She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 08

She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 08

I was quiet for a long time. Then I nodded.

“Iknew it…”

“I’m sorry. I admit… I did like Dorian. A little.”

I’d already known the answer. I’d stopped hurting over it.

But hearing her say it–my chest still tightened.

“After my ex cheated, I stopped trusting men.”

“I never trusted Dorian. But I couldn’t deny how good he was to you.”

She choked on her words.

“Sometimes… I hated how unfair it was.”

“Why didn’t I get someone like that?”

“Why did I have to watch someone else be happy? With nothing for me.”

The street was quiet.

In the lamplight, I caught a flicker of resentment in her eyes.

“But I never wanted to take him from you. And I never wanted to lose you.”

Her eyes glistened.

She looked at me with real regret. Real loss.

We’d known each other for over a decade.

She’d never looked so broken.

I only asked, “How did you find me?”

I’d changed my number. My WhatsApp.

I hadn’t posted on Instagram.

She started crying again.

“You forgot. We were best friends. I looked everywhere in New York.”

“Then I tried California–because you always said you loved the coast and the forest.”

“And finally, I found you here. It’s the best place for your career.”

She knew me so well. We used to be that close.

“You know me better than anyone,” I said quietly.

“But what happened happened. I’ve already ended things with Dorian.”

“I don’t hate you. But I don’t think I can be your friend anymore.”

She stared at me like she didn’t understand.

Then, slowly, her legs gave out. She sank to the ground.

It hurt me too.

I remembered us running hand in hand across the playground.

Sharing a donut. Complaining about the same teachers.

Worrying about jobs together…

I looked at her. I saw the old me.

Then I stepped around her. Gently.

Her sobs grew louder behind me. Turning into full cries.

At the fork in the road, I looked back.

She was still sitting under the light. Head down. Shoulders shaking.

I took a breath. I pressed my hand to my chest,

Then I turned and walked away.

Time passed quietly. Three months later, it was Christmas.

I lit candles in my rental apartment.

That day was also my birthday.

When my mother was alive, we spent the holidays and my birthday together.

Later, I spent them at Sera’s house, eating turkey with her family.

After Dorian, he was always there.

He’d hold me under the Christmas tree and say,

“Holidays only mean something when you’re here. Winter is cold, but I have you.”

This year, I was alone for the first time.

I made my own turkey. Poured my own wine.

Decorated my own tree.

I was building a snowman in the yard when I saw a figure approaching.

Dorian wore a long black coat. His eyes looked deep and tired.

He stopped in front of me and held out a cake box.

“Mira. Happy birthday.”

I looked at him, “What are you doing here?”

He pulled his hand from his pocket.

When he opened it, a charm necklace dangled from his fingers.

“I had it repaired.”

“The charm your mother left you. I fixed it.”

I stared at the necklace in front of me.

It looked whole. Nearly perfect.

But under the light, I could see the fine cracks running through it.

Broken things, no matter how carefully repaired–were never the same.

I took the charm. I was quiet for a moment, “You should go.”

He didn’t move.

I turned away.

He grabbed my arm.

He took out another box.

“If that one isn’t good enough,” he said, “I found you another one.”

It looked exactly like the one my mother gave me.

It even had my name engraved on it.

[Dear Mira.]