All Chapters of Still No Peace After Years Apart: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

"Yves, you got her name wrong again." Xenia Quade laughed as she corrected him. "Her name is Sarah Queen."Yves Warren traced a finger around the rim of his glass before looking up at me in confusion. "It is?""Yeah. Sarah Cole is the heroine from that novel I recommended to you." As she spoke, Xenia leaned a little closer to him.Yves let his hand fall away from the glass and nodded. "Guess I mixed them up."There wasn't a trace of concern on his face. I found myself barely breathing.So twenty-three years of growing up together couldn't compete with a novel he'd read.Xenia rested her chin on her hand and blinked at him playfully. "Just don't copy the guy in the book. I still can't believe he ended up with the other girl."My throat tightened, my fingers unconsciously bunching the fabric of my skirt.Because the other woman in that book was named Xenia.The light in Yves's eyes dimmed almost immediately, and when he spoke, his voice was low."I thought those two made a pretty good co

The next morning, I got ready and headed downstairs just as Yves came through the front door.I lowered my eyes and tried to walk past him without a word, but he stepped into my path and held something out to me."You've been wanting these. Here."Inside was a pair of adorable ceramic figurines, beautifully made.I had wanted something like this for a long time.Unfortunately...My lashes trembled, but I didn't take them."That's not me."I looked at the female figurine."That's Xenia."Yves froze for a moment, then glanced down at it."Really?"He studied it again. "I couldn't tell. Maybe you two just look too much alike."Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he added, "You know how I am. I can't remember that many things."I forced myself to look at him.No.Xenia and I looked nothing alike.I had a small dark mole on the tip of my nose. That alone was enough to tell us apart.He simply hadn't bothered.When I stayed silent, Yves clicked his tongue and shoved a hand into his pocket."Then

"Who said that was what I wanted?"Who told you I wanted this?"Yves stood frozen, every muscle in his body rigid."Ms. Queen told us," Emily answered quietly. "She said there would be a different bride and that we shouldn't contact her anymore."She glanced uneasily around the venue. "So... what would you like us to do about today's ceremony?"Yves's hands slowly curled into fists, his chest rising and falling hard.Heat burned behind his eyes. One thought drowned out everything else.Sarah had left him at the altar.He couldn't make himself believe it.Xenia, meanwhile, didn't seem to understand what was happening. Gathering up the skirt of the wedding gown, she walked over to him."Yves, Sarah only left because she was upset. Once she calms down and thinks it through, she'll come back."There's no need to panic."And since everything's already set up for the wedding, maybe today you and I could..."She bit her lip and shyly reached for his sleeve.Yves finally looked at her.His han

The moment I arrived in Yelmont, I blocked Yves on everything.Only after I was certain he had no way to reach me did I finally feel myself relax.For the next few days, I let myself do whatever I wanted. I stayed out late, slept through half the day, and completely lost track of any normal schedule.I'd never felt so free.There had been so many times when I'd wanted to travel before, only to give up the idea because I was worried about Yves and his condition.Looking back now, I realized how many chances I'd missed to simply enjoy my own life.After another two weeks of taking it easy, I rented a small house with a yard and planted some flowers and greenery.Little by little, I felt calmer too.Eventually, I updated my old resume and landed a job at a company nearby. My commute was only ten minutes, and before long, my life had settled into a comfortable routine.Then one day, Jason called.I hesitated before answering."What is it?"There was a pause on the other end."Are you doing

The moment I finished speaking, Yves lunged toward me and grabbed my arm."No. I'm not leaving. I don't know her."I remember that we grew up together. You can't make me leave."I yanked my arm free and raised my voice."We've been over for a long time."He flinched, then kept rubbing the battered notebook against his chest."But everyone says you were good to me. They said we were supposed to get married."He looked up at me."And when I see you, I feel safe. I don't want to be alone."I don't want to be by myself."I didn't want to deal with him anymore.Taking a deep breath, I sat down on the couch and shut my eyes.A little while later, he carefully sat down beside me and pulled out the notebook again.Then he started quietly repeating everything he'd written inside, over and over, as if he were trying to carve every insignificant detail into his memory.It suddenly reminded me of that party.He'd known every one of Xenia's preferences and rattled them off without hesitation.How m