جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 9

Back at the house, I started packing.I came across the first roses Stefan had ever given me. I'd dried them and kept them all this time.Now they crumbled to dust at the slightest touch.Then there were the matching mugs we'd made together, with the little symbol he'd carved into the bottoms just for us.The symbol had faded too.And a neat stack of train tickets.I remembered how, every time I was away on a long business trip, Stefan would take an overnight train on the weekend to come see me.All because I'd texted, "I miss you."When the project ended, I had to stay home to recover. I'd worked myself sick.If I missed a call or didn't answer a text, he'd get up and rush home, even in the middle of a meeting, just to make sure nothing had happened to me.Just then, my phone lit up with a text from Stefan. "Sorry, Nina. Caroline has a fever and a headache, so I have to take her to the hospital. I probably won't make it home tonight. Don't wait up. Get some sleep."I tore every one of

Stefan stood in the hospital hallway. At first, he'd brushed off Nina's message as something she'd sent in the heat of the moment.For seven years, every fight and every stretch of silence had ended the same way: Nina gave in.His fingers trembled as he called her, but the call went straight to voicemail. An automated voice told him she was unavailable.Once. Twice. Three times.Every single time."Stefan!"Caroline's sugary voice came from behind him. "I'm next. Will you come in with me? Please?" She tugged at his sleeve and looked down, stroking her belly.Stefan jerked free. "Something came up. I have to go right now."Caroline panicked. "Stefan, how can you leave? They're about to check on our baby!"Baby.The word hit a nerve, leaving Stefan rattled."Go ahead and get checked. Just call me if you need anything, okay?"Caroline froze where she stood. "What's so important that you have to go right now?"Stefan swallowed his impatience and patted her hand to soothe her. "Be good. I r

Early that evening, I walked out of the Orbis building with a few executives, still talking about rolling out the new project.That was when Stefan came toward me. His face was covered in stubble, and there were dark circles under his eyes.He pulled out the engagement ring and held it up in front of me. "Nina. I know I was wrong. It's all my fault. I was blind, and I hurt you. Give me one more chance, okay?"A few employees nearby quietly stopped to watch, curious to see what would happen.I stepped back and shook my head. "Stefan, we were done a long time ago."All the love I'd felt over the years had drained away, little by little, long before today."How can this be over?!" His voice shook with disbelief. "We had seven years together! We lived in that tiny 110-square-foot apartment. We cooked instant pasta together during snowstorms. I remember the first roses I ever gave you. The mugs we made together and carved our little symbol into. We promised we'd love each other forever. We

I never in a million years expected Stefan to get so desperate that he'd pull an even more outrageous stunt to win me back.I'd just said goodbye to an important business partner outside the Orbis building.Suddenly, strangers were pouring in from every direction.They lined up neatly on both sides of the plaza, each holding a red rose. One by one, they held their roses out to me.One after another.All 999 strangers crowded in front of me, holding out 999 red roses.People passing by who had no idea what was going on started pulling out their phones.At the far end of the crowd, Stefan slowly stepped forward.He was holding the 1,000th red rose and a brand-new ring.It clicked instantly.Stefan had set this whole thing up.He was using the grand romantic spectacle and the crowd to corner me. He wanted to leave me no choice but to forgive him in front of everyone.I was so angry I almost laughed out loud.With thousands of people watching, he rushed up to me, broke down and begged for