid thousands of dollars toward my medical bills.Nothing about it made sense to me. I crouched down and gathered the receipts with trembling fingers.As I flipped, each page felt heavier that the last.Unknowingly, payments were confirmed, payment were processed, and my balance reduced.It occurs date after date.Who does that?Who pays a stranger's hospital bills?And why should she be paying a stranger’s bills?My mind immediately supplied the answer I didn't want.She was a stranger to me, and not to Ryan.The thought made me feel sick. I shoved the documents back into the envelope just as the front door opened.Footsteps echoed through the foyer. It was Ryan.I straightened myself

I couldn't stop thinking about the necklace.No matter how hard I tried.No matter how many times I told myself there had to be an explanation.The image remained burned into my mind.Evelyn Hart standing in that ballroom.Wearing the necklace Ryan had given me on our fifth wedding anniversary.I searched for that necklace for months.The necklace Ryan claimed had probably been misplaced during one of our moves.I remembered crying when I couldn't find it.I remembered tearing apart drawers and jewelry boxes.I remembered Ryan pulling me into his arms and telling me it was only a necklace.It was only a necklace to him, not me.It's one of the few gifts he'd ever personally chosen for me.One of the few moments that felt like proof he still cared.And now another woman was wearing it.I sat at the edge of my bed and stared blankly at the wall. My chest hurts.Ryan was having an affair with her.The thought repeated itself over and over.At first, I had resisted it. I defended him. I ma

"Have you been seeing someone?"For a moment, I genuinely thought I'd misheard him.The words hung in the air between us.Heavyly unbelievable.Ryan sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on me.Waiting for an answer. My heart pounded.Not because I felt guilty, because I felt angry.I felt so furious.Of all the things Ryan could have said...Of all the conversations we needed to have...This was the one he chose?I stared at him.Then I laughed. A short, humorless laugh.Ryan's expression hardened."What's funny?"I shook my head."I can't believe you just asked me that."His jaw tightened."You didn't answer."I looked away. I suddenly became unable to stand still.I set my phone down on the dresser and folded my arms across my chest.Our room felt smaller. The air felt heavier.Everything inside me screamed.Not because of the accusation.Because of the hypocrisy."Ryan."My voice came out quieter than I expected."Do you honestly think that's the problem here?"His eyes narro

Amelia's POVHumiliation has a sound.For me, it sounded like my phone ringing at nine o'clock on a Tuesday morning.I was sitting alone in the kitchen, staring at a cup of coffee that had long gone cold when the call came.It was an unknown number.Normally, I would have ignored it.But lately, unknown numbers seemed determined to ruin my life.So eventually, I answered."Hello?""Mrs. Carter?"My stomach tightened.The professional tone immediately put me on edge."Yes.""This is Richard Wells from Crestwood Medical Collections."The words hit me like a punch.Collections. Oh no.My grip tightened around the phone."I—""We've attempted to contact you multiple times regarding your outstanding balance."Heat flooded my face.I glanced around the empty kitchen as if someone might somehow hear the conversation."Can we discuss this later?""I'm afraid the account is already overdue."My chest tightened.The familiar panic began crawling through me.The same panic that had haunted me fo