They Voted Me Out After Fifteen Years Together Chapter 09

They Voted Me Out After Fifteen Years Together Chapter 09

In the afternoon. Dax showed up outside Bree’s office building.

A stranger filmed it.

Bree came rutiing out wearing a mask. He blocked her.

“Who created the voting poll?”

Bree broke down, screaming. “Daphne started the group!”

“But you were in it too!”

“You said Willa waited ten years for you. You didn’t want to wrong her anymore.”

“You said Sable had no family. She’d always come back to you in the end!”

The video caught it all. Dax frozen solid.

The comments flew:

[So he knew everything.]

[He wasn’t tricked. He consented.]

[The sickest part is he still wanted Sable to take a marriage license.]

I stared at the screen. No warmth left in my fingers.

The truth was never complicated.

It just took me fifteen years to admit he wasn’t being pushed along.

He was awake for every step.

Evening. Gideon brought a signed document from Dax.

“He withdrew the anonymous complaint against the Southbay project. He’s also willing to make a

public statement clarifying you two never broke up.”

I smiled a little.

“A clarification. What’s the point now?”

Gideon was silent.

Of course there was no point.

My birthday was already gone.

My career had already been hit.

My things had already been thrown away.

My body had already been broken by a car.

Not every “I’m sorry” rewound time.

That night. Footsteps outside my door again.

This time, Dax didn’t try to force his way in.

He stood outside. Voice so low I could barely hear.

“Sable. I know you don’t want to see me.”

“I just came to bring your things back.”

The nurse brought in a bag.

Inside was the gray scarf. Washed clean. And that old ring.

Polished bright.

Like he was trying to wipe everything back to the way it was.

I looked at it. Remembered the university lawn. Him sliding the ring onto my finger. His hands

shaking worse than mine.

Back then, I was the only thing in his eyes.

Why did people change?

Maybe they didn’t.

Maybe I just finally saw clearly. That devotion could be divided into portions.

I pushed the bag toward Gideon.

“Send it back.”

“And tell him. What he owes me. It’s not this stuff.”

Silence outside the door. Long silence.

Then a sob. Choked down. Hard.

I didn’t turn around.

Past midnight. A message from Reed:

[Southbay project reconfirmed. Launch in three days.]

I stared at the screen for a long time.

Outside the window, the moon was pale.

For the first time, the name Southbay felt like a door.

Project launch day. Light rain in Southbay.

Tess wheeled me to the train platform.

The doctors didn’t want me traveling.

But I knew. I had to go.

Reed came to see me off personally.

He handed me a new appointment letter.

“Southbay Project Lead. Acting.”

“Once you recover. Official.”

I took it. Paper so light. Pressed solid against my palm.

Tess’s eyes went red.

“Sable. Text me when you get there. Let me know you’re okay.”

I nodded.

The boarding call came over the speakers. Then footsteps. Fast. Behind me.

“Sable!”

I didn’t turn around.

The wheelchair stopped at the ticket gate.

Dax ran hard. No jacket. Clutching the old tin box.

Security blocked him.

He was panting. Eyes raw and red.

“I just want to give her back her things.”

Tess stepped in front of me.

“Mr. Vance. She doesn’t want to see you.”

Dax looked at me. His voice cracked open.

“Sable. I was wrong.”

“I cut things off with Willa.”

“Those people. I’m done with them.”

“Our wedding house. I’ll put it in your name only. If you hate it, we can move. Any city.”