Written in the Stars

Episode8

Driven Point of View

He might have been at work, but his mind was anywhere else. The last conversation he’d had with Joelien kept playing back in his mind like a broken record—specifically, the moment she told him she was no longer his problem, and that he was the reason their marriage had ended.

Driven let out a heavy sigh, bending his head slightly as he ran his hands through his hair. She was telling the truth, but he still cared for her, and he still loved her.

Covering his face with his hands, he closed his eyes.

The memory of how she looked at him—the sheer hatred in her eyes—still burned in his mind. He had pushed her to the edge, breaking her until she hated him for everything, though he had never intended to cause her that kind of pain.

Lifting his head, he realized he couldn't go straight home in this state of mind. He needed to clear his head first, so he decided to ask Mathew out for a beer after work. Driven unlocked his phone and scrolled through his contacts. If he remembered correctly, Mathew should be back in South Africa by now, unless he was still busy with a flight. Either way, he sent a text:

“Hello Mathew, just checking in. I’m not sure if you’re in South Africa yet, but if you are and you’re free tonight, I’d love to meet up, buddy. Like old times. We could get some drinks at our old place, Crowdies. Let me know. I miss you, man, think it’s been about a year since we last caught up.”

He pressed send and placed the phone back on his desk. Just then, a message alert went off. Frowning, Driven wondered if it was Mathew, but the screen showed a message from his wife,

Briar: “Have you got Michaela’s heart medication yet? She really needs it tonight.”

Driven drew in a deep breath and texted back: “I have the medication, don’t worry. Will see you tonight.”

That changed things. He would need to stop by the house right after work to give Michaela her vital medication. After that, he could head out to Crowdies. He just hoped Mathew would be available by then so he could finally catch up with his old friend.

Placing the phone down, Driven forced himself back to his paperwork, determined to get the day behind him.

Josh Point of View

By the time he returned to his house, it was already eleven in the morning. The sun was streaming deep into the living room through the sliding door of his one-bedroom apartment. Josh entered the flat, walked straight over to the kitchen fridge, and opened it to retrieve a cold beer.

After what had happened, his mind was still plagued by her image.

All the way on the drive back home, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her.

That red-haired woman was clawing her way under his skin, and it was impossible to get her out of his head. He cracked open the cap of the beer bottle and took a long swig, hoping it would ease his mind a little.

It was then that his phone buzzed in his jeans pocket. Josh placed the bottle down on the counter, slid his hand into his pocket, and pulled out the phone, only to see a notification message from Briar.

Taking a deep breath, he unlocked the screen, opened the message, and read it.

“Hi, stranger. Want to meet up for coffee and have some brunch together? Me and Michaela are in town doing some shopping for her birthday. I miss you.”

Josh frowned at the text.

He had totally forgotten about Briar.

Staring at the screen, he realized he was in no mood to see her. That was just the kind of headspace he was in right now. Besides, he didn’t even know what kind of relationship they actually had.

They had dated on and off a long time ago before he went to rehab. It was only after he got out that he found out Briar had married Driven and had a daughter with him.

At first, it hadn’t bothered him.

But then, one day he ran into Briar at the local mall. Michaela was in her stroller, and something about the child reminded Josh of himself. Michaela was only nine months old at the time, but she had his exact eyes, his long eyelashes, and when she smiled, she had his dimples.

Josh had instantly felt a connection to the child, and by the time Michaela turned ten months old, he finally uncovered the truth: Michaela was his, and he had the paperwork to prove it.

Josh had been furious with Briar for keeping it a secret and for marrying Driven for no good reason. He hadn't spoken to Briar for a whole month after that.

Now, Michaela was turning one.

He was trying his best to be there for his daughter, even if the little girl already thought Driven was her father. It broke his heart; to her, he was just a stranger. And his relationship with Briar wasn't much of one either. They had slept together twice since his return, but he was trying hard not to let it happen again.

He stared at his phone, trying to come up with an excuse to send back. Finally, he typed:

“I’m busy today, sorry. I’ll have to take a rain check, but let's try for brunch another time. Send my love and hugs to my little one.”

He pressed send, grabbed his beer, and took another heavy gulp.

He picked up his phone again and quickly brought up his contacts, navigating to Marble’s name. His thumbs flew across the screen as he typed out a message, his legal custody drama taking a backseat to the chaos currently wrecking his head.

"Hey Marble, you free? I really need to see you. We need to talk, please. It's urgent."

He hit send, the screen reflecting the anxious tension tight across his face.

He simply could not get Joelien out of his mind; her memory was like a persistent itch he couldn't scratch, making his blood run hot.

Unable to sit still with his own thoughts, Josh downed the rest of his warm beer in one long, burning gulp. He slammed the empty bottle onto the counter, marched back over to the fridge, and grabbed another cold one, cracking the cap off before the fridge door even swung shut.

He took a heavy swig, leaning against the counter as he waited for the phone to vibrate with Marble’s reply.

Joelien Point Of View

It wasn’t long before Lucas’s truck pulled up and came to a halt in the driveway of his wooden house. The long drive had given Jolene time to process everything, allowing her to calm down a little bit. Lucas switched off the engine, but before opening his door, he turned to her with a concerned look.

“You okay? You’ve been quiet the whole drive.”

Joelien took a deep breath and forced a small smile. “I’m okay, don’t worry.”

Lucas nodded, opened his door, and climbed out. Jolene did the same, her shoes crunching against the small gray gravel that lined the driveway.

As they approached the entrance, her eyes drifted over Lucas’s house. She had always admired the view of this place. It featured massive windows and beautifully treated wooden planks.

Lucas had built the entire house by himself; to be honest, her cousin had an incredible eye for architecture.

Lucas unlocked the large, square wooden door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. Joelien followed close behind him. The crisp scent of the farm mixed with fresh lavender immediately hit her nose. She loved the floors here—they were laid out with rough stones and cement, finished with a natural shine that looked incredibly earthy and rustic.

The house was huge.

It boasted a grand entryway that led down to a massive living room at the far end.

There, a large, built-in white and gray sectional sofa formed a half-square around a big flat-screen television mounted to the wall. Right beside it, a massive sliding glass window allowed the warm morning sun to flood the room.

“Make yourself at home,” Lucas said, heading toward the kitchen. “I’ll get us something cold to drink.”

Taking another sip from his own beer, Lucas turned slightly to face her. “I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but what happened back there at the farm, cuz? Why were you crying?”

Joelien took another slow sip of her beer, letting out a heavy sigh. She looked down at the bottle in her hands as the memory of her conversation with Driven at the gravestones rushed back. Just thinking about it made tears burn in her eyes all over again.

“Driven showed up at our daughters' graves,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared at the label.

Flashes of him asking if she had someone to drive her to the hospital for her blood transfusion, acting all caring, made her stomach twist into painful knots.

“What did he want?” Lucas asked, his tone laced with immediate worry.

She lifted her gaze to meet his. “He found out that I have to get a blood transfusion on Monday. He wanted to play the caring husband, wanted to help, but... he forgetting that we are not married anymore ” Her voice dropped, a thick ball of emotion building up in her throat. “He is the absolute last person who has the right to care about me like that. Not after what he did.”

Fresh tears spilled over, tracing hot lines down her face. The tears she had tried so hard to suppress were now rushing out once more.

“Joelien” Lucas said, his anger flashing beneath his worry. “If I had known he was there, I would have gone down there myself and given him a piece of my mind after what he put you through.”

She shook her head, trying to wipe the wetness from her cheeks with the palm of her hand. “It’s no use, Lucas,” she said, her voice thick with heartbreak. “I’m just so angry at him for showing up after months of being divorced, suddenly acting like he cares about me.”

More tears streamed down her cheeks, a soft sob escaping her lips. “He has no right to show up out of nowhere and be all caring, when he’s the one who ended our marriage. He slept with another woman the night our daughter died.”

Saying the words out loud broke her completely. Her body began to shake violently as a fresh wave of grief took over.

Seeing her unravel, Lucas immediately moved closer.

He gently took the beer out of her hand, set both of their bottles down on the built-in coffee table, and pulled her tightly into his arms.

His strong arms wrapped securely around her, pressing her against his chest. Wrapped in his embrace, Jolene finally let go. Her heart was still completely shattered over Driven because, despite everything, she had loved him.

They had been married for five years; they had built an entire life together. Even though their children were gone, she still carried the memories of everything they had shared. She had known him since they were young adults—since she was twenty-five—and after six years together, he wasn't a stranger. He was the man who had completely broken her.

“I’m so sorry, Joelien,” Lucas murmured, gently stroking her hair with his fingers to soothe her.

She buried her face deep into his chest, her shoulders shaking as she wept. It hurt so deeply.

They had only been divorced for a few months, and the wound was still wide open. Every single time she saw him, she was reminded of the agony he had caused—walking out on their marriage that night at the hospital, right when she needed him the most.

She sat there and letting Lucas hold her as she cried in to his chest. Her heart was broken all over again just to mansion him again . The man who have broken her complete who she have giving her life to and yet he have broken her in ways she never thought.