My Boyfriend Gave Our Home Access Card To My Best Friend Chapter 08

My Boyfriend Gave Our Home Access Card To My Best Friend Chapter 08

Ethan’s breath caught. Those were the things he’d done, the choices he’d made. He couldn’t deny any of it.

Behind me, the doors to the ballroom opened. My coworkers called out, laughing, “Claire, get in here! It’s time

to cut the cake!”

Light spilled into the hallway. Inside were leaders who valued my work, colleagues who stood beside me, and

someone who truly cared for me and kept me safe.

I looked at Ethan one last time. “See how good my life is now? Without you, I don’t have to be ignored or hurt.

I don’t have to compete with another woman for basic respect. So leave me alone.”

I walked back into the bright ballroom on Daniel’s arm. The doors closed behind us, and I never looked back.

Starting the next day, Ethan waited outside my office every morning. Breakfast arrived without fail. After

lunch, there was always a bouquet on my desk.

The card always said the same thing.

[Claire, I’ll always love you. Please give me another chance.]

At first, my coworkers sounded envious.

“He’s been trying to win you back for over six months. He must really love you.”

“Flowers every day? How can you resist that?”

All I could hear was the irony. For seven years, he’d never remembered that iced coffee upset my stomach.

Now one cup of warm soup was supposed to be a grand declaration of love.

After two straight weeks, the receptionist brought in another bouquet of roses. As my coworkers began

whispering again, I reached my limit.

I carried the flowers downstairs and hurled them at Ethan. Petals scattered everywhere, and the smile that

had appeared when he saw me froze.

“Claire…”

“How long are you going to keep doing this?” I stared at him, unable to hide my disgust. “Flowers won’t bring back my baby. Breakfast won’t undo what you did. Do you think acting devoted means I have to be touched? You just can’t stand that the woman who loved you for seven years doesn’t want you anymore!”

His face drained. “I just want to make it up to you.”

“By forcing me to remember how stupid I was? How much you hurt me?”

I pointed down the street. “Leave. Come back again, and I’ll call the police.”

People were staring. Ethan bent to gather the trampled flowers, then walked away with his shoulders

hunched.

That night, rain hammered the windows. I’d planned to work late until it eased, but Daniel offered to drop me

home on his way.

We walked into the underground parking garage. Thunder cracked outside, and he stopped.

“Claire, at the party, I said you were my girlfriend to get you out of that situation.”

He tightened his hand around his umbrella. Usually so composed, he sounded almost nervous. “Is there any part of you that might take Ethan back?”

“No.” I didn’t hesitate. “Even if you put something broken back together, the cracks are still there.”

A little hope appeared in his eyes. “Then can I take you on a date?”

He looked at me earnestly, the tips of his ears turning red. For a moment, I felt seventeen again, watching a boy confess his feelings with all the sincerity in the world.

“The more time I spend with you, the more I admire you. I love how strong you are and how hard you work for what you want. But with me, you can be tired. You can cry. You don’t always have to hold everything

together.”

His voice softened. “I won’t make your decisions for you. I just want to stand beside you.”

Something stirred in my chest. Before I could answer, hurried footsteps came from the shadows.

Ethan rushed out, his eyes blazing with sudden joy. “You’re not even together!”