Chapter 2
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Chapter 2
My body reacted before my brain. I pushed off the dressing table to stand, only to be knocked back into the chair by a wave of dizziness.
As I stumbled to grab my car keys, a second message popped up: “Are you playing dead again?”
My stomach lurched. I rushed to the bathroom and retched violently.
Pressing my cheek against the cold tiles, clarity hit me like a slap.
Our relationship was over yesterday.
Tears poured out uncontrollably. I buried my face in my knees and sobbed.
Darion’s third message came, sharp with anger: “Do you want to fucking break up with me?”
“Yes, Darion. Let’s break up.”
I hit send, then blacklisted the number I’d once memorized.
Hauling myself up, I took a long, hot shower, got dressed, and went downstairs to the convenience store, where I bought a box of strawberry cake.
Darion had said he hated desserts, so I’d given them up for seven years.
But last week, I’d seen Kaleigh eating macarons in his office, and he’d smiled at her so softly and fondly.
The moment the cream melted on my tongue, I laughed until I cried..
It turned out that since Darion didn’t love me, even “tastes” could be excuses to push me away.
Later, Kaleigh updated her Instagram with a close-up of intertwined fingers.
I had no mutual friends to like it, but I knew every post like this was for me to see.
I tossed the half-eaten cake into the trash, went home, and passed out on the sofa.
At four in the morning, Darion stumbled in, reeking of alcohol, He used the key I’d given him long ago to open the door, then threw his suit jacket roughly onto me,
“Breanna, you’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Daring to ignore my calls now?”
The cloying perfume on him mixed with the reek of alcohol hit my face, making my stomach churn.
Darion’s eyes darkened as he stared at me. He asked in a sharp tone, “Got a stomachache? Or are you just faking it again?”
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13:13
Chapter 2
I sat up slowly. “I’m having my period.
“I’m just reacting to the perfume. Ms. Dobson’s, I assume.”
Darion froze. “Breanna, cut the innuendos.
“I’m swamped with work every day. All you do is act paranoid. What else can you even do?”
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“Swamped?” I rubbed my brows. “Swamped teaching Ms. Dobson to read contracts in a hotel? And letting her rub her perfume on you? Darion, do you really think I’m stupid?”
He lifted a hand to straighten his cufflinks, his jaw tight. “We were just working! Can’t you stop being so sensitive?”
I stared at his fidgeting fingers and laughed.
After all these years, his little tells when he lies still hadn’t changed.
“Does ‘working’ require unbuttoning your shirt?”
I took a sip of the wine. “Darion, does lying to me make you feel accomplished?”
“Breanna, you’re being unreasonable!”
He abruptly turned around, his tie swinging in a clumsy arc.
“Even if I got close to her, it’s because of you!”
He wrenched his tie loose, his voice rising sharply. “Seven years! Can’t you think about anything besides marriage for once?”
There it was. In his eyes, it was always my fault.
“Put the key on the coffee table. Go home and rest.”
I stood up and walked barefoot to the bedroom. Behind me, the front door slammed shut with a deafening crash.
I finally realized that some people weren’t even worth the effort of communicating with. Talking to Darion was just a waste of my life.
The next day, when I went back to the company to pack my things, Kaleigh swayed over to my desk in her high heels.
“Ms. Mansfield, guess what this is?” She held up a marriage license and shook it tauntingly.
I had no patience for her games. I stepped around her, ready to leave, but she suddenly grabbed the strap of my bag.
I pushed her away on instinct, and she screamed as she stumbled to the floor.
“Breanna! What are you doing?” Darion burst out of his office.
Kaleigh’s eyes instantly welled up with tears. “Mr. Floyd, I… I just wanted to talk to Ms. Mansfield for a minute.”
“Breanna, apologize to Kaleigh,” Darion said, grabbing my wrist roughly. “Don’t make me repeat my words.”
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13:13
Chapter 2
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I wrenched my hand free, sneering. “Her acting skills for faking an accident are top-tier.”
Before I could finish speaking, Darion slapped me. My ears roared instantly, a sharp, burning pain spreading across my face.
“You made me sick,” he said, his voice cold with anger. “Pack your stuff and fuck off. now.”
I touched my stinging check, and suddenly, I wanted to laugh.
I made him sick? Who was the one who’d been sick all along?
Once, he’d fallen asleep just from brushing his hand against my cheek. Now, he didn’t hesitate to slap me.
I threw my employee badge onto the floor. “I should’ve walked out of this garbage a long time ago.”
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