C
“Jake, what do you think?”
I turned to stare at him.
“Come on, we’re all just having fun here. Nobody’s trying to be mean. Don’t kill the vibe, alright–you used to go along with this stuff before.”
The irritation was written all over his face.
There it was again–me being “difficult.”
I stood up and dumped my entire drink on Jake’s head, then smashed the glass right in the middle of their table.
Everyone froze, including Jake.
Then I headed for the exit.
But Jake grabbed my wrist hard.
“What the hell’s wrong with you?! It was just a joke! Why are you being such a buzzkill?”
I yanked free.
“Jake, next month’s wedding? Let’s call it off. We’re done.”
Jake burst out laughing like I’d told the world’s funniest joke.
“Seriously? You?! With that belly? Who the fuck else is gonna want dirty bitch like you?”
I smiled and walked straight out.
Jake chased me down, blocking my path.
“Mia, cut the drama, okay? I’m letting this go. Said I’d marry you, I will. Just… be cool about this, alright?”
I stared at him with zero emotion.
This man standing in front of me–I felt absolutely nothing. No heartbreak, no butterflies, no anger. Nothing.
Jake pulled me into this desperate hug, pressing my head against his chest.
“Look, I told Beth I’d take her to Bali one last time before we get married. Just a month, then I’m back. It’s like… closure, you know? You just stay home and take it easy. Tonight’s over. You’re good.”
I listened to Jake’s heartbeat.
Had this heart ever really beaten for me? How many other people had called it home?
I didn’t respond, but Jake took my silence as agreement.
He kissed my forehead and headed back inside.
I watched him walk away and smiled slightly.
Bali. The exact place I’d picked for our honeymoon.
Well, Jake, you’re all hers now.
15:30
He Wanted a Hiking Trip? Honey, His Funeral Was My Comeback Tour!
1.7%
Chapter 4
Back home, I started packing.
Didn’t take a single piece of clothing he’d bought me–all Bethany’s style anyway.
After
ten years together, he’d never once cared what I actually liked.
I’d always been looking at him through someone else’s reflection.
Everything I actually owned fit into one small suitcase.
Ten years. Only one suitcase.
I looked around this place I’d called home for a decade, then walked out without looking back.
While I was being wheeled into surgery, Jake was turning off his phone.
When they injected the anesthesia, Jake and Bethany were boarding their plane.
When the cold instruments went inside me, my heart nearly stopped.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the heart.
Jake, I’ll remember today’s pain forever.
As the anesthesia kicked in, I tried to feel our baby’s last moments inside me.
Like waking up from a dream–when I opened my eyes, everything was gone.
Just endless, empty darkness.
I touched my flat stomach where no life existed anymore.
Opening Instagram, Bethany’s posts filled my screen-
Her and Jake embracing on some pristine Bali beach.
After nearly a month recovering in the hospital, two texts came in at the exact same time.
My agent: [Mia, how the hell did you do it? You paid back the three million already so quickly?!]
Jake: [Coming home tomorrow babe! How’s wedding planning going? You pick out your dress yet? Can’t wait to see you!]
Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.