He Told Me to Wait While He Was With His Cheating Ex — I Sold Our Home That Night Chapter 08

He Told Me to Wait While He Was With His Cheating Ex — I Sold Our Home That Night Chapter 08

Two years later, I returned to the city for a home and lifestyle design show.

The exhibition hall stood on the riverfront, with willow branches just beginning to turn green outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I was adjusting a tablescape display at my booth: an ivory tablecloth, a pale wood tray, and a clear glass vase.

A staff member hurried over carrying a sample catalog.

“Ms. Parker, we still need another drinkware set over here.”

I was about to take it when someone beside me reached for it first.

“Where does it go?”

Evan Brooks already had three sample books tucked under one arm and my tumbler in his other hand.

The staff member smiled. “Mr. Brooks, are you one of the organizers too?”

Evan put on a perfectly serious expression.

“No. I’m just Ms. Parker’s unpaid muscle for the day.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

He immediately slipped the straw into my tumbler and held it out to me.

“Fine, I’ll shut up. Drink some water first, Ms. Parker.”

I took it from him.

“Don’t you have a meeting this afternoon?”

“I canceled it.”

“Why?”

Evan took the papers from my hands too.

“It’s your first show back in town. I wanted to be here with you.”

I lowered my head and smoothed the corner of the tablecloth.

“I can handle it on my own.”

Evan bent down and straightened the crooked tray.

“Of course you can. You’re a powerhouse.”

“I just didn’t want you trying to handle all this by yourself.”

My fingers froze for a moment.

I used to tell Julian all the time, “Go take care of your work. I’m fine.”

Eventually, I learned that if you said you were fine often enough, people started believing you really were.

Halfway through the show, I heard someone call my name.

“Chloe.”

I turned around.

Julian stood at the entrance.

I had not seen him in two years. He had lost a lot of weight. His shirt cuffs were wrinkled, dark circles shadowed his eyes, and I barely recognized him.

I studied him for a moment before giving him a polite nod.

“Mr. Hart.”

His face went pale for a moment.

Evan immediately stepped to my side and rested a hand on my shoulder.

Only then did Julian’s gaze shift to him.

“And you are?”

Evan held out his hand.

“I’m Evan Brooks, Chloe’s boyfriend.”

I casually looped my arm through Evan’s free arm.

Julian stared at Evan’s outstretched hand for a long moment before finally reaching out to shake it.

A staff member brought over some paperwork, and I lowered my head to sign it.

Evan held my coat and tumbler while Julian stood nearby, never taking his eyes off me.

When I finished, I returned the pen to the staff member.

Evan draped my coat over my shoulders.

“Chloe, it’s cold in here with the AC.”

I pulled the coat around myself and gave him a warm smile.

“Thank you.”

Julian’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

I used to stand beside him the same way at parties, holding his coat, remembering his dietary restrictions, and waiting for him to look my way.

Back then, no one had ever asked whether I was cold.

Outside the exhibition hall, tender new willow branches brushed against the glass.

In the reflection, I turned toward Evan as we spoke.

Julian remained where he was, like someone who had been left behind in the past.