Wanting her

chapter three

I arrived at our usual spot—an intimate little restaurant tucked away on a quiet street in Ashley height. Daniel had said 7 pm, and I was five minutes early. Maybe that’s why he wasn’t here yet. I settled into my seat by the window, my fingers nervously tracing the rim of the glass in front of me. Outside, the city lights flickered on one by one as dusk settled in, but inside, the air felt heavy, thick with anticipation I couldn’t quite place.

Thirty minutes passed. My eyes scanned the door every few seconds, hoping to see him walk through. Finally, there he was. Daniel.

He entered the restaurant looking as dashing as ever. His hair was trimmed neatly at the sides, slicked back in a way that made his sharp features stand out even more. He wore a black fitted suit with a crisp white shirt beneath—classic and flawless. But something was different. The light in his eyes, that warmth I was used to seeing when he looked at me, was replaced by a hardness that sent a cold shiver down my spine. His jaw was tight, lips pressed into a thin, unreadable line.

He wasn’t smiling.

A knot tightened in my chest. I couldn’t help but sense he was about to say something I wasn’t ready to hear.

“Hey, Danny,” I greeted him softly, forcing a smile to ease the tension I felt building between us.

He took a deep breath, the muscles in his jaw clenching even more. “I’m not going to waste your time tonight, Sheila. I can’t date you anymore.”

The words hit me like a slap to the face.

“What are you saying?” The nervous smile I wore faltered, my throat suddenly dry. This can’t be happening. Not today. Not on my birthday.

“It’s just as you’ve heard, Sheila. I can’t be with you any longer. I’m done with this relationship—or whatever it was.”

My heart sank so low I thought it might shatter. “But why?” I asked, voice trembling despite my best efforts. We were fine before this. Or had I just been fooling myself?

“Don’t make a fuss about this, okay? We were never really a couple, Sheila. At least you can’t say you lost anything in this.”

Lost anything? Was this some kind of sick joke? How could he say that? Was he really serious? How did he turn so cold overnight? Last night, he’d been so caring—or had I imagined it all?

His voice dropped lower, colder. “Listen, I never loved you, Sheila. I was just doing what my father wanted. He always loved you like his own daughter and wanted you in the family. I was his way of having that.”

I blinked in disbelief. “You can’t be serious, Daniel. Why are you saying this to me now?”

He shrugged, eyes narrowed, like I was a puzzle he’d finally solved and discarded. “I only agreed to date you because my father wanted me to. I don’t see what he saw in you, but now that he’s passed, I see no reason to keep up this charade. It’s over, Sheila. I can’t tolerate you and your future plans for one more second.”

The sting of his words was unbearable. “I don’t understand, Danny. I thought you loved me.”

“Love?” He scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping him. “How could I possibly love you, Andrea? You’re too big for me, and you don’t even realize it. You eat too much without a care in the world. I’d be embarrassed to be married to you.”

My cheeks burned, humiliation flooding through me. “Are you saying I’m fat?”

“Don’t you think so?” he sneered.

“But… but I’m not fat.” My voice cracked. Tears prickled the corners of my eyes. I fought to hold them back, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“What size are your trousers?”

“32,” I whispered, avoiding his gaze.

“And your dresses?”

“I can’t… I can’t remember.” A single tear escaped and traced down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away, desperate to hold on to whatever dignity I had left.

He smiled cruelly. “I think you do remember. You just don’t want to admit it. You’re fat, Sheila. Chubby and fat. My father is dead, and now I must run the company. I need someone who looks good on camera. You’d be a flaw on my perfect board. I was only tolerating you for my father, but now that he’s gone, this charade ends here. Have a nice life, Sheila. I hope to see you at work soon.”

Without another word, he stood, leaving me sitting there stunned, tears burning my eyes as he walked away without looking back.

I sat frozen for a moment, wondering if I was still dreaming. Daniel called me fat. Maybe I was a little chubby, but fat? No, I refused to believe it. I took a deep, shaky breath, gathered my purse, and stormed out of the restaurant, my heart pounding in my ears. I was sure I would never set foot inside that place again.

The cool night air hit me as I got into my car. I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to escape. My mind was a whirlwind of hurt and confusion. I drove to a nearby bar—somewhere dim and quiet where I could drown the pain.

Once inside, I ordered a bottle of red wine and settled into a reserved corner booth. I poured myself a glass, then another, and the silence was broken only by my quiet sobs.

Daniel’s cruel words echoed in my mind, each repetition a fresh wound. I never thought he could see me that way.

My phone buzzed, and on impulse, I dialed Ashley’s number. The moment she picked up, I couldn’t hold back.

“Ashley,” I said between sobs, voice trembling. “Daniel just broke up with me. On my birthday! Can you believe that? And the reason—he said I’m fat. That I’d be an embarrassment to him...” I let the flood of emotions pour out, barely pausing to breathe before the call ended abruptly.

I stared at my empty glass and poured another drink, tears blurring the dim lights as I cried my heart out.

---

Meanwhile, miles away, Lance sat in his sleek office, deep into a conference call with international clients. His sharp eyes flicked to the screen, attentive but slightly distracted.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed insistently on the desk. He glanced at the caller ID and paused the meeting. It was Sheila.

A slight, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He wondered if she’d discovered he was the one who had taken care of her last night—his silent, careful presence when she needed it most.

He pressed the answer button, ready to speak, but before he could say a word, Sheila’s voice came rushing through, trembling and broken by tears.

Hearing her cry like that clenched something deep inside him. For a moment, his usually cold, calculating gaze softened. His eyes shifted,

he clenched his fist.