After Three Losses, I Stopped Looking Back Chapter 04

After Three Losses, I Stopped Looking Back Chapter 04

“Audrey.” His voice was quiet. His eyes stayed on my cheek — the mark still burning where she’d hit me.

For a second, I thought he was going to say something. Then Julian opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Clara. That was out of line. I’ll make it up to you — I’m already planning a bigger ceremony. Just give me a few weeks.”

Audrey’s mouth curved. She slid her arm through his. Every part of me went rigid.

My eyes burned. He walked away with her before I could say a word.

The parking garage fell silent. I stood there, perfectly still, until the sting in my cheek faded to nothing.

And then it finally settled in. Julian didn’t care what Audrey had done to him. He knew she’d hit me. Knew she’d framed me. Knew exactly what kind of person she was.

None of it mattered. He loved her.

Audrey was right. I’d lost. Completely.

The first time was years ago.

She’d texted me out of nowhere — told me Julian kept her photo in his wallet and never let anyone touch it. I didn’t believe her. Then I checked his wallet that night, and there it was.

I threw it away. It was the first time Julian ever raised his voice at me.

The second time was last year. Audrey told me Julian spent every single year with her mother on her birthday — without fail.

That day was also my mom’s birthday. I asked him — practically begged — to skip it, just once, and come home with me instead.

Julian shook me off and left without a word.

The third time was the wedding. He didn’t even hesitate.

And this — right here in this parking garage — was the fourth.

I swallowed everything down and reached for the start button when my phone rang. Mom.

She was sobbing so hard I almost couldn’t understand her.

“Clara — your dad—”

The world tilted. I don’t remember the drive — just my hands shaking on the wheel and every red light lasting a lifetime.

When I got there, it was already too late.

My legs gave out. I dropped to my knees beside the bed and reached for his hand. “Dad?”

The tears came before I could stop them, blinding and hot. “Dad!”

“What happened? He was fine yesterday — he was fine! How is this possible?”

Mom was next to me, barely standing, her whole body heaving with sobs.

“Some woman messaged him. Told him Julian had tossed you aside — told him he should convince you to give up and walk away.”

My eyes squeezed shut. Audrey.

Julian showed up looking stricken.

“I’m sorry, Clara.” He pulled me against him, my whole body shaking. “Audrey didn’t mean to — she panicked, she wasn’t thinking—”

I shoved him off me. My head was shaking, my eyes were wrecked, and when I spoke, the words barely made it out.

“Why did I ever love you, Julian? Get out. Get out!”

His expression darkened, and he let out a breath like it cost him everything.

“I’ll make this right. The ceremony is already being planned — just a few more weeks, and Audrey’s gone. It’ll be you and me. For real this time. Just… take some time.”

He turned and walked out.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them, something inside me had gone permanently cold.

A few days later, Mom and I buried Dad. That afternoon, we bought two plane tickets and left the city for good.

But before I left, I made one stop. I found the hotel manager Julian had booked for the wedding, transferred a massive bonus to his account, and gave him one instruction — deliver three gifts to Julian on the day of the ceremony.

Three surprises. The kind he’d remember for the rest of his life.