Almost Yours

Chapter 2: The Smile That Belonged to Someone Else

Lunch breaks became Renesmee’s favorite time of day—and her quietest agony.

Arvee always sat at the same table near the window, phone in hand, typing away with a tender, private smile that never seemed to fade. He would pause, read something on the screen, and laugh softly—a warm, genuine sound that made heads turn. Sometimes he would hold the phone to his ear, speaking in a lowered, sweet tone, as if sharing secrets only the two of them were meant to hear.

“I’ve eaten already, don’t worry… yes, I’m resting enough… I miss you too, every minute…”

Renesmee sat across the room, pretending to review reports while stealing glances when she thought no one was looking. She watched him make time—always. Even when deadlines loomed, even when the office was chaotic, he would step away for five minutes at noon and five at dinnertime, just to say hello, to ask how her day was, to tell her he loved her. He never forgot. He never made excuses.

“A man like that is rare,” Renesmee whispered to herself one rainy afternoon, watching his face light up at a message. “Faithful. Consistent. Loving her even from miles away.”

And that was what hurt the most. Every time he smiled at his phone, every time his voice softened, jealousy twisted in her chest—sharp, uninvited, and utterly shameful. She didn’t want to be the kind of woman who envied another’s happiness. But her heart had made its choice, and it was cruel enough to choose someone who belonged entirely to someone else.