C09
C
“Sydney!” Charles’s face lit up as soon as he saw me and he practically sprinted toward me.
I stayed where I was, just watching him. Six months. That was all it took for him to go from polished and
confident to… this.
His hair was disheveled, his eyes sunken and the exhaustion clung to him like a second skin.
“Sydney, I finally found you,” he said, his voice shaking. “Please, just give me a minute. Let me explain.”
I folded my arms, nodding slightly, signaling him to go on.
“I’m sorry, Sydney,” he began, almost stumbling over his words.
“I know I was wrong, so wrong. I didn’t even know about the car accident until Hunter called me. If I had known, I
He stopped, swallowing hard before continuing. “I ended things with Jenna. She is out of my life. I swear. Can
you… can you forgive me?” His eyes searched mine, desperate for some kind of hope.
I kept my voice calm. “Apology accepted.”
That was all I said before stepping around him and heading to my car.
“Sydney! Please, wait! I can’t live without you!” His voice cracked, but I didn’t stop.
As I pulled out of the lot, I caught a glimpse of him in my rearview mirror, standing there like a statue, shrinking
further and further into the distance.
I sighed and grabbed a mint from the console, popping it into my mouth. The nausea had been creeping up on
me, but the coolness of the mint helped settle it.
Six months ago, this man could twist me in knots with just a few words. Now I saw him for what he really was.
He didn’t regret losing me. He regretted losing the convenience I brought to his life. His apology wasn’t for me; it was for his own guilty conscience.
There was no fixing this.
But apparently, Charles didn’t get the memo.
The next morning, he was waiting outside my office building, huddled near the entrance like some forlorn
character in a bad romance movie.
“Sydney!” He sprang to his feet as soon as he saw me. “Good morning! I made you breakfast. It’s still warm.” He
held out a lunch box, his face practically glowing with hope.
I stared at the box, then at him. “Do you have a health certificate?”
He blinked. “What?”
“A health certificate,” I repeated, my tone completely flat. “I’m not sure I can trust whatever’s in there.”
His face fell so fast, I almost laughed. Shock, hurt, confusion; it was all there, plain as day. But I didn’t stick around to let him explain or argue.
Without another word, I walked past him and into the building.
Whatever Charles thought he was doing, it didn’t matter. I was done falling for his empty gestures and meaningless words. Done letting him waste my time.
G
“Keep an eye out for anyone suspicious hanging around,” I told the staff as I walked into the office. “If you see someone loitering, don’t give them the chance to get near the building.”
I wasn’t new to issuing orders and this one wasn’t exactly subtle. If Charles tried lurking around the company again, security would handle it.
Altherra wasn’t like Tianara. Here, people didn’t waste time arguing when they felt threatened, they acted. I
doubted Charles had the guts to risk it.
7:38 AM
Goodbye, Lover
For a while, things seemed to settle. I would catch glimpses of him every now and then, skulking around like he thought he was invisible. As long as he didn’t bother me, I ignored it.
But then he crossed the line. One afternoon, I got home early and spotted him loitering outside my villa.
For some, that might look romantic, a grand gesture or some kind of dedication. For me, it was nothing but
unsettling.
The second he noticed me, his face lit up and he rushed toward me, unguarded this time.
“Sydney, wait, can we talk?” he stammered, barely able to hide his nervousness.
I sighed, exasperated but unwilling to make a scene in front of the neighbors. “Alright, let’s talk.”
I led him to a nearby dessert shop. Sitting across from him felt surreal, like I was meeting a stranger who only
vaguely resembled someone I once knew.
After we ordered, he dove right in, his words tumbling out like they had been rehearsed.
“I know I messed up, Sydney,” he started, his voice raw and eager.
“Okay,” I replied, not giving anything away.
“Please, forgive me,” he said, his hands twitching on the table. “I can’t live without you. Six years, Sydney. Six
years together. Doesn’t that mean anything?”
He reached out, his fingers brushing toward mine, but I pulled my hand back so quickly it might as well have
been instinct.
