Chapter 7
Over the next few days, Ewing acted as if nothing had happened.
He became even more attentive, checking in on me constantly–asking about my work, my daily hassles, even bringing up topics he used to hate, like my favorite pop stars, new makeup, or the overly sweet romance novels I read
His sudden warmth left me more exhausted than ever
I started working late–sometimes all night–sleeping at the law firm just to avoid him.
Honestly, I wanted to tell Ewing:R
You don’t have to do this.
I really do want to leave you.
No one walks away from a relationship on a whim. All those nights I cried in silence, feeling lost and helpless, holding myself together while you didn’t notice a thing–those tears chipped away at me, little by little. It’s like a crack in a dam, slowly widening from the inside; all you ever saw was the flood when I finally broke.
For the next month, I did everything I could to avoid Ewing.
He waited for me outside work countless times, always with that quiet, sincere voice.”
Even when I was cold and distant.
Even when I gently told him we needed space.
We both knew there was no going back, that what we had was over, that I couldn’t fix it and he couldn’t either. But Ewing simply couldn’t face the consequences he must have known were possible from the start.
He refused to accept that I didn’t love him anymore.
Rain or shine, he’d be there waiting.
One day, I took on a mountain of extra work just to stay busy.
A coworker brought me some takeout.
She looked out the window. “It’s pouring. Your guy’s downstairs again. I told him to come inside, but he said he didn’t dare.”
My heart skipped. I grabbed an umbrella and hurried outside.
The rain was relentless.
Ewing stood there, soaked to the bone, like a wilted flower.”
I dragged him inside.
“Are you crazy?” I snapped, ignoring the security guard’s raised eyebrow as I handed Ewing a towel.
His face lit up. “Irene, you still care about me.”
Seeing that victorious spark in his eyes, I froze mid–motion.
“Wait till the rain lets up. Then head home,” I said flatly.”
He looked stunned, his voice trembling. “What happened with Magnolia was my fault. I swear, nothing really-”
At the rnention of her name, shame washed over me. I tossed the towel at him. “I don’t want to hear your excuses. If you want to punish yourself, go ahead.”
He hadn’t expected me to be so harsh. His face darkened.”
“What will it take for you to forgive me? We’re engaged, Irene.“>
“All this over something so small?”
I stared at hirm in disbelief.
Something small?%
After everything, he still thought it was nothing? Still thought I was petty? That he was the one making all the sacrifices?
Realizing what he’d said, he rushed to apologize.
“Sorry, I just don’t get it. Nothing even happened with her–why are things falling apart?”
A lost, bewildered look flickered across his face.
Maybe he truly didn’t understand. He thought he’d swallowed his pride, so why was i so determined to walk away?
Had he ever really considered my side?
Did I not have male friends? Didn’t my girlfriends invite me out to clubs, to ogle male dancers? Didn’t I ever feel lonely, desperate for someone to care for me?
Of course I did.
But I never went out alone with other guys. I never forgot, even for a second, what it meant to be someone’s partner. If my laptop broke, I’d pay a tech to fix it–id never use it as an excuse to get close to another man. I was spoken for
And what did I get??
Ewing’s accusations, over and over.
Waiting in the rain for someone? I’d done that too.&
Once, I came down with a fever and a raging tooth infection. My gums were so swollen, I could barely close my mouth. Everyone in the hospital waiting room had someone by their side.
I called Ewing, hoping he’d come.
2016
Chapter 7
Instead, he snapped, “I told you to stop overthinking everything. Give us some space. I told you to get that tooth pulled sooner, but you had to drag it out. Now look, serves you right.“W
I wanted to beg him, just once, to be gentle. To show me a little mercy.
But then Magnolia’s voice rang out in the background-
“Ewing, what’s taking you so long!“%
It killed me.”
My phone slipped from my hand and shattered.
While I was sick, he was with the woman he’d never gotten over.
Sure, things eventually smoothed over
But scars never really fade.
Every arrow Ewing shot at me ended up wounding him instead.
If he thought I was cruel, so be it.&
On the anniversary of our engagement, I sent Magnolia a photo of the watch Ewing had given me–a gift meant for my eyes only.
“She sent me this–what does it mean?” Magnolia demanded.
“You both explained it later,” I said, “but why did Magnolia post that photo for me alone when she was drunk?”
Finally, in the smallest voice, I asked, “Ewing, you’ve done so much to win me back, but did you ever realize I hate soup?”
“Can we just talk, for real?”
He said nothing, disappearing behind the curtain of rain.
I made up my mind to go home and have it out with him, once and for all–for both our sakes.
I was sure Ewing would be waiting.
But when I opened the door, the apartment was empty.”
The next day at noon, Magnolia called.
She said Ewing had drunk himself sick–literally to the point of vomiting blood. He was in the ER.
I rushed to the hospital.
He lay in bed, barely conscious, more pathetic than I’d ever seen him.
“Irene, you came… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry,” he whispered, voice stripped of all pride.
“You’re unbelievable,” Magnolia’s voice shot out from behind me.
She slapped me across the face.
“How could you treat Ewing like this? Do you know he stood in the rain for hours last night, then downed three bottles of wine, crying the whole time?”
! wiped the blood from my lip and looked at Ewing.
“You’d rather destroy yourself than face me? What are you running from?”
“Can we talk when I’m better?” The pleading in his eyes twisted my heart.”
“Fine.” I got up to leave.
“Irene, can’t you stay with me?” His voice was so forlorn.
Part of me wanted to stay.
But Magnolia’s glare was like a blade pressed to my back.
“You won’t die without her,” she sneered. “Why is someone like her even here?“{!
I hesitated, then managed a small, bitter smile.
“See? I was always just the extra piece.“N
