"I’m fine," Haven replied, his voice rough, scarcely capable of being heard. He didn’t accept it himself, but it was simpler to lie than to explain the expanding hole Alexis had left in his life. Rick shrugged, not pushing more. He’d seen plenty of broken men falter through those doors. Havenwas just another one in a long line. "If you say so," he said, pouring himself a drink and thumping it back in one go. The bar was mostly empty that night, just a few regulars nursing their drinks in the corner. A tired-looking lady sat by herself at the other end of the bar, her fingers absentmindedly following the edge of her glass. She looked over at Haven once or twice, but he didn’t notice. After what felt like hours, Haven stood up, his legs insecure underneath him. The room spun somewhat as he tossed many folded bills onto the counter. "See you tomorrow," he murmured, in spite of the fact that the words felt overwhelming in his mouth. Will he come back tomorrow? Of course he would. Where
Haven sat on the edge of his bed, gazing at the purge space where Alexis’s things had once been. The room felt colder, emptier. A deep throb settled in his chest as he replayed the discussion they’d had as it were hours before. Alexis’s words resounded in his mind like a broken record: “It’s Matthew, Haven. I’m leaving you for him. I can’t keep pretending anymore.” How could she say those things so effectively? After everything they’d been through together, after a long time of building a life, a home, she had just torn it all apart, like tearing a page out of a book. Haven couldn’t comprehend how somebody could drop out of love so rapidly, and more regrettable, drop into the arms of another man. He leaned forward, his head in his hands, incapable of stopping the tears. It wasn’t just the disloyalty that stung. It was the suddenness of it all, the realization that he was now totally alone. Alexis was gone, and he didn’t know how to place the pieces of his life back together.The sou
Vanessa’s eyes glinted with a streak of sympathy. “Sometimes...people have one foot out long before you notice. It doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. It just means...they weren’t prepared to stay.” The sharpness in Haven’s voice shocked him. “She left me for somebody else. For Matthew, of all people.” “I know.” Vanessa breathed out deeply. “She said it’s been going on for a while. I’m sorry.” Haven gazed down at his hands, feeling the pressure rise inside him once more. “How can she do that? How can she just toss everything away for somebody else?” Vanessa was calm for a minute before replying, her voice unfaltering. “People change, Haven. Some of the time it has nothing to do with you. In some cases it’s just them. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less.” Haven felt the sting of her words. He knew she was right, even if he didn’t need to confess it. “I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. “I don’t know how to move on from this.” Vanessa looked at him carefully, her look immo
Haven sat alone in his unassuming living room, the soft murmur of the ceiling fan scarcely discernible over the unfaltering drone of his considerations. The air felt overwhelming, weighted with recollections that appeared to rise up from the floorboards like phantoms from the past. His fingers followed the edge of the purged bourbon glass in his hand, but the burn of liquor couldn’t chase away the turmoil brewing inside. His mind kept meandering to that minute, to her words, the ultimate cut bend that had separated their association. “You deserve to know the truth, Haven,” she had said, her voice sharp, not from outrage but from a cold, calculating resolve. “I never loved you the way I ought to have. Matthew... he’s everything you’re not. I can’t pretend anymore.” The words had fallen like stones, their weight still waiting in the quiet of the purge house. He had observed her walk out the door, not just physically, but in each passionate and mental way that mattered long before.Now
“But I feel like I fizzled. I couldn’t keep her.” Vanessa’s look mellowed, and she pressed his hand tenderly. “That’s not on you. If she was seeking out something else, she ought to have been genuine with you a long time back, before things got this far.” Haven gestured, in spite of the fact that the words didn’t settle. They twirled, bending and turning in his mind like a hurricane of question and self-blame. Might he truly clear himself of the weight of his fizzled marriage? There had been moments, so numerous of them, when he could have tried harder, when he could have paid more consideration to her needs. But he had been so centred on giving, on building their life, that he had missed the signs. He had let her slip away right beneath his nose. He inclined back, resting his head against the back of the chair.“I don’t know, Vanessa. I keep going over everything in my head, and I can’t stop thinking about the choices I made, the ones I didn’t make. What if I did something differen
He had been strolling for hours. Miles, possibly. He wasn’t sure any longer. The street appeared to extend on unendingly, but none of that mattered. Haven’s mind was focused on one objective: finding Alexis. The betrayal had cut him profoundly, more profound than anything he had experienced in his life. An empty throb chewed at his chest, undermining to swallow him entirely in case he let it. But Haven wasn’t going to let it. He was not going to let her leave with him without a battle. He tried resting to get a little shade from the scorching sun, he got a bottle of water to dehydrate himself and then after resting a little, his thoughts crept in once again, his mind was so tired to accommodate any thoughts but he just had to hear up and become stronger emotionally than ever. His mind crossed towards Alexis, his wife who now was not recognizable as before. Alexis had been everything to him. His wife, his accomplice, the love of his life. They had shared so many a long time together,
Vanessa was calm for a minute, at that point said, "You’ve continuously been like that. Continuously battling for what you believe in." He could hear the implicit feelings in her voice, recollections of their past waiting between the lines. Haven and Vanessa had their own complicated history, but now wasn’t the time to revisit that. "I ought to go," Haven said, his voice rough. "I’ll let you know how it goes." "Watch out for yourself," Vanessa answered softly. "You’re not alone, alright?" He hung up without reacting, the weight of her words squeezing down on him. He wasn’t alone. But why did he feel so disconnected, so purge? He pushed the phone back into his stash and kept walking. The sun was beginning to set, casting an orange gleam over the skyline. The day was slipping away, a bit like Alexis had. Haven could feel the fatigue inching into his bones, but he pushed it aside. This wasn’t over. Not, however, he wasn’t going to stop until he found her.As he shifted a corner, the
Haven ’s eyes flicked between the gleaming lights of the city as his car thundered down the turnpike. It was well after midnight, but the activity still crept along, squeezing at his tolerance. His mind was dashing quicker than his car as thoughts of Alexis surged like a surge. Where could she be? Who was she with? The forward clock on the dashboard examined 1:03 a.m. Alexis had been lost for three days. He had called her phone so numerous times that he’d memorized the design of the voicemail message. He’d left messages, texts, some irate, a few pleading, but they all went unanswered. Now, Haven ’s feelings brewed in a chaotic blend of perplexity and freeze. He could hardly rest, and when he did, his dreams were eager parts of her snickering new, or more regrettable, the picture of her laced with Matthew. Haven didn’t need to think about that. The thought of Matthew turned his stomach into ties. "Where are you?" he mumbled to himself, his voice dry from days of yelling into the vo
“Did you hear that Haven got a huge contract deal? I continuously knew he’d arrive on his feet,” Alexis commented one day over brunch with friends. Her voice was casual, but there was a glimmer in her eyes, one that hadn’t been there in a long time. Matthew took note of it as well, and it chewed at him. To begin with, it appeared harmless, just sitting still in conversation, about an ex. Everybody does it, right? But as Haven’s name crawled up more habitually, a shadow of envy started to cloud Matthew’s mind. He tried brushing it off. "Why do you care what he’s doing?" Matthew inquired one evening, casually mixing his drink. Alexis looked up from her phone, her expression garbled. "I don’t. It’s just... curiosity, that’s all. I thought he'd separate after the divorce, but it looks like he’s doing better than ever." Matthew gritted his teeth but constrained a grin. "Great for him, I guess." Haven hadn’t expected Alexis to take note of his success, or care. But it didn’t take long
Alexis's voice calmed down. "Take care of Haven." He stopped talking, emotions swirling through him. A part of him wanted to scream, to let go of the anger and pain that stuck with him like a second skin. But another part - the part that has already started to be built - will be released.Two days later he called. "Mrs, Rennie's voice is clear and professional. Altheon has decided to proceed with your request. Thank you." Haven was silent for a moment, relief washing over him like a tidal wave, almost knocking him off balance. "Thank you, Mrs. Chambers," he managed to say. "I won't let you down." "I hope not," Reni replied. "Our team will contact you to complete the paperwork." Haven hung up and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He has done it. That night, Haven found him in a small village near his house, milking whiskey on the rocks. The site was quiet, with the faint hum of conversation settling in the background. His phone buzzed with a text from Darnell: You d
He then hugged her and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Vanessa felt so secured and relaxed almost immediately but Haven knew there was more adventure to come from here with Vanessa over-commitment. He couldn’t say no to her anymore, he loved her and he just wanted her to stay and be with him always but he respected boundaries over everything.Haven stood in front of the windows of his house and saw the first sign of sunrise in the city skyline. The distant rumble of the morning traffic was faint, but a sense of life returned to the town with him. Haven's name hasn't been associated with anything good for months. His reputation, solid in the business world, has been thrown into the dirt since his wife left him for another man, Matthew, his former best friend. The tragedy sent waves through his personal and professional life, leaving Haven struggling to recover from the tragedy. Now he has a chance to change everything. Today he is about to sign a major business deal, one that could
“I’ve been through that before. I’m not going to let it happen again.” Haven mollified marginally, detecting the helplessness underneath her words. “I get that, Vanessa. I do. But I’m not him. I’m not going anywhere.” She was calm for a moment. “Promise?” Haven murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I promise.” Vanessa’s quiet settled like a cover over the discussion. At that point, unexpectedly, she said, “I’m coming over.” Haven scowled. “Now? It’s late.” “I don’t care. I ought to see you.” Before he could dissent, the line went dead. Haven gazed at his phone in skepticism. “Damn it.” He reviled beneath his breath. Forty minutes later, a knock shook his front door. Haven dragged himself off the couch and opened it to discover Vanessa standing there. She wore tight pants and an larger than average hoodie, her dark hair pulled into a tall bun. Her eyes looked at his face the moment the door swung open. “You didn’t seem that tired,” she said with a black out smile, vent
“I did,” Alexis answered, assembling his look. “I needed to see Fiona.” Matthew’s jaw clenched. “We had things to do, Alexis. You chose her over me.” “That’s not fair,” she said, her voice trembling. “I’m permitted to spend time with my friends. This wedding doesn’t mean I need to give up everything else.” He took a step toward her, his eyes dim and difficult. “When you wed somebody, they ended your need. I thought you caught on to that.” “I do,” she whispered. “But I need space as well, Matthew. I can’t live like this, constantly stressed about annoying you.” Matthew’s expression flickered with something unreadable, hurt, outrage, or possibly fear. “I’m trying to protect you, Alexis. I just don’t want to lose you.” “I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly. “But I need you to believe me. If you can’t do that... possibly we shouldn’t get married.” The words hung between them, overwhelming and last. For a minute, Matthew just gazed at her, as if trying to choose whether to fight
Alexis felt a chill creep up her spine. It wasn’t the first time he’d acted like this, his words wrapped in sweetness but with a suggestion of something unsettling. Still, she smiles, pushing away the questions inching into her mind. He’s just defensive, she told herself. Nothing wrong with that. “Sorry, Matthew,” she mumbled, constraining a little snicker. “Next time, I’ll keep my phone on me.” He came over to the table and put his hand over hers, pressing a bit as well firmly. “I don’t like feeling disregarded. You get it, right?” She gestured, indeed in spite of the fact that her intestine bent. “Of course. It won’t happen again.” Satisfied, Matthew leaned back in his chair, the pressure in his pose facilitating. “Good. I just care about you, Alexis. That’s all.” But something about the way he said it made the words feel like a caution. Later that evening, Alexis sat on her bed, looking over through old pictures on her phone. Most of the photographs were from the early days of
"I’m sorry, Haven. I trust you to find peace." Peace. He sneered. How could he find peace when everything still felt so unsettled? He placed his phone away and stood up, choosing that staying in the café wasn’t going to help. He needed to clear his head.Afterward that evening, Haven found himself standing outside the old loft he and Alexis had shared. It was interesting being here once more. The place had been empty since Alexis moved out, and now someone else lived there. But the memories waited, as new as ever. He didn’t know why he’d come. Perhaps it was to discover closure, or perhaps he was just tormenting himself. Either way, standing here felt like confronting his past head-on. He had to make a choice. All of a sudden, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing a message from Vanessa. "Hello, I’m back home. Let me know if you need to come over and talk." Haven gazed at the message for a minute, his mind hustling. He cared about Vanessa, but he couldn’t shake t
Haven gazed at the coffee glass before him, the steam rising gradually, disseminating into the cool air. His fingers followed the edge of the ceramic edge, but his mind was far away, lost in an ocean of tangled thoughts and feelings. Alexis’ snicker reverberated in his head, frequenting him. He could nearly see her, the way she used to sit over from him at the café, her hands wrapped around her own face, eyes filled with the warmth of shared minutes. That was a year back. Now, Alexis was planning to wed somebody else, Matthew. His chest fixed as he thought of it. It wasn’t the reality that she left. It was the suddenness of it, the way their once-perfect life had come slamming down in a matter of months. He hadn’t seen it coming, hadn’t been ready for the hurricane that had turned his world upside down. One minute, they were arranging their future together, and the next, she was gone. Haven pulled himself back to the show, shaking his head as if to clear the cobwebs. He looked up jus
Haven didn’t know why he chose to go to the coffee shop that evening. Maybe it was propensity, or possibly he was just trying to elude the limits of his house and the perpetual thoughts swirling in his mind. He requested a dark coffee, found a seat in the corner, and tried to lose himself in a book. But as he sat there, flipping through pages without pursuing a single word, he listened to a recognizable voice. His heart stilled. Alexis. She was sitting just a number of tables away, snickering softly with her friends and talking about wedding plans. And next to her, Matthew, tall, the man who had taken his place in her life. Haven’s breath caught in his throat. He hadn’t seen her since she’d left him, and hadn't talked to her since the breakup. Seeing her now, gleaming with joy, felt like a punch to his intestine. Without thinking, he stood up, expecting to leave. He couldn’t handle this, not nowadays. But as he turned, his eyes met Alexis’s. She solidified, her smile disappearing,