Chapter 5 · When I Stopped Waiting

On my way back, my phone buzzed. I opened WhatsApp and saw a friend request from Ethan.

I hit accept, not wanting to be rude.

A few minutes later, my mom called.

"Emily, how did it go? Ethan said you were wonderful."

"Mom, he said we could get married in a couple of days. Isn't that way too fast?"

She wasn't fazed. She was sold on Ethan—good-looking, successful, her friend's son. Perfect.

"You can bond after getting married. Your dad and I barely knew each other when we got married, and look how happy we were."

When I stayed quiet, she pressed, "So, what's on your mind?"

"Mom, let me think about it. Can we talk later?"

When I got back, Chloe looked me up and down, eyeing my makeup and outfit. "Emily, who did you go see all dressed up?"

I collapsed on the couch. "Went on a blind date."

"Are you kidding? You're actually serious about breaking up with Ryan?" She looked floored. "He called this morning asking about you, but I told him off."

"Good, just ignore him. I blocked his number," I said flatly.

Chloe gave me a mischievous look. "So, is he cute? Did your mom set you up?"

I thought back and couldn't help feeling like my life had turned into a drama. "Yeah, he's pretty hot, but he's way too rushed to get married."

"Does he have some problem in the bedroom?"

"I don't think so," I said. "He's Ethan Carter, the executive director of the Carter Group."

"I'm beat. Gonna go to bed." I headed for my room.

Just moments later, Chloe shrieked from the living room. "Emily, your blind date was Ethan Carter? The guy who's always in the financial news?

"Way better than that jerk Ryan!

"Please, just dump Ryan ASAP and hold onto Ethan!"

*****

The next evening, I got a message from Sophie.

[Emily, I've been back for ages and we still haven't caught up. We went to high school together. Ryan should've taken you to the gathering.]

[I'm getting a few people together tonight—come!]

I never knew Sophie could play innocent so hard.

Still, I didn't get it. She turned Ryan down ages ago, so why come back for him now after five years?

Did she spend all that time seeing other people, only to realize Ryan was her best bet?

After thinking it over, I figured most of our old friends already knew about me and Ryan. Since we broke up, it was time they got the memo.

I replied: [Address?]

Sophie texted me the location in seconds.

Half an hour later, I arrived at the private room.

As soon as I walked in, Sophie called out, "Emily, you're finally here. We've been waiting forever."

I glanced around—mostly Ryan's crew, plus a couple of familiar faces from high school.

Ryan looked genuinely surprised when he saw me. He walked over. "Emily, what are you doing here?"

I glanced at him. "Your Soph invited me."

The whole room went dead silent.

Ryan frowned, his voice holding back anger. "Emily, be mad at me if you want, but stop with that tone."

Sophie immediately came over, biting her lip with a guilty face. "I'm really sorry, Ryan. I didn't realize Emily was so sensitive about us meeting up. Maybe... we should just stay away from each other from now on."

Just like that, she made me look unreasonable, petty, and overdramatic.

Ryan turned to her, his tone gentle. "Soph, don't pay attention to Emily. She's just in a mood lately, grumpy with everyone. Just ignore her."

I stared at Ryan—not the clueless boy I used to know, but someone sharper, more mature. Right now, he was looking at another woman with that gentle gaze and selling me out.

If this happened before, I might've lost it. But now? I just felt sick.

I shook my head and took a breath. "Guys, I've got something to say. Ryan and I are officially done. As of today."

With that, I left without looking back.

Everyone's expressions shifted—some curious, others awkward. Sophie gave a sly little smirk. With fake concern, she asked, "Ryan, aren't you going to run after Emily?"

Ryan stared at the closed door, jaw tight, hands clenched. After a moment, he said, "Let her have her moment. You guys enjoy."

But it didn't take long before Ryan started getting restless, shifting in his seat.

Sophie slid a glass toward him with a smile. "Feeling bummed out? How about a drink?"

Chapter 5

On my way back, my phone buzzed. I opened WhatsApp and saw a friend request from Ethan.

I hit accept, not wanting to be rude.

A few minutes later, my mom called.

"Emily, how did it go? Ethan said you were wonderful."

"Mom, he said we could get married in a couple of days. Isn't that way too fast?"

She wasn't fazed. She was sold on Ethan—good-looking, successful, her friend's son. Perfect.

"You can bond after getting married. Your dad and I barely knew each other when we got married, and look how happy we were."

When I stayed quiet, she pressed, "So, what's on your mind?"

"Mom, let me think about it. Can we talk later?"

When I got back, Chloe looked me up and down, eyeing my makeup and outfit. "Emily, who did you go see all dressed up?"

I collapsed on the couch. "Went on a blind date."

"Are you kidding? You're actually serious about breaking up with Ryan?" She looked floored. "He called this morning asking about you, but I told him off."

"Good, just ignore him. I blocked his number," I said flatly.

Chloe gave me a mischievous look. "So, is he cute? Did your mom set you up?"

I thought back and couldn't help feeling like my life had turned into a drama. "Yeah, he's pretty hot, but he's way too rushed to get married."

"Does he have some problem in the bedroom?"

"I don't think so," I said. "He's Ethan Carter, the executive director of the Carter Group."

"I'm beat. Gonna go to bed." I headed for my room.

Just moments later, Chloe shrieked from the living room. "Emily, your blind date was Ethan Carter? The guy who's always in the financial news?

"Way better than that jerk Ryan!

"Please, just dump Ryan ASAP and hold onto Ethan!"

*****

The next evening, I got a message from Sophie.

[Emily, I've been back for ages and we still haven't caught up. We went to high school together. Ryan should've taken you to the gathering.]

[I'm getting a few people together tonight—come!]

I never knew Sophie could play innocent so hard.

Still, I didn't get it. She turned Ryan down ages ago, so why come back for him now after five years?

Did she spend all that time seeing other people, only to realize Ryan was her best bet?

After thinking it over, I figured most of our old friends already knew about me and Ryan. Since we broke up, it was time they got the memo.

I replied: [Address?]

Sophie texted me the location in seconds.

Half an hour later, I arrived at the private room.

As soon as I walked in, Sophie called out, "Emily, you're finally here. We've been waiting forever."

I glanced around—mostly Ryan's crew, plus a couple of familiar faces from high school.

Ryan looked genuinely surprised when he saw me. He walked over. "Emily, what are you doing here?"

I glanced at him. "Your Soph invited me."

The whole room went dead silent.

Ryan frowned, his voice holding back anger. "Emily, be mad at me if you want, but stop with that tone."

Just like that, she made me look unreasonable, petty, and overdramatic.

Ryan turned to her, his tone gentle. "Soph, don't pay attention to Emily. She's just in a mood lately, grumpy with everyone. Just ignore her."

I stared at Ryan—not the clueless boy I used to know, but someone sharper, more mature. Right now, he was looking at another woman with that gentle gaze and selling me out.

If this happened before, I might've lost it. But now? I just felt sick.

I shook my head and took a breath. "Guys, I've got something to say. Ryan and I are officially done. As of today."

With that, I left without looking back.

Everyone's expressions shifted—some curious, others awkward. Sophie gave a sly little smirk. With fake concern, she asked, "Ryan, aren't you going to run after Emily?"

Ryan stared at the closed door, jaw tight, hands clenched. After a moment, he said, "Let her have her moment. You guys enjoy."

But it didn't take long before Ryan started getting restless, shifting in his seat.

Sophie slid a glass toward him with a smile. "Feeling bummed out? How about a drink?"