Every Bet They Made, Every Line They Crossed Chapter 09

Every Bet They Made, Every Line They Crossed Chapter 09

He offered to walk me home after dinner. Streetlights cast our shadows long across the pavement.

“Bella, can I treat you to dinner tomorrow?” he asked.

I smiled. “We’ll see.”

A full moon hung bright overhead. I suddenly recalled long ago, Philip had once watched the moon beside

me too. Later he’d abandoned my whole family to eat dinner with Selena.

None of that mattered any longer.

I pulled out my phone and deleted every message and contact tied to Philip. My screen was clean, and so

was my heart.

Joe walked beside me, his voice soft and steady. He mentioned his two gentle cats. He spoke of the beautiful flowers blooming near his apartment building. He told me about the viewing deck at the mountain

summit, perfect for watching the night sky.

I interrupted gently. “Can you cook?”

He nodded.

I glanced at his pink–tipped ears and smiled. “In that case, you can cook dinner for me instead. I like things light and mild–not that I’m fussy, just how my stomach prefers it.”

Beneath the moonlight, I cast one last silent thought toward the deleted phone number.

Philip, you are finally gone from my world. This worthless chapter of my love story has finally ended.

I heard rumors later. Philip quit his job, moved away, and changed his cell number.

Some people spotted him in a new city. He’d lost a great deal of weight. He ate alone, walked alone, and couldn’t bear to hear anyone say the word “bet.”

As for Selena, I learned she was fired by her new employer.

Her reputation was ruined within the industry, and she couldn’t find a job matching her experience. She switched careers to sales afterward.

Impatient and always trying to cut corners, she offended multiple clients. Her manager screamed at her and drove her out of the company.

I didn’t dwell on any of it. My new life mattered far more than those two people.

I began learning how to cook alongside Mom. On days off, we went out for walks together.

When I got home, I stayed by her side and listened to stories from my childhood.

I started growing flowers around the house.

Sunlight flooded the balcony, and the scent of blossoms drifted through every room when the wind blew. Life suddenly came alive with color, and every day felt worth looking forward to.

I handed the healthiest potted flower I’d grown to Joe.

He carried a paper bag filled with pastries from my favorite bakery. His cheeks flushed pink as usual.

Under the starry sky, Joe and I chatted casually. We talked about childhood dreams and the hopes we held

now.

He liste

patiently, his full attention fixed on me.

ng breeze swept past, I felt a profound stillness settle within me. A comfort I’d never known

I smiled and waved goodbye to him. “Tomorrow feels worth waiting for.”