I Stopped Waiting for the Man I Loved for Ten Years Who Never Stood by Me Chapter 04

I Stopped Waiting for the Man I Loved for Ten Years Who Never Stood by Me Chapter 04

The police showed me the dashcam footage.

Dylan was driving.

Tinsley was in the passenger seat.

The seat that used to be mine. Even the position was adjusted to where I was most comfortable.

She moved it back and forth, muttering. “Man, you can really tell when someone’s getting old. Seat’s so low you’d think he’s afraid of messing up his back.”

Then she opened the glove compartment.

Pointed at the makeup brands inside and made fun of me for being outdated.

Finally, she pulled out a bottle of perfume.

A birthday gift from Dylan a year ago. Too expensive. I never used it.

She tore off the plastic, sprayed it on her neck.

Then leaned over and made him smell it.

While they were messing around, at an intersection, they hit my father.

Dylan and I looked at each other in silence.

Finally, he lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

I slammed the medical file into his face. “Save your apology. I’m suing.”

“Surgery, medical bills, disability, pain and suffering—none of it will be missing.”

Tinsley slammed her hand on the table. “That’s too far.”

“We didn’t do it on purpose. A settlement is good enough. Why do you have to sue?”

“He has millions of—”

“Tinsley.”

Dylan cut her off, his voice cold with warning. “Stay out of my business.”

He looked at me, his tone trying to be soothing.

“I’ll cover all the costs.”

“I’m sorry.”

Then he asked, “Is your dad okay?”

I didn’t answer.

I just reserved the right to press charges.

After I left the station, I immediately downloaded TikTok and searched for Dylan.

His profile picture was a photo of him leaning against his motorcycle.

I’d taken it. Cool, edgy biker guy. Over eight million followers.

His feed was all over the place. Mixing drinks. Riding. Singing. Dancing.

The comments were flooded with “king” and “legend.”

I never used social video apps.

I didn’t know about influencers, and I had no way of seeing his content.

So I’d had no idea that Dylan, who told me he was living paycheck to paycheck, was a multimillion follower influencer.

How could he not save up a hundred fifty thousand dollars?

After my mom arrived in Harbor City, she stayed at the hospital, crying all the time.

I told her I’d handle the accident.

I met with a lawyer.

When I got back from the law office, my mom looked at me with red eyes and said, “Let it go, Paige. Don’t sue. Just settle if you can.”

I kept asking, and finally she admitted through tears, “Dylan came to see us. He’s the one who hit your dad. He admitted it.”

I was furious. I pointed at my father in the hospital bed with his amputated leg. “Look at Dad. He lost a leg. What’s my screwedup relationship next to that?”

My mom wiped her tears. “Your father is the one who forgave him.”

I took a deep breath. “I don’t forgive him.”

Her voice cracked. “Then what about your baby? Do you want him to be born with a father who has a criminal record?”

I knew Dylan wasn’t mature.

But I never thought he’d stoop that low.

Using the baby in my belly to get my parents to forgive him.

My dad coughed twice from the bed and insisted on writing a letter of forgiveness himself.

I snatched the paper and pen and tore it up.

“I’m handling this,” I said, firm.

That afternoon, Dylan showed up again.

I stopped him at the entrance of the hospital wing. I looked at the fruit basket in his hand.

“My parents don’t eat mango,” I said.

“I told you that the first time you came to my house. You never paid attention.”

“What makes you think you deserve their forgiveness?”

His tired face went pale for a moment. Guilty.

“I’m sorry.”

“After your dad gets out of the hospital, let’s get married.”

“I’ll take care of him.”

“And we still have the baby. I’ll learn to be more mature.”

Dylan said the word “marry.”

Something I used to be afraid to even dream about.

Now I didn’t want it anymore.

I pulled out the paperwork.

“The baby? It’s gone.”

“Dylan, no one’s going to wait forever for you to grow up.”