Chapter 6 Confrontation at the Flower Shop
375 Words
An hour later, the Rolls-Royce dropped me off in front of the tiny flower shop where I’d worked for two years. The bell above the door jingled as I stepped inside, and the entire room went silent.
Mia was behind the counter, arranging roses. Her face drained of color the second she saw me. Jake was standing beside her, his eyes widening in shock. They’d clearly been waiting for me to crawl back, defeated and broken.
They had no idea.
“Lila?” Mia squeaked, setting down the flowers. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be hiding somewhere, crying—”
I cut her off with a cold smile. “I’m here to pick up my things and quit. Effective immediately.”
Jake stepped forward, his voice desperate. “Lila, please. I know I messed up, but I can fix this. We can start over—”
“Start over?” I laughed, sharp and bitter. “You lost everything the second you chose her over me. Your job, your funding, your future. All gone.”
Mia scoffed, crossing her arms. “What are you talking about? You’re just a broke little flower shop girl. You can’t do anything to us.”
I pulled out my phone, showing them a photo of me and Ethan at the courthouse, the marriage license visible between us. Jake’s mouth fell open. Mia’s face went white.
“Ethan Hale is my husband,” I said calmly, letting the words sink in. “The man you threw me away for? He’s nothing. A nobody. And I’m married to the man who destroyed him with one phone call.”
The shop went dead silent. Customers stared, eyes wide. Jake staggered back like I’d slapped him.
“You… you married him?” he whispered, horrified.
“I did,” I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Enjoy your miserable little lives. You deserve each other.”
I turned and walked out, leaving them staring in shock. The driver held the car door open for me. As we pulled away, I smiled to myself.
Revenge tasted sweeter than I ever imagined.
And for the first time since that night, I didn’t feel broken at all.
I felt free.
- Writer
