Keep moving forward and don’t
look back
Chapter 1
The rain was coming down in sheets. I’d been
stuck at the bus stop for three hours, and
Liam still hadn’t shown.
Just as I was about to call a Lyft, a text
popped up from him. Five minutes old: “Something came up. Can’t make it.”
I didn’t even have time to process it when his
assistant, Chloe, posted a story on Instagram.
The picture showed a familiar dashboard.
The caption? “Thanks for the ride home,
Boss!”
A year ago, maybe even a month ago, I would
have been blowing up Liam’s phone,
demanding answers.
Now, I just tapped the heart on her story.
He was freaking out, searching everywhere
for me after I left without a word.
He kept saying, “I can change, don’t leave
me.”
1
This was the kind of downpour you only saw
in movies about the end of the world.
Everyone at the office had bailed, but I was
stuck finishing up a presentation.
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Then Liam texted: “Rain’s crazy. I’ll come get
you.”
He was trying to make amends, I knew it.
Last weekend was our anniversary. I’d made
reservations at that fancy Italian place.
downtown, but he was a no–show.
Later that night, Chloe posted a picture of
Liam on social media. The caption was: “So
lucky to have such a great boss to celebrate
my birthday with.”
When he finally got home, I shoved the
picture in his face.
All he did was push my hand away, his eyes
narrowed. “She’s new in town and alone on
<
her birthday. Is it really a crime for me to be a
decent boss? What’s the big deal?”
Yeah, what’s the big deal?
Ever since that night, we’d been giving each
other the cold shoulder. Ten days of icy
silence.
Before, I would’ve jumped through hoops to
make things right. If he so much as looked at
me, I’d be ecstatic.
Now? I just typed a simple, “Okay.”
We were supposed to meet at six. Parking
near the office sucks, so I power–walked to
the bus stop.
Three hours later, the rain hadn’t let up, and I
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was soaked even under the awning. Liam was
still a no–show.
I opened my phone to call a Lyft, but then I
saw the Instagram notification from Chloe.
“Thanks for the ride home, Boss!”
It was the same damn dashboard. That
limited–edition car; only two in the city, and
Liam owned one.
Hanging from the rearview mirror was that
dreamcatcher I got him last summer.
He’d complained when I gave it to him. “It’s
cheesy. Doesn’t go with the car.”
I’d begged him, and he finally agreed.
Suddenly, it all clicked. I liked her post and
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started looking for one of those rentable
electric scooters.
2
Liam wasn’t home yet when I finally made it
back to the apartment.
I jumped in the shower and downed some
cold medicine, but as I drifted off to sleep, my
head started pounding.
I was half–asleep when the bedroom door
creaked open.
It was Liam.
He hadn’t expected me to be asleep already. I
could feel his eyes on me, but I felt too awful
to deal with him.
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After a while, I heard him leave, then the
sound of running water from the bathroom.
The quiet noises were oddly soothing, and I
quickly dozed off again.
The alarm woke me up, and my head was
throbbing. I had to host a big meeting, so I
had to drag myself out of bed and get ready.
At work, a few colleagues noticed I was
flushed and asked if I was okay. One even
gave me some Tylenol and a cooling patch.
Liam sent me a text: “You mad?”
I was confused.
“Why didn’t you make my breakfast?”
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Ever since we got married, I’d made him
breakfast every morning. Even during this
dumb cold war, I still made it, but he never
touched it.
