Chapter 92 Ninety two
The week passed slowly.
Izzy kept her distance. She came to work, did her job, and went home. Dominic was barely around…meetings, trips, excuses. It made things easier, but it also hurt in a quiet way she tried not to think about.
By the time the weekend came, Maya was gone on a work trip. The apartment felt too quiet.
Izzy cleaned to keep herself busy. She wiped surfaces that were already clean, folded clothes twice, and rearranged pillows. When there was nothing left to do, she curled up on the couch, pulled a blanket over her legs, and put on Single Inferno. Watching strangers search for love felt safer than dealing with her own mess.
Her phone buzzed.
Once.
Twice.
Then again.
She didn’t notice at first. It was silent, face down on the table.
Then came the knock.
Four sharp knocks.
Izzy froze.
Her heart started to race as she stood up slowly and walked to the door. She looked through the peephole… and her breath caught.
Dominic.
She opened the door just enough to face him.
“What do you want?” she asked, her voice cold, guarded.
He looked tired. Unshaven. His eyes softened the moment he saw her. “I’ve missed you,” he said, stepping forward and trying to pull her into a hug.
She pushed him back, hard enough to make her point. “You don’t get to do that.”
He stopped, clearly hurt. “Sweetheart … why are you being so harsh with me?” His voice was gentle, almost breaking… and for a second, it nearly broke her too.
But she remembered Maya’s words. Don’t soften.
“You know why,” she shot back.
He stared at her, waiting.
“I’m tired,” she continued, her voice shaking but strong. “You said you didn’t want love. You said you only wanted sex. I’m sick of that. I want more. I want a love-based relationship. And I’m going to find it.”
“With Adrian?” he asked, his tone turning cold.
“Yes,” she replied without blinking. “If he loves me, why not?”
His face tightened. “No. You can’t. Not with that bastard.”
She laughed bitterly. “You don’t get to decide who I’m with.”
She stepped back, holding the door. “If you want me, Dominic, then give me what I want. If you can’t… then get the hell out of my life.”
Before he could say another word, she slammed the door.
The sound echoed through the apartment.
Izzy slid down against it, her legs giving out. She covered her mouth with both hands, trying to hold herself together… but a small cry escaped anyway.
Alone on the floor, she let the tears fall.
Because standing her ground hurt.
But losing herself would hurt more.
Izzy stayed on the floor for a long time.
Her back rested against the door, her knees pulled to her chest. The apartment was quiet again… too quiet. The TV still played softly in the background, laughter from the show clashing painfully with the way her chest ached.
She wiped her face with shaky hands. You did the right thing, she told herself. It didn’t feel right. It felt like ripping something out of her chest and pretending she was fine without it.
Eventually, she stood up.
She locked the door, double-checked it, then turned off the TV. The silence returned, heavy and thick. She went to her bedroom, changed into an oversized T-shirt, and crawled into bed. Sleep didn’t come easily. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Dominic’s face at the door..hurt, angry, confused.
But she didn’t reach for her phone.
Morning came too fast.
Izzy got ready for work with stiff movements. She wore a neutral outfit, light makeup, and her hair pulled back neatly. Armor. That’s what it felt like.
At the office, everything felt… tense.
People whispered. Eyes followed her more than usual. She knew why. Adrian showing up last time hadn’t gone unnoticed… and neither had Dominic’s mood since then.
Dominic was there.
She saw him through the glass of his office, standing near his desk, talking sharply on the phone. His jaw was tight, his posture rigid. He looked up.
Their eyes met.
For half a second, something flickered across his face…relief, anger, longing, she couldn’t tell.
Izzy looked away first.
She walked past his office without slowing down.
The rest of the day dragged. Emails. Meetings. Coffee she barely tasted. Dominic didn’t come to her desk. Didn’t call her in. That hurt more than she expected.
At lunch, her phone buzzed.
Adrian: I’m downstairs. Thought I’d steal you for lunch if you’re free.
She hesitated… then stood up.
When she reached the lobby, Adrian was waiting. He smiled when he saw her, warm and easy. He pulled her into a hug. nothing too much… and kissed her cheek.
“You look beautiful,” he said softly.
Some of her coworkers squealed quietly. Someone whispered, “Oh my God. They must really be dating”
Izzy felt it before she saw it.
She glanced up.
Dominic stood at the edge of the lobby, frozen. His eyes were locked on Adrian’s arm around her waist. His face had gone hard, dark with something ugly and raw.
Izzy felt it like a punch to the chest.
She didn’t pull away.
She didn’t look at Dominic.
She turned back to Adrian. “Let’s go.”
Lunch was… easy.
Adrian talked. He asked about her weekend, about work, about things she liked. He listened… really listened. Izzy found herself smiling without forcing it. Laughing once or twice.
Still, part of her stayed guarded.
When he dropped her back at the office, he squeezed her hand gently. “Movies this week?” he asked. “I’ll text you.”
“Sure,” she said.
As she walked back inside, she felt eyes on her again.
Dominic’s door was closed.
That night, Izzy lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
She already knew who it was.
Dominic: Hey pumpkin. I don’t know how to give love… but losing you feels worse than anything I’ve known.
Her throat tightened.
She turned the phone face down.
Tears slipped silently into her pillow.
Because wanting love shouldn’t feel like a crime.
And yet… loving him still felt like walking through needles.