She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 09

She Said She’d Watch My Man. Then She Stole Him Chapter 09

I looked up at Dorian.

His eyes were earnest under the falling snow.

Even a man who had already drifted–could he still have real feelings?

I didn’t want to talk. I pushed his hand away.

He held on tighter.

“Mira. I never wanted to lose you.”

I smiled. “But you already have.”

“If it’s about Sera-” He paused, “I haven’t spoken to her since.”

I nodded. I’d heard bits and pieces about her from mutual friends.

She quit her job. Left New York. Disappeared.

“It’s not about her.”

“Not… about her?” He stared at the ground, eyes unfocused.

I saw confusion in them.

“It’s about you,” I said quietly.

He looked up slowly. He was stunned.

“Your heart wandered. Didn’t it?”

He didn’t deny it.

“I never meant to-”

“You slept with her.”

He pushed back. “I was sick. Dizzy. I wasn’t myself.”

“That’s exactly the problem.”

Seven months later, I still cried some nights when I woke up.

“I didn’t know you were allergic to alcohol.”

“But Sera did. I didn’t know Sera had nightmares. But you did.”

I took a breath. “When did you two get so close?”

The Christmas lights flickered on his face.

He was silent for a long time.

Then he gave a bitter laugh, “I cared too much about being perfect with you.”

“I guess I could only be myself around her.“.

I almost lost control.

“Are you blaming me? Did I force you?”

“I never asked you to be perfect. You drifted. You cheated. In the end, you betrayed me.”

I sighed. I was getting worked up again.

“And you’re no different from the kind of men Sera always hated.”

“Dorian. You lost.”

Even though there was no winner.

The Christmas lights went out. Darkness fell over him.

“This is the last lesson you and Sera taught me,” I said softly,

“Don’t come back.”

Back home, I thought I wouldn’t sleep.

I’d seemed so composed when I left–broken up and gone in less than two days.

But only I knew how many sleepless nights I’d had in Princeton.

I used to take sleeping pills every night.

Now, lying in bed, I remembered his face.

It didn’t stir me. I felt calm.

Sleep came easily.

I woke naturally.

When I pulled back the curtains, I saw the familiar Maybach downstairs.

Dorian was leaning against it, snow piling on his shoulders.

He looked up toward my window, as if he felt me watching.

He had stayed all night.

But my heart no longer raced for him.

I didn’t see him again after that.

But I’d receive things from time to time–food, seasonal luxury items, even the engagement ring

and the dress he’d designed.

I kept my mother’s charm in my nightstand.

Everything else went to the basement. I blocked his number entirely.

Time passed.

I ran into an old classmate at the mall. She was surprised to see me.

“I was wondering where you were. We went to visit Sera, You weren’t there.”

I didn’t know she had depression.

Severe enough that she couldn’t get out of bed.

“You two were so close,” my classmate said,

“You didn’t even know she was sick?”

I shook my head.

I didn’t tell her about us.

We used to be close. Now we were strangers.

I hadn’t thought of her in a long time.

Months later, I had a work trip to Sera’s city.

I remembered the address my classmate had given me.

I went to the recovery center.

As I climbed the stairs, a nurse wheeled her out into the sun.

Sera had her eyes closed.

I walked closer and stopped in front of her.

The nurse recognized me and started to wake her.

I held a finger to my lips.

I looked at the familiar face–pale. Thin. Tired. –

I crouched down and pulled the blanket up over her knees.

I moved jobs a few times.

Stayed at one company long enough to become a department head.

They sent me to a headquarters gala.

As I raised my glass, the group CEO took the stage.

It was Dorian.

Slicked–back hair. Same casual confidence.

My colleague leaned in,

“Mr. Sterling–young, successful, from a wealthy family.”

“Smooth career. The only trouble he’s ever had was in love.”

I turned to her, curious. She leaned in.

“I heard he was with someone for seven years.‘

“She left him right before the wedding.”

“Apparently, he’s been closed off since. Not even a fly near him.”

She marveled, “Who could say no to a man like that? Guess you never know.”

I smiled, “Maybe leaving him opened up a bigger sky for her.”

I handed my glass to a server.

I left. I didn’t look back.

I didn’t see the man on stage.

He was watching me.