He Left Me at the Altar for His First Love, I Ruined Him Chapter 06

He Left Me at the Altar for His First Love, I Ruined Him Chapter 06

A thin layer of dust covered everything in the apartment.

I poured myself a glass of water with my left hand. It took three tries.

I sat on the sofa.

The studio manager sent a message.

[Clara, Mr. Sterling called. He wants to buy the wedding dress outright. Payment already went through.]

I typed back.

[Okay.]

Another message popped up.

Julian Vance, a partner at Northwood.

He’d been trying to recruit me for three years.

Every time, I’d turned him down. For Elias.

[Miss Hayes, I heard about the accident.]

[If you need more time to recover, I can push the start date.]

I typed back.

[I’ll take the job. See you soon.]

Elias thought money fixed everything.

He thought one gesture and one check meant I’d fall back into line, grateful for the crumbs.

I stood up and walked into the bedroom.

I started packing.

That evening, the lock clicked.

Elias came in with takeout.

“I got you that chowder you love. From your favorite place.”

He set the bags on the table, loosened his tie, and headed for the bedroom.

He stopped in the doorway. Suitcase on the bed. Trash bags on the floor.

“What are you doing?”

He frowned.

“Packing.”

I stuffed the last few pieces of clothing into the suitcase.

“Didn’t I tell you? Stella’s staying at the house for a while.”

His voice dropped.

“So you’re throwing a fit and leaving? Now?”

“I’m not going to the house.”

I zipped up the suitcase.

“Then where the hell are you going?”

He was standing over me now.

“I took a styling job with a film crew in Northwood. A few months.”

I looked up at him, steady.

Elias stared at me.

“Your arm still hurts. You’re not going anywhere.”

He spoke more slowly now, like he was explaining basic math to a child.

“I already called your studio manager. I arranged a month of paid leave for you.”

“I canceled the leave myself.”

I stood up.

“My flight’s tomorrow morning.”

Something dark flickered across Elias’s face.

He walked over to the trash bag and kicked it.

It split open.

The necklace he’d given me, the little diamond-chip star, tumbled out onto the floor.

“Clara, you’re pushing it.”

Every trace of warmth left his face.

“I told you I’d make it up to you.”

“So you’re just throwing everything away?”

It’s just clutter. I don’t want it.

I walked to the table and opened the takeout.

Inside was seafood chowder.

I’m allergic to seafood.

He always knew.

But he forgot today.

Or maybe he’d never really cared enough to remember.

“What the hell has gotten into you?”

Elias closed the distance in one step and grabbed my left wrist.

“Stella’s life just blew up. Is it so wrong for me to look out for her?”

I looked down at his grip on my wrist.

The sudden jerk sent a blinding spike of pain straight through my injured shoulder.

“Let go.”

My tone was cold.

Elias stopped. Something in my eyes made him let go.

Before, when I was angry, I’d fight. I’d cry.

A few soft words from him, and I’d always give in.

Now there was nothing. No fight. No tears.

“Okay.”

He gritted his teeth.

“Fine. You want to leave? Go.”

“When you’ve cooled off, we’ll talk.”

He grabbed his coat and walked out.