Chapter 2

The spot where he'd brushed against me still felt warm.

"All done." I closed the agreement and handed it, along with the pen, back to him.

He paused, looked down at the agreement, then looked up at me, his brows knitting together. "Didn't you say you loved me the most?"

I cut him off, smiling at him, "Then let me leave without any drama. That's your way of loving me, too, right?"

Theodore was caught off guard. His lips moved, but he couldn't get a single word out.

I turned and walked out without pausing, my steps steady and resolute.

"You're going to walk out?" Theodore called after me.

I turned back to look at him.

He stood there, brows tightly knit, looking a little impatient.

Behind him, Emily was standing quietly, wrapped in his suit jacket, a subtle smile barely visible on her lips.

"Theodore," I called out. "You told me I was the one you loved the most."

"So what about her?" I asked, nodding toward Emily.

Theodore frowned. "Emily's not well. She needs me right now. You've always been tough. You can handle things on your own."

I smiled.

He stepped closer, reaching out for my hand, but I pulled it back before he could touch me.

He let out a sigh. "Can you stop making a scene?"

I looked straight into his eyes. They were honest, full of warmth, and not a trace of guilt.

I nodded with a smile. "Alright."

His eyes brightened.

"Then ask Emily to give me your jacket," I said. "It's pretty windy outside, and I'm feeling a bit cold."

Theodore was taken aback and instinctively looked back at Emily.

Emily pulled his jacket closer around herself, her eyes rimmed with red, saying nothing.

Theodore's expression soured, the impatience in his eyes growing stronger.

Seriously, one couldn't have it both ways.

I didn't bother waiting for his reply, looked away, and walked out.

The night breeze hit me, cold as hell.

I took a deep breath and wiped away my tears. Seriously, why was I crying? A divorce didn't bother me slightly.

My phone buzzed.

My best friend Elizabeth Gray's message popped up on my screen. [Abigail, is it true about the trending topic? Where are you right now?]

I typed: [Outside the Green residence.]

She replied instantly: [Don't move. I'm coming to get you.]

Fifteen minutes later, a small car pulled up with a screech right in front of me.

Elizabeth threw open the door, jumped out, and wrapped me in a tight hug. "Did you finally get divorced?"

She was squeezing me so tight I could barely breathe.

"Can you at least pretend to feel sorry for me for a second?" I wheezed.

"Seriously, what are you talking about? Feel sorry for you? Come on," Elizabeth teased.

She let go of me, grabbed my face with both hands, and gave my cheeks a playful squeeze.

"Girl, after seven years, you finally snapped out of it. Tonight, we're popping champagne, no going home until we're totally drunk," she declared.

She tossed my suitcase into the trunk, shoved me into the passenger seat, and floored it.

We sped past the guests still lingering outside the Green residence.

In the rearview mirror, I saw people pointing and whispering.

Elizabeth glanced at them and let out a cold laugh. "What are you all staring at? Never seen a gorgeous girl get divorced before?"

I leaned back in my seat and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Elizabeth laughed along, freeing up a hand to give my leg a friendly pat. "Girl, you're free now."

Free? The word echoed in my mind. It crashed into my heart. It stung and left a bittersweet ache.

*****

We pulled up outside her place.

After popping the champagne, Elizabeth poured me a full glass, then curled up on the couch with her own, her eyes sparkling as she looked at me. "By the way, do you remember Gabriel?"

I froze for a second. It had been forever since anyone brought up that name.

Back when we were kids, our families all lived in the same compound. My dad and Gabriel Nelson's dad were buddies from the army, and Elizabeth's family lived right next door.

Gabriel was a few years older than us, always with that cold, serious face, and barely ever said a word.

I was a total troublemaker as a kid. Once I fell out of a tree, he was the one who caught me.

When I scraped my knee, he carried me all the way to the hospital on his back.

But then his dad got transferred somewhere else, and Gabriel went with him. After that, we never saw each other again.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Elizabeth blinked at me. "Hey, do you think if he hadn't left back then, you two would've ended up together?"

Her question cracked me up. "Come on, I never liked him. He was always so icy, barely talked. Who could put up with that?"

Elizabeth was quiet for a couple of seconds, then suddenly spoke up. "What if I told you he's back?"

I turned to look at her.

She was watching me, looking pretty serious. "My dad told me Gabriel's taking over the family business. Looks like he's back for good this time."

I didn't say anything.

Gabriel's name dropped into my mind like a pebble in a quiet pond, stirring up a ripple, then fading as quickly.

I smiled, "Let him come back if he wants. What's that got to do with me?"

Elizabeth chuckled along, "Alright, guess it really has nothing to do with you."

Elizabeth lifted her glass and tapped it against mine. "Here's to you, Abigail. Starting today, you live for yourself."

That night, we drank late into the night.

We talked about everything, cried a bit, and laughed our hearts out.