Chapter 9
What was he even doing here?
Did he think I was dying to see him?
“I missed you so much this past month.”
Looking at his scruffy beard and how thin he’d gotten, I didn’t doubt he was telling the truth.
But what did that have to do with me?
‘Please… just give me one more chance.”
‘I know you can’t get past what happened. That’s why I’m here today-to clear up all the misunderstandings.”
sighed.
You’re STILL calling the disgusting shit you did ‘misunderstandings”?”
But I had no idea the worst was yet to come.
He’d actually brought his “drinking buddies” with him-Chase, Marcus, and Ryan.
Cora, just give Kaden another shot. He really loves you, and he knows he messed up.”
We’re all here to apologize too.”
We swear we’ll never take him drinking again!”
hase gave me this pathetic smile.
I get it-you guys are his ride or die friends from childhood.”
Standing by him makes sense. But after I got together with Kaden, I thought we were friends too.”
Every joke in that group chat, every time you guys encouraged him and Tessa, every time you put me lown-1 saw Ald, of it.”
1 never thought that years of friendship meant less than some stranger he’d known for three months”
Since you’re all here, let me be clear: Kaden and I are done. We’re not friends anymore either. Let’s just pretend we don’t know each other.”
Chapter 9
‘Cora!”
Kaden grabbed my hand, eyes red again.
n front of his friends, he actually got on his knees.
He pulled out his phone with shaky hands and showed me a video.
Look, LOOK-I cut things off with Tessa Sterling for good.”
he video showed Tessa sobbing her heart out and Kaden coldly rejecting her:
I was just using you for kicks. Cora’s the only one I love.”
I was wrong before. I couldn’t resist temptation, but now I’m thinking straight. We’re never talking again.”
essa cried harder, begging Kaden not to leave.
Kaden, we can still be together in secret. I’ll be your side chick.”
I won’t let Cora find out…Please don’t leave me.”
I’m never lying to Cora again. Whether she knows or not, I’m gonna be faithful to her forever.”
Kaden choked up: “That night I went to the bar, I was going to end things with her.”
I was being weak before. Cora, I really know I messed up!”
f this had been before, seeing him grovel like this would’ve melted my heart.
But now? I felt nothing.
The worst pain was behind me.
I’d realized I could live better without him.
All those obsessive feelings just… disappeared.
I pulled my hand away.
Kaden, let me go Let yourself go too.”
“Not everything in this world can be fixed. The kund of love I want has to be pure.”
“Can you put a shattered vase back together? Even if I forgave you, every single day we’re together. Ed remember that you betrayed me.”
34.30
Chapter 9
“I’d be miserable, bitter, and I’d probably try to get back at you-make you hurt as much as I do,”
“You really want that kind of life? Forty years, fifty years… for the rest of our lives, I’d never trust you again.”
“I don’t want to live like that.”
“So just go. We’re really done.”
‘Ten years together-you don’t owe me anything, and I don’t owe you anything. Let’s just call it even.”
I looked at Kaden and remembered the first time we met.
He was wearing a tank top, playing basketball on the court, sunk a three-pointer while everyone cheered.
That was the best time of my life.
I really did love him. But it was over.
Watching him cry like a little kid in front of me, I didn’t hate him anymore.
When there’s no love left, there’s no hate either.
turned around and left him in the past.
No matter how good the beginning of a story is, you have to accept when it just… ends.
believed someone better was waiting for me.
ust then, my phone buzzed-a message from Damien:
Getting off work early today. Want to grab dinner?]
My heart skipped a beat. I took a deep breath, made sure I’d completely moved on, then replied:
Yes.]
14:50
Walgreens Notified Me About His Plan B’ Purchase. So 1 Upgraded Him
to “Plan Bankruptcy
