40. Without Trying

LINC

Lila was finally divorced. It was official. She could be mine now.

I'd waited for this moment for what felt like forever, but the excitement didn't hit how I thought it would. Instead, there was this hollow fear settling in my chest. It wasn't that I doubted what I wanted—what I needed—but because deep down, I knew. She wasn't in love with me yet.

Maybe she never would be.

And as long as Cast was still in the picture, I knew she couldn't be. How could I compete with him? They had a bond. A real one. The kind that ran deeper than I'd ever understand. She didn't choose it, but it was there. No matter how much I wanted to be the one to fill the space in her life, Cast was the one still holding her heart.

I knew that. I'd always known it. But I couldn't stand still anymore, waiting in the background, watching them live a life together while I sat with nothing.

Still, as much as I wanted to tear them apart for good, I couldn't help but think back to the stories.

The o