Chapter 13
Even from a distance, Fidelia heard every word as clear as day.”
The blood drained from her face in an instant.}
She never imagined that a casual joke could spiral into such a mess–one that now involved Xavier’s parents. If what they said was true, then she and Xavier had no future together. Not in this lifetime.§
But Loretta had already broken up with him. They were finally about to get back together–how had things gone so disastrously wrong??
Dumped unceremoniously at the door, Fidelia couldn’t let it go.”
Fighting down her panic, she pulled out her phone and sent Xavier a flurry of messages, desperate to explain herself–ten, fifteen, more. Minutes ticked by, and before she knew it, dusk was falling. Not a single reply.
Staring at their empty chat history, Fidelia’s confidence wavered by the second.§
She quickly flagged down a cab, heading out to meet her girlfriends for advice, texting Xavier’s friends along the way to see if anyone knew what was going on.>
The answer came soon, but it was nothing she wanted to hear.”
“Xavier’s spent the whole afternoon calling everyone, trying to find out where Loretta went after the breakup. We’ve practically turned all of Northridge upside down, but there’s no sign of her. He’s losing his mind.“}]
So it was Loretta that put Xavier in this state–so restless, so desperate?!
That realization hit Fidelia far harder than anything Xavier’s parents had said.”
She never thought a woman who was supposed to be nothing but a stand–in could make Xavier forget all about her.
In a flash, her anxiety turned to fury, her face stormy and dark.
And after the anger faded, what lingered was something colder–scorn, and a simmering resentment.
Loretta. Who did she think she was?@
After a harsh lecture, Xavier was locked in his room to “reflect on his behavior.”
He sat motionless, eyes glued to his phone, terrified he might miss any sign–any word from Loretta.
But every message, every call came back with the same answer: “No news.“}
The more he searched, the deeper the ache in his chest grew.
His fingers dug so hard into his palms they left angry red marks, but nothing eased his anxiety.
He was one step away from smashing his phone.
No matter how he checked–car, train, plane, bus–Loretta’s name was nowhere to be found.”
Was she still in Northridge, or had she vanished by some other means?
Xavier had no idea.
He tried reaching out to her friends, but none would take his calls; the few who did answered with cold indifference, or a bitter, mocking laugh.2
He was out of options, yet his mind raced for a solution.
From afternoon until the middle of the night, he didn’t rest for even a minute.
Just as he was about to lose hope, a message pinged from a number he hadn’t seen in ages–a friend vaguely remembered spotting someone who looked a lot like Loretta.
Xavier couldn’t sit still any longer. When the door wouldn’t budge, he climbed straight out the window.
Clinging to the thinnest thread of hope, he rushed to the address.
But when he burst through the door and found only Fidelia and her friends waiting, it felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over his head–he was instantly, completely numb.
Seeing how far Xavier was willing to go for Loretta, Fidelia’s expression twisted with rage.”
She stared him down, her voice brimming with raw, unfiltered anger.”
“You care that much about Loretta? She was just a stand–in for me, Xavier. Are you really that blind?”
The word “stand–in” stabbed Xavier like a knife.
His cracked lips parted, voice hoarse and rough.
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Chapter 13
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“She was good to me. I’m the one who hurt her. If you have a problem, take it out on me–just leave her out of this.”
Fidelia had known Xavier for a decade. Not once had he ever stood up for another woman.
Her friends couldn’t hold back any longer.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Xavier? You’re really going to toss Fidelia aside for some random girl?”
“Exactly! Fidelia finally decided to give you another chance. If you don’t know how to appreciate her and make her angry again, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!“}
“She was just a cheap replacement–it’s over, so let it go. Was it worth making such a scene? Can’t you see how much Fidelia’s suffered today?“}
Chapter 14
