Never Again in This Life Chapter 08

Never Again in This Life Chapter 08

That evening, I took a taxi to the restaurant.

It was the same window seat as always, the one with a panoramic view of the Boston skyline.

This scene was an exact replica of the last time.

On this very day, in this very place.

I had worn the dress he’d given me and sat in this same seat.

They hadn’t even ordered before a call from Elara had summoned them away.

I waited from seven o’clock until the restaurant was about to close, but they never came back.

Their phones went straight to voicemail, and they never replied to my texts.

The pitying looks from the other diners and the hesitant way the servers approached my table became unbearable.

In the end, I saw a photo on a friend’s Instagram story.

In the picture, Elara was wearing a pale dress, holding a cake and smiling brightly.

Maddox and Sterling stood on either side of her, their eyes fixed on her.

The caption read: “Dragged these two over to eat cake with me at the last minute. Who says you need a birthday to eat cake?”

In that moment, I knew my birthday would never matter to them as much as one of Elara’s whims.

“Tessa? What are you thinking about?”

Sterling’s voice pulled me back to the present.

He and Maddox were already seated across from me.

After the food was served, an awkward silence settled over the table.

Finally, Sterling raised his glass.

“Tessa, I was out of line the other night. This is me apologizing. Happy birthday.”

Maddox, for once, wasn’t wearing his usual impatient expression. He just watched me, his gaze complicated.

Just then, Sterling’s phone rang.

He glanced at the screen and answered immediately. His voice changed.

“What? She fainted? Which hospital are you at?”