Chapter 12
1007 Words
Summer’s POV
Lena was already standing outside her apartment building by the time the cab pulled in.
The moment she spotted me climbing out, she hurried over.
“You brought the suitcase.”
I nodded.
“I did.”
Without another word, she wrapped me in a hug.
Not the kind people gave because they didn’t know what to say.
The kind that quietly said…
You don’t have to carry this alone.
I hugged her back just as tightly.
“I’m really proud of you,” she whispered.
My eyes burned.
“I almost stayed.”
She pulled back.
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
“You chose yourself.”
“I did.”
She smiled.
“And that’s the hardest part.”
The cab driver placed my suitcase beside us before driving away.
Lena grabbed one handle before I could protest.
“Come on.”
“I can carry it.”
“I know.”
She grinned.
“But you’re my guest now.”
I laughed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever won an argument against you.”
“You never will.”
Her apartment felt warm.
Comfortable.
Lived in.
The scent of vanilla drifted from somewhere inside, mixed with fresh coffee.
I kicked off my shoes near the entrance.
“You hungry?”
I wasn’t.
My stomach still hadn’t forgiven me for yesterday.
But I knew Lena.
If I said no…
She’d feed me anyway.
“A little.”
“I knew it.”
She disappeared into the kitchen.
“I made pasta after I dropped you off.”
“How do you always have food ready?”
“I plan.”
“You really do.”
Ten minutes later, we were sitting opposite each other at her small dining table.
For the first few bites…
Neither of us spoke.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
It was healing.
Finally…
Lena set her fork down.
“So.”
I looked up.
“How are you?”
I laughed softly.
“That’s such a dangerous question.”
“I know.”
I leaned back in my chair.
“I don’t know.”
She nodded.
“I think…”
I searched for the right words.
“I’m sad.”
“I’m angry.”
“I’m relieved.”
“I’m terrified.”
I shook my head.
“I somehow feel all four at the same time.”
“Makes sense.”
“Does it?”
“It does.”
She smiled gently.
“You’re grieving.”
“The marriage?”
“The future you thought you were going to have.”
That hit harder than I expected.
She continued quietly.
“You didn’t just lose Ethan.”
“You lost the version of your life you spent years imagining.”
I looked down at my plate.
“I thought we’d have children.”
My voice was barely above a whisper.
“I thought we’d grow old together.”
Another pause.
“I picked baby names once.”
Lena reached across the table and squeezed my hand.
“I know.”
“I still have them written somewhere.”
A tear escaped before I could stop it.
“I feel so stupid.”
“No.”
“I do.”
“You loved your husband.”
“I loved the man I thought he was.”
She corrected me gently.
“There’s a difference.”
I wiped my eyes.
“I don’t know what comes next.”
“You don’t have to.”
“What if I’m making the biggest mistake of my life?”
“What if you’re making the bravest decision of your life instead?”
I stared at her.
She smiled.
“You won’t know today.”
“You won’t know tomorrow.”
“But one day…”
She squeezed my hand again.
“…you’ll wake up and realize your peace became more important than pretending.”
I let her words settle.
Peace.
It had been such a long time since I’d even thought about that word.
That evening, after helping Lena wash the dishes despite her protests, I finally carried my suitcase into the guest room.
The room wasn’t large.
Just a bed.
A wardrobe.
A small desk beside the window.
Simple.
Quiet.
Safe.
I unpacked only the essentials.
Toothbrush.
A change of clothes.
My laptop.
My notebook.
When I reached the bottom of the suitcase, my fingers brushed against something soft.
The oversized black T-shirt.
His shirt.
I blinked.
I’d forgotten it was folded between my clothes.
I lifted it carefully.
The familiar scent lingered faintly in the fabric.
Leather.
Cedar.
That clean cologne.
For one impossible second…
I saw him again.
Standing in the clubhouse hallway.
His hand opening the office door.
His laugh.
The way he’d refused to let that drunk biker make me uncomfortable.
The way he’d listened.
Really listened.
I smiled without realizing it.
Then immediately frowned at myself.
“What is wrong with me?”
I’d just ended my marriage.
The last thing I needed was to be thinking about a man whose real name I didn’t even know.
A masked biker.
One unforgettable night.
That was all.
I folded Ethan’s shirt neatly and placed it inside the wardrobe.
Out of sight.
Out of mind.
Hopefully.
My phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn’t Ethan.
It was an unknown number.
I frowned.
For a moment, I considered ignoring it.
Instead, I answered.
“Hello?”
A warm female voice came through the line.
“Good evening. Am I speaking with Summer Carter?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Olivia Hayes.”
There was a brief pause.
“I’m the family lawyer Lena mentioned to you.”
I straightened instinctively.
“I hear you’d like to discuss filing for divorce.”
I looked toward the bedroom window, where the last light of the day was fading beyond the city skyline.
I took a slow, steady breath.
“Yes.”
My voice didn’t shake.
“I would.”
Tomorrow…
The paperwork would begin.
There was no turning back now.
- Writer
