My 'Cruel' Breakup, His Lifelong Regret

Chapter 4

Robb glanced at Irene and spoke into the phone, cold and final.

"Reschedule it."

Irene touched his arm before he could hang up.

"Robb, it's just dinner. You don't have to rearrange everything for me."

Robb squeezed her hand. "Nothing's more important than you."

Irene shook her head, soft and understanding. "But I don't want to get in the way of work."

Robb relented. He spoke back into the phone. "Fine. Three o'clock Saturday afternoon."

He hung up. "Come on. I'll drive. We'll go pick out gifts for your parents."

Irene nodded, sweet and obedient.

The second he walked out of the room, she stared at the basement walls, her mouth twisting with disgust.

"Sienna, why do you have to keep ruining everything?"

Saturday came fast.

Robb finished his morning meetings and drove straight to the café where he was supposed to meet "the artist."

He pushed open the door and spotted a woman sitting by the window, her back to him.

He strode over. "Sienna…"

Then he saw her face and frowned.

"Teresa? What are you doing here?"

Teresa looked at him, her face flat and unforgiving.

"You broke up with her years ago. Why do you need to see her now?"

Robb's eyes narrowed. Teresa had hated him from day one. She'd never thought he was good enough for Sienna.

Time hadn't changed a thing.

He sat down across from her, his voice low and dangerous.

"You don't get to ask questions. Tell Sienna to come here. Now."

Teresa held his gaze, steady as stone.

"She can't come."

Robb laughed, sharp and bitter.

"Why? Twenty million isn't enough to earn five minutes of her time? She thinks pretty highly of herself, doesn't she?"

The words struck home. Teresa's face flashed with anger.

"Robb! Sienna is dead!"

Robb just smiled, cold and mocking.

"Dead? Cute. So now you're both in on the little act."

He stood up, done with the game.

"I don't pay until I see her in person. Not a cent. And if she doesn't show? She gets nothing. Zero."

He walked out of the café and slid into his car. Teresa ran after him, screaming his name.

He hit the gas without a second glance.

He wanted to see how far I'd take this little fake death stunt. He wanted to see me break.

That evening, Robb drove Irene to her parents' house.

He walked in and froze when he saw the man sitting on the couch.

I'd shown him a photo once, a long time ago.

"These are my parents," I'd said.

"But after my dad left and remarried, I never heard from him again."

That same man was sitting there now. Irene's father.

Edward Sorrel looked up and smiled warmly. "You must be Robb. Come, sit down."

Robb sat. Edward clapped him on the shoulder.

"Irene's my only daughter. You two take good care of each other, you hear?"

Irene giggled and leaned into his arm. "Dad, Robb's been so good to me."

Edward laughed. The whole room felt warm and perfect.

But Robb's eyes were darting, taking in every detail.

Family photos covered every wall—year after year of Irene and her parents, smiling.

Irene's bedroom was full of nice things: a computer, game consoles, everything a kid could want.

But he remembered what I'd told him. After the divorce, I'd bounced from relative to relative with my mom.

When no one would take us in, we'd lived in an old rusted trailer, just the two of us.

He glanced at Edward again. A tiny, faint frown tugged at his brow.

Dinner ended, and Robb said his goodbyes.

He sat in his car for a long time, staring up at the dark sky.

Teresa's voice echoed in his head: Sienna was dead.

He stared at his phone, then pulled up the class group chat and texted his roommate.

Robb: Last time, you said Sienna was overseas?

The man replied right away.

Roommate: Yeah! Saw it on her i********:!

A screenshot came through right after.

There I was, in a blue and white button-down, standing in front of the Louvre, smiling bright as day.

A man I didn't recognize had his arm looped through mine, close and intimate.

The date in the corner: July 15th.

Less than a month ago.

Rage burned hot and savage in Robb's chest.

The photo was taken less than a month ago.

I couldn't possibly be dead.

He dialed his assistant so fast his fingers shook. His voice was ice, sharp and deadly.

"Three days. I want Sienna found in three days. I don't care what it takes."