Fifty Bowls, One Broken Engagement Chapter 07

Fifty Bowls, One Broken Engagement Chapter 07

Frank sent me several more messages, asking me to sit down and talk to Ethan.

I refused.

There was nothing to discuss with a man who needed his father to apologize for him.

I threw myself into work. After several sleepless nights, I completed a full growth strategy for the company.

Lucas read it and praised it repeatedly.

He said I’d proven exactly how capable I was.

Keeping me as a deputy director of strategic planning had been a waste of talent.

The truth was, I had designed Ethan’s entire first-year business plan when he launched his startup.

I had offered to join his company and help him.

He refused.

He wanted to build everything on his own.

He didn’t want anyone saying he’d succeeded because of me.

I didn’t want to steal his spotlight either.

So I stayed at my old company as deputy director of strategic planning.

One afternoon, while conducting market research, I stopped at an Italian restaurant for lunch and happened to see Megan.

The moment she noticed me, she snapped, “Claire, have you no shame? You’re following me now? What do you want?”

“Following you? Why would I bother? You think far too highly of yourself.”

I smiled and shook my head.

Megan crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and stared at me with smug satisfaction.

“I know you’re bitter. You’re jealous because Ethan and I are together every day.”

“So what if you had six years with him? I’ve always been the one in his heart.”

“Last night, Ethan held me and promised he’d make me happy for the rest of my life…”

She kept talking, inventing intimate details in a desperate attempt to hurt me.

I remained calm and glanced at the plain pasta in front of her. There wasn’t even a spoonful of meat sauce or a shaving of Parmesan on it.

“If Ethan loves you that much, why did he only buy you the cheapest plain pasta on the menu?”

Megan’s expression froze. Her face darkened, and she immediately became defensive.

“I… I wanted it! Plain pasta is easy on my stomach. It’s none of your business!”

She turned to flee and slammed into the table beside her.

A middle-aged woman’s new phone slid off the edge and hit the floor. The screen shattered instantly.

“Do you ever look where you’re going?”

The woman grabbed Megan’s arm and demanded an answer.

“I just bought that phone. You broke it, so you’re paying for it.”

Megan panicked.

“How much? I’ll pay!”

She forced the words out, trying to sound confident.

The woman answered immediately. “$280. Every cent.”

Megan didn’t have $280.

She spent recklessly and had no savings. Ethan had always covered everything for her.

So Ethan was the first person she called.

The phone rang several times before he rejected the call.

Megan tried three or four more times. Each one was declined.

On the last attempt, the automated message told her the recipient had blocked incoming calls.

It was quite a show.

I enjoyed several more slices of beef while I watched.

Backed into a corner, Megan finally lowered herself enough to beg me.

“Claire, I didn’t bring any money. Can you lend me $280?”

I laughed in disbelief.

“Doesn’t Ethan take care of everything for you? Call him.”

“He loves you so much. I’m sure he’d happily pay a little $280.”

When I refused, Megan became frantic and humiliated. She argued with the woman for several minutes, but it got her nowhere.

The woman finally called the police, and a nearby patrol officer came to handle the dispute.

After confirming what happened, the officer told Megan she was responsible for the repair cost.

She couldn’t pay, so she had to go to the station and complete a report.

I finished the last bite of pasta, wiped my mouth, and stood. I had watched the entire scene without a trace of sympathy.

She had created her own consequences.

Outside the restaurant, a WhatsApp message appeared from an unfamiliar number.

The profile name was direct: Ethan Foster.

I knew exactly what he wanted.

I opened the chat, and messages flooded my screen.

[Claire, I was wrong. I finally understand how wrong I was.]

[I haven’t slept in days. All I can think about is you.]

[I cut Megan off completely. I’ll never make that mistake again.]

[Please give me one chance to make this right.]

[After six years, can you really let us go that easily?]

The words made me feel sick. I blocked the number immediately.

Then…