บททั้งหมดของ MY EX WANTS ME BACK: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

The conference room buzzed with quiet conversation. Projectors hummed. Coffee cups clinked against polished wooden tables. Executives chatted amongst themselves while assistants hurried around distributing folders and bottled water. For everyone else, today was exciting. For me, it was supposed to be another Monday. I glanced at my watch. Nine o'clock. Right on schedule. The biggest collaboration our company had landed in years was finally beginning. Two firms. One project. Twelve months. Millions of dollars on the line. Sarah nudged my shoulder. "You nervous?" I smiled. "A little." "Liar." She laughed. "You've presented to tougher clients than this." "Presenting isn't the problem." "So what is?" I looked around the room. "I just don't like not knowing who we're working with." Sarah shrugged. "We'll find out in a minute." Across the table, Zoey was already helping herself to the complimentary pastries. "If this project goes well," she said through a mouthful of

Six Years Earlier I stared at my phone for almost a full minute. Hope you got home safely. — Abe How he got my number wasn't even the most annoying part. It was the fact that he'd actually texted me. I sighed before typing. How did you get my number? Three dots appeared almost immediately. Class representative. I frowned. You asked for my number? His reply came seconds later. No. I asked for my project partner's number. Turns out that's you. I rolled my eyes despite the smile tugging at my lips. That's still creepy. His response was instant. A little. I laughed quietly. Before I could reply again, another message came through. Tomorrow. Same study room. Don't be late. I shook my head. You're obsessed with punctuality. I'm obsessed with passing this course. For the first time... I didn't find him annoying. Just... Different. The following afternoon, the library was unusually crowded. Every study room had been booked. Every table was occupied. Except on

Diane's povSaturday mornings had become my favorite.No board meetings.No client calls.No deadlines.Just peace.And today that peace came in the form of a messy-haired man wearing sweatpants and a ridiculous dinosaur t-shirt."You cheated."Zephyr gasped dramatically."I did not.""You absolutely did.""I have no idea what you're talking about."I pointed accusingly at the Monopoly board spread across his coffee table."You stole money from the bank."His hand flew to his chest.The man actually looked offended."Wow."I squinted my eyes."You stole it.""You have no proof."I reached over and snatched the folded bills from beneath his thigh.The evidence.His jaw dropped.Then I burst out laughing.The next thing I knew, he tackled me onto the couch.A squeal escaped me."Zephyr!""False accusations have consequences."I laughed so hard my stomach hurt as he started tickling my sides."Stop!""Nope.""Zephyr!""Confess.""I'm innocent!""Liar."By the time he finally released me,

Diane's povThe problem with seeing someone every day was that eventually they stopped feeling like a disruption.They started feeling normal.And that terrified me.It had been three weeks since the project began.Three weeks of meetings.Emails.Conference calls.Strategy sessions.Three weeks of seeing Abe McCarthy almost every day.And somehow that was becoming the problem.Not because he was making my life difficult.Quite the opposite.He was making it easy.Too easy."You're staring at your screen again."I looked up from my laptop.Sarah stood in my office doorway holding a cup of coffee."I'm working."She snorted."You haven't typed anything in ten minutes."I sighed."Am I that obvious?""Painfully."Wonderful.Sarah entered and sat across from me.Her eyes narrowed immediately."What's going on?""Nothing.""Diane."I groaned."Why do people keep saying my name like that?""Because you're acting weird."I looked away.Because unfortunately she wasn't wrong.Lately I'd been

Abe's povThere came a point when regret stopped being enough.I'd spent weeks replaying memories.Weeks wondering what would've happened if I'd loved Diane better.Weeks apologizing to myself instead of doing something about it.I was done.If there was even the smallest chance of getting her back...I was going to take it.Not by forcing her.Not by manipulating her.But by showing her the man I should've been all along.I was late arriving at the joint office that Monday morning.The lobby was filled with employees rushing to meetings, coffee cups in hand.As I stepped out of the elevator, I saw her.Diane.She stood near the reception desk speaking with one of her managers.She wore a cream blouse tucked into charcoal trousers, her curls pulled into a high ponytail that bounced every time she laughed.Laughed.It was becoming my favorite sound again.I walked over before I could lose my nerve."Morning."She turned.The smile she wore disappeared almost immediately."Morning."Pro