Chapter 105 One Hundred & Five
Izzy’s heart was still racing when the knock came again.
“Izzy? Izzy? Where are you?” Maya called out, her voice worried as the front door slowly pushed open.
Izzy and Dominic froze.
Dominic’s hands were still on her waist. He pulled back quickly, lowering his voice. “What… I thought you and Maya had issues?”
“Hmm… yeah,” Izzy whispered back, still trying to steady her breathing.
“Izzy, are you in your bedroom? Are you okay?” Maya’s voice came closer now.
“Huh… yeah! I’m fine. Gimme a minute!” Izzy called out, trying to sound normal.
Her cheeks burned. She hurried to grab her clothes, pulling them on with shaky hands. Dominic fixed his shirt, running a hand through his hair, his expression shifting back to calm and controlled.
Within seconds, they stepped into the living room.
Maya stood there, arms folded, eyes immediately landing on Dominic. Her expression darkened.
“What is he doing here?” Maya asked sharply, not pleased at all.
Dominic gave a small, smooth smile. “Nice to see you too, Maya.”
Izzy felt the tension in the room thicken. She avoided Maya’s eyes for a second, guilt creeping up her spine.
Dominic glanced at Izzy, then back at Maya. “I should take my leave,” he said coolly. Then he turned to Izzy, his tone softening. “Good night, pumpkin.”
Before she could react, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips… slow and possessive.
Maya’s jaw tightened.
Dominic walked past her toward the door like nothing had happened. “Would call you,” he added to Izzy before stepping out.
The door closed.
Silence.
Izzy turned slowly to face Maya.
Maya didn’t look impressed. She didn’t look surprised either.
She looked disappointed.
“You were crying about him a few hours ago,” Maya said quietly. “And now he’s in your bedroom?”
Izzy swallowed hard, her heart still confused, still weak for him.
“It’s not what you think…” she started, but even she wasn’t sure that was true.
Maya shook her head slowly. “Izzy… he’s engaged. You said that in the dozen messages you sent.”
The words hit harder now, standing in the quiet of her apartment.
“And you’re still letting him touch you.”
Izzy didn’t answer.
Because she didn’t know how to defend a love that was already breaking her.
Maya’s words hung heavy in the air.
“And you’re still letting him touch you.”
Izzy looked down at her hands. They were still shaking. Not from fear. Not from anger. From everything.
“I love him,” she whispered. The words sounded small now, fragile.
Maya let out a slow breath. “Love is not supposed to be this stupid. And make you this confused. Girl you are out of your fucking mind.”
Izzy swallowed. “He said he loves me. He said he’ll fix it. He said he’ll talk to his mom again.”
“And?” Maya asked gently.
Izzy hesitated. “And… he asked me to wait. Two years.”
Maya’s eyes widened. “Two years?” she repeated, disbelief clear in her voice. “Izzy… he’s asking you to pause your life while he marries someone else. This is giving major fuckboy asshole douchebag energy”
The truth hit differently hearing it from someone else.
“He said he’d divorce her,” Izzy added weakly.
Maya stepped closer. “Do you hear yourself?”
Izzy’s eyes filled again. “I just… when he’s with me, it feels amazing. It feels like I’m the only one.”
Maya’s voice softened. “That’s because in that moment, you probably are. But when he walks out that door? He chooses her. Every time.”
Izzy’s chest tightened painfully.
“He didn’t defend you at that party, you said so in your voicenotes” Maya continued carefully. “He sent you home. Alone. With no explanation.”
Izzy wiped her tears. “He showed up tonight.”
“After ignoring you all day.”
Silence.
Izzy sank onto the couch, exhaustion washing over her. “I don’t know how to let him go.”
Maya sat beside her. “Then try use that head of yours think. At least be honest with yourself.”
Izzy stared ahead, her mind replaying Dominic’s kiss, his voice, the way he said I love you.
And then Miranda’s voice.
The engagement of my son Dominic to my amazing sweetheart Sienna.
Two realities. One man.
“I don’t want to be second,” Izzy said quietly.
“Then don’t be, don't lose yourself over a dick,” Maya replied just as softly.
Izzy leaned her head on Maya’s shoulder, tears falling silently again. This time, it wasn’t just heartbreak.
It was the beginning of clarity.
And somewhere deep inside, she knew… if Dominic didn’t choose her fully, she had to fix herself up but she didn't know how to.
The apartment was quiet again.
Izzy stayed leaning against Maya, staring at nothing. Her tears had slowed, but the ache was still there… deep and heavy.
Maya rubbed her arm gently. “You don’t have to be this in one day, it takes time you have to be strong and I know you're ” she said softly.
Izzy gave a small, broken laugh. “I don’t feel strong.”
“You are strong,” Maya replied. “Youve let a walking red banner rub off on you. He's not worth it.”
Izzy sat up slowly. “When he’s with me… it feels like he would burn the world down for me.”
“But he didn’t, he rather set your heart and your life on fire with no remorse whatsoever,” Maya said calmly.
That one sentence settled like stone in Izzy’s chest.
She thought about the party. The announcement. The way he stood there. The way he let it happen.
“He looked trapped,” Izzy whispered.
“And you are abandoned, the second option” Maya answered.
Silence again.
Izzy wiped her face and stood up, walking toward the window. The city lights blinked below, life moving on like nothing had happened.
“He came tonight,” she said quietly. “He begged. He said he loves me.”
Maya stood behind her. “Loving you in private and choosing you in public are two different things.”
Izzy closed her eyes.
Two years.
Two years of hiding.
Two years of pretending she was okay with sharing the man she loved.
“I don’t want to hate him,” Izzy admitted.
“You don’t have to,” Maya said gently. “But you also don’t have to accept crumbs.”
Izzy turned around, something shifting in her expression. Not strong yet. Frustration, doubt
“What if he doesn’t choose me?” she asked.
“Then you’ll survive it,” Maya said. “And one day you’ll look back and thank yourself for not settling.”