CHAPTER 10
A Rethink
Adrian sat at the bar, fingers clasped on a glass he hadn’t touched. Across from him, Mark leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink with such ease it made Adrian want to punch something.
“She hasn’t called you once?” Mark asked, an eyebrow rising.
Adrian blew out a sharp breath. “Not once.”
Mark whistled low. “Damn. She’s really done with you.
Adrian shot him a glare, but Mark only smirked. “You know, I thought she’d at least come back to yell at you. Just once.”
Adrian ran a hand over his face. “So did I. But it’s been months. No texts. No calls. She used to need me, Mark. Now… she doesn’t.”
Mark shrugged. “Maybe that’s a good thing.”
Adrian’s head snapped up. “How the hell is that a good thing?
Because that t means she’s stronger now. Independent.” Mark set his glass down and leveled Adrian with a rare, serious look. “And if you actually cared about her, you’d respect that.”
Adrian clenched his jaw. Respect it? How was he supposed to respect something that only reminded him of how badly he had
screwed up?
He let out a slow breath, leaning back against the bar. “I just… I want to see her.”
Mark raised an eyebrow. “And do what, exactly?”
Adrian had no answer.
Because he didn’t know.
All he knew was that he couldn’t take this silence anymore.
Flora stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the simple black dress she had chosen for the evening
“Seriously? You’re wearing that?
She turned to find Olivia sprawled on the couch, watching her with mild disappointment.
“What’s wrong with it?” Flora asked, glancing down at herself. The dress was simple. Classy. Not too much, not too little.
Olivia tossed a pillow at her. “It’s boring. You’re going to dinner with your ex, Flora. At least make him regret losing you.”
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Flora rolled her eyes. “It’s not like that.”
Olivia snorted. “Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
Ignoring her friend, Flora checked her phone. No messages. No missed calls.
Adrian had promised to pick her up at seven. It was now seven–thirty.
By eight–thirty, she was still staring at her phone, the silence gnawing at her.
By nine, Olivia finally sat up, her teasing expression replaced by concern. “You wanna talk about it?”
Flora shook her head. “Nope.”
“Flora-
“I’m fine,” she cut in, grabbing her jacket. “I just need some air.”
She didn’t know why she drove to Adrian’s house.
Maybe to check on him. Maybe to confront him. Maybe both.
But she never made it past the front gate.
Laughter spilled from the house, warm and familiar. Then, through the night air, she heard a name.
Alicia.
And then-
“She’s pregnant!”
Silence.
Then cheers. Congratulations. Clinking glasses.
Flora felt something inside her crack
She turned and walked away.
She didn’t stop running until she was back in her car, grasping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles had turned white. She didn’t know why it hurt so much. She had known he had moved on
But hearing he was going to be a father?
That was different.
Finally arriving home, Olivia was waiting. One glance at Flora’s face, and the teasing was gone.
“What happened?” Olivia asked softly.
CHAPTER 10
Flora swallowed hard. “Adrian’s moving on.” Her voice came out barely in a whisper. “He is having a baby with Alicia.”
Olivia’s face softened as she pulled Flora into a hug without a word.
“I thought I was over him.” Flora revealed, her voice breaking. “But hearing that. It just brings everything back.”
Olivia held her a little tighter. “You know what you need?” she asked, the mischievous glint in her eye.
Flora sniffled. “What?
“A night out.” Olivia beamed. “We are getting drunk, dancing our heads off, and forgetting Adrian ever existed.“”
For the first time that night, a small laugh tumbled from Flora’s throat. “Sounds perfect”
And so they did.
They laughed and danced, drank until some shift inside moved–fluttering lighter, freer.
The first time in a long time, she was herself again.
And when she finally fell into bed, exhausted but exhilarated, she knew–she was going to make it.
The next morning, her head pounded, and her throat was dry, but beneath the hangover was something stronger.
Determination.
She e was done with letting Adrian control her emotions. Done feeling sorry for herself.
It was time to move on.
She slung the covers off and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
Time to start living again.
And as she stood, a little unsteady but resolute, she knew she was ready for whatever came next.
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Adrian sat on his couch, staring at the television screen, but not really watching.
Beside him, Alicia rested a hand on his lap, her voice light and full of excitement. “I’m so happy, Adrian. We’re going to be amazing parents.”
He forced a smile. “Yeah. We are.”
But the words felt hollow.
As he gazed at Alicia, the realization stared him right in the face.
He was not in love with her.
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Not even a bit.
His heart still belonged to Flora.
And he did not know how to let her go..
As days wore on, Adrian retreated into his shell. He went through the motions of each day but was no longer into what he did. He couldn’t get rid of this feeling that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life by getting involved with Alicia.
Alicia, for one, seemed oblivious to Adrian’s reservations. She was overjoyed with the pregnancy and was already thinking about the future of the baby.
One evening, as they sat in front of the TV, Alicia turned to Adrian with a radiant look in her eyes. “I was thinking,” she said, “we should start looking for a house. You know, with a big yard for the baby to run around in.‘
A wave of discomfort welled up inside Adrian. He did not want to settle down this much. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t quite so sure if he was ready for fatherhood yet.
“I don’t know, Alicia,” he replied, attempting a noncommittal tone. “I think we should wait a bit before making any big decisions.”
Alicia’s face fell, but she recovered. “Okay, fine,” she said. “But can we at least start looking at houses online? Just to get an idea of what’s out there?”
Adrian hesitated, but eventually nodded. “Okay, fine.”
With each listing they scrolled through online, Adrian felt as though he’d been suffocated. He did not want to be saddled with at mortgage and family. He wanted to be free to pursue whatever dream or fancy struck him at any moment.
But he could not tell that to Alicia, not now she was carrying his child.
As the night wore on, Adrian’s anxiety mounted. He was living a lie, he felt, trapped in a life not his own.
He needed to get out–to clear his head. He stood up, excusing himself for a walk
Alicia looked up at him, concern etched upon her face. “Is everything okay?” she asked.
Adrian faked a smile. “Yeah, everything’s fine. I just need some fresh air.”
Alicia nodded, though Adrian knew she didn’t believe him.
As he walked through the quiet streets, Adrian felt a wave of relief wash over him. Finally, he was alone, finally free to think his own thoughts.
But the more he walked, the more he felt he was running away from his problems. He needed to face them head–on and figure out what he really wanted.
And what he really wanted was Flora
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He came to a dead stop, his heart racing. He couldn’t believe he was still thinking of her. Hadn’t he moved on?
But he stood there, feeling suddenly that he hadn’t budged an inch. He was still stuck in the past, still yearning for the one woman he could never have.
Adrian took a deep breath as a sense of resolution washed over him. He needed to see Flora again, to talk to her and figure out what had really gone on between them.
He spun and began to make his way back to his apartment, his heart racing with excitement.
He would make things right with Flora, no matter what it took.
Meanwhile, Flora was out with Olivia, dancing her cares away at a local club. She was finally feeling like herself again, finally moving on from Adrian.
But while dancing, she felt free, as though her life had only just now truly begun; this was it – her happiness – what had finally come upon her.
Being single was her ultimate happiness.
At the end of the night, Flora and Olivia called for a cab, and stumbling out of the club, continued their giggles of fun and glee.
