Chapter 11

“At the company, all the access and authority were in your hands. At home, it was the same.“You arranged the drivers. The legal team worked for you. Even when Grandma had surgery three years ago, I didn’t know which doctors you contacted or how you got them here.“I used to think that was a good thing.“You took care of everything for me, and all I had to do was live my life without worrying about anything.”I looked up at him.“But that day, when I couldn’t even get through my own front door, I realized something.“If you weren’t there, I didn’t even know where I stood anymore.”Adrian’s throat moved.“It was my—”“It wasn’t your fault.”I cut him off.“And loving me the way you did wasn’t wrong either.“I was the one who handed over too much of my life.”I zipped up my suitcase.“So now I want some of it back.”Adrian looked at me for a long time.“Including our marriage?”My hand stilled.It was the first time since he came back that he had asked me so directly.

Chapter 12

During my first week back, a client asked me a question in a meeting that I couldn’t answer.That night, I stood under the hot water in the shower and suddenly wanted to call Adrian.In the past, all I had to do was ask.Within half an hour, he probably would’ve had every relevant document sent to me, along with a list of exactly who I needed to contact.I picked up my phone.Then I put it back down.The next day, I reached out to three former colleagues and took them out to dinner.The problem still got solved.Not as quickly as Adrian would’ve solved it.But it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had imagined either.As time went on, the thought of calling Adrian came to me less and less.It wasn’t because I didn’t need him.I was simply starting to remember that I used to know how to solve my own problems too.When the West District deal was finally closed, Caleb called me.“Ms. Shaw, the other side finally came down another two percent.”I laughed.“You don’t have to ca

Chapter 13

“But there’s one thing he did better than I ever did.”“What?”“He said whatever was on his mind.”I turned to look at him.Adrian kept his hands on the wheel and was silent for a few seconds.“I used to think loving someone meant giving her the best of everything.“Taking care of things for her. Shielding her from every problem. Clearing the road ahead so she never had to struggle.“But now I know there are some things you can’t do for someone else.”I didn’t say anything.“Anna.”“Yeah?”“From now on, if you want my help, tell me.“If you don’t ask, I won’t make the decision for you.”I watched the streetlights slide past outside the window.“Remember you said that.”“I will.”Six months later, my mother-in-law asked me out to dinner.Halfway through the meal, she suddenly pushed a set of keys across the table.“Adrian asked me to give these to you.”I glanced down.“What are they?”“The house keys.”“Why didn’t he give them to me himself?”She snorted.“He sa

All Chapters of He Became Eighteen, Left Me for Her, Then Begged Me Back: Chapter 11 - Chapter 13

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13