He Stole Our Future to Fund Her Wedding, So I Ruined Him Chapter 09

On the day of the hearing, Evan looked even more worn down than when I’d last seen him.

The IV punctures on his hand were still bruised. His face was pale, and he looked ten years older.

He really hadn’t hired a lawyer. He barely spoke during the hearing.

The proceedings and the decision didn’t take long.

Evan accepted the judgment in full.

When Miles and I left the courthouse, I spotted Evan standing on the steps.

He seemed to be waiting for me.

Miles moved protectively in front of me as we approached.

“Mr. Brooks, if you have any questions, you can discuss them with me. I’m Ms. Price’s attorney.”

Evan gave a rueful smile at Miles’s guarded stance, then looked at me behind him.

“Can we talk? Just the two of us.”

I tugged Miles’s sleeve. He looked at me, motioned for me to call if I needed him, and stepped aside.

I took two steps forward and stopped a little way from Evan.

He took the action camera out of his coat pocket.

The engraved [Evan & Claire] had been covered again.

A rabbit sticker was back in its place.

Evan had always wavered between the two of us.

He thought that if he found his way back quickly enough, everything would carry on as before.

Maybe Evan was free to change course whenever he liked. I would never be a harbor that stood still and

waited for him.

His voice was defeated, almost hopeless.

“When did you find out?”

“The day before Thanksgiving. I saw a lost-and-found post online. Maybe it was fate.”

Evan said nothing. He scrolled back through the pictures until he reached the first one.

There we were: Evan at twenty-three and me at twenty-two.

Behind us was our shabby little rental, less than six hundred square feet.

But we were both smiling. We looked so happy.

His fingers brushed lightly over the face of my twenty-two-year-old self.

“You gave me this camera for my twenty-third birthday. I never forgot.”

“You said we’d record every happy moment together. I remember that too.”

“But…”

I cut him off.

“But you used it to record your happy moments with Claire. You recorded the way you betrayed me.”

Evan opened his mouth urgently. From the shape of his lips, I could guess what he was about to say.

Another apology. I’d heard enough of those.

“Evan, don’t apologize again.”

“This is the end of us. Pay back what you owe me as soon as you can.”

I walked around him and left without waiting for his reaction.

Miles followed, looking at me curiously.

“Will you forgive him?”

I gave him an incredulous look.

“Have you ever seen a plaintiff and defendant get back together?”

Miles smiled the way he had when I first called and he’d told me we would win.

The next day, Evan transferred the remaining $35,000 to my account.

He sent another $40,000 on top of it.

The transfer note read [What I owe you].

I sent the extra money straight back and blocked his account.

I never heard from him again.

After another two days at home, I started applying for jobs.

A week later, I joined a well-known company in Boston.

My life slowly settled into place and began to get better.

The past gradually stayed where it belonged.

Prologue

Miles occasionally texted to ask me out for coffee or dinner.

Otherwise, life held no more surprises.

I looked at his latest message on my phone.

[Ms. Price, may I take you to see the Disney World fireworks tonight?]

I checked the time. If I left now, I’d make it.

And it was just the right time to take the next step in my life too.