I Understand His Regret, So I Replaced Him Too Chapter 11

I Understand His Regret, So I Replaced Him Too Chapter 11

Sullivan sat rigid and wide awake in the living room through the entire night.

The next morning, he said he’d drive me to work.

Nothing unusual. If his schedule was light, he used to drop me off.

Of course, his schedule hadn’t been light in a long time.

I got in the car and spotted a tote bag in the back. recognized it. The prenatal records.

“Mind if I take a look?” I was polite.

Sullivan’s jaw was tight. But he couldn’t say no.

So I helped myself.

Everything normal. Baby looking healthy. Every prenatal checkup had come back all clear.

Her age helped. And the fact that someone was doting on her.

Sullivan tried to speak a few times. But he swallowed his words every time.

It’d been a while since we had anything to say to each other.

In the parking garage, he got out with me.

I gave him a look. He asked,

“That joint project from last time… Few details I want to go over.”

Our companies had been separate for a while. But the ties were tangled. We still had projects

together.

I didn’t argue. Just nodded.

When the elevator opened, Tristan was right there. Ms. Vance. Morning.”

He saw Sullivan. Paused. Then: “Mr. Hayes.”

Sullivan didn’t speak. But he reached for my hand out of habit.

Whenever he felt like he needed an edge, he’d hold my hand. Get a boost from it.

I pulled away.

His hand closed on nothing.

His fingers flexed once, then fell limply back to his side. He marched straight toward my office, pointedly ignoring Tristan as if he were invisible.

A few minutes later, Tristan brought in two cups of coffee.

Sullivan asked, “When did you start drinking coffee?

“I don’t.” I took a sip. “But Tristan worked at a café back in college. He’s good at latte art.”

So Tristan always made my coffee specially, exactly to my taste. Extra milk. Extra sugar. Just a splash of caffeine.

“I’ve been getting into pour-over coffee,” Tristan said with a smile. “Once I get the hang of it, I’ll

make you a cup sometime, Ms. Vance.”

Sullivan’s face was stone. “You’re already very good at brewing things up.”

“Thanks, Mr. Hayes. Want me to pour you one too?”

The two of them locked eyes. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension.

I took another sip of my coffee.

With them both in the same room, they didn’t look so similar anymore.

Sullivan took excellent care of himself. But age and experience showed. A completely different

energy from the kid.

As for Tristan? He was in the full bloom of youth.

“Ms. Vance, should I push the ten o’clock meeting? Tristan asked.

I glanced at the clock. “No.”

I turned to Sullivan, “I think we’re done here.”

Sullivan stayed put. Expressionless.

“Then just hang out for a while.” I shrugged, grabbed some documents, and handed them to

Tristan.

He walked right at my side, keeping pace with every step I took.

Talking business.

But the intimacy was loud.

I could feel Sullivan’s eyes on me.

One flower fading past its prime, the other bursting with fresh, vivid bloom.

I really did understand Sullivan now.

Because if I had to choose? I’d pick the one in full bloom too.