Chapter 60It’s been a week or so, I lost count on the second day. Every time I stepped out of my house and found the front porch empty, my heart would clench while his words echoed in my mind like a broken record. With the way he said it, I thought he really meant it but he was just bluffing?The morning sun casted its soft glow in my room, coaxing me to start another day. I rolled out of bed, stretching my stiff limbs. After what felt like forever, I had finally gotten a hang of my morning routine.I slept early and woke up early to prepare breakfast and a lunch box for Marvin. Our little arrangement had smoothened out in the past week— Marvin hadn’t complained about hunger once, nor had he asked about his dad since that awkward encounter at the restaurant. That, of course, worried me more than anything. As much as I dreaded talking about his father, I’d very much prefer a difficult conversation to watch hung my five year old bottle up his emotions. He was still too young to be
Something must be wrong with him, right?Something must be wrong with Arlo Covelli. He's either lost his mind or his memories. It is impossible to remember everything he did to me and still shows up here making claims to me and my son.As much as I tried to keep my calm, his presence suffocated me. That intoxicating aura of his wrapped around me making me exasperated. His words hit me like a punch, the ground shifting beneath my feet. "I don't care how much you hate me, Ivory. You both belong to me."I felt my calm cracking. How dare he?!How dare he?! What happened to karma? Why isn’t he raining fire and brimstones on this man? What happened to guilt? What happened to regret? Why wasn’t he feeling anything? How could he stand before me and not tremble?! Marvin's laughter echoed from across the room, snapping our eye contact. I turned in his direction to see my son giggling as he played on Willis’s lap. I exhaled softly, finding my voice again. "Talk is cheap, Arlo, the real d
Chapter 62I didn’t have anything to say to him. Next door? Forgiveness? I shook my head, trying not to let any of it get to me. Sitting by my bed, ready for bed, I couldn’t help but notice the lights of the building behind it flicker on. “Is that the one?” Unable to contain my curiosity, I went to my window and pushed the latch open. For the first time, I noticed just how close my house was to the next one. The proximity between my window and whatever window faced mine was of talking distance. If this was his building, there were two ways to get back at him. Either raise my fence or move out completely. He had to be joking.“Is this what he was doing this last week? Buying the apartment next to me?”I shook my head, the ridiculousness of this madness unable to fully register in my mind.I went back to bed. I had only slept for a minute when I heard my alarm blaring. Quick footsteps echoed in my half-awake mind, the door creaked open and the footsteps drew closer. The bedsi
I entered the office fuming. The empty reception gave me a reminder that I had given my workers half of the day to rest. “I forgot,” I muttered, rubbing my temples as if that could somehow erase him from my head. But it was impossible. That jerk’s voice persisted. I tossed my bag on the reception counter, slid out of my heels, and sought solace on the waiting couch. The plushy couch accepted my weight, hugging me but it offered little comfort. I turned and twisted for a while, restless for no reason. Or maybe there was a reason. And that reason was him. I jolted upright, tilting my head in dismay. “What is this mess I’ve found myself in?” I whispered to the empty room. “Why is he doing this to me?”“Why won’t he just leave me alone? Why?”I leaned back on the couch, my mind racing with more questions than I could answer. My office entrance beeped open and I raised my eyebrows, wondering which of my workers had forgotten the day off like me. Willis walked in, and my express
Chapter 63ARLO’S POVIt’s shameless of me. After everything. I know. But Ivory is my life. Funny how I never knew what I had until it was gone. I don’t know if she will ever forgive me. But it is better that I tried than to regret not trying. So trying is what I’m doing now. I’m trying. I’m trying with all the fiber in me. I don’t know if I’m doing it right, but I’m trying. And I can only hope, that my efforts work out for good.SOME TIME AGO We had a bottle of unopened whiskey between us. The bar was quiet, with very few people as expected of a bar mid-morning. After five years of nothing. It was awkward. It was tense, yet we had decided, it was better to talk out our emotions without the influence of any substance.Willis sat staring at me, his eyes lingered on my features. I knew that look. I clenched my jaw, bracing myself for an earful. Bracing myself for the inevitable torture his words would give me. But when he spoke, his voice was calm. His eyes were sincere an
Chapter 64ARLO’S POVWillis’s car drove into my new company. I had left home in a fit of rage, (after my altercation with Ivory)I saw him from the vast view of my office. He stepped down, straightened his suit, and made his way into the building. I glanced at my wristwatch and calculated two minutes before my door opened. As expected, my office echoed with a knock on the door and the corners of my lips lifted in a wry smile.“Come in,” I said, hiding both my excitement and curiosity. Willis entered, and I snapped my gaze up to meet him. I paused, my mind racing with questions. He didn’t look his usual self. “How did it go? Did she hit you?” I asked, my calm voice betraying the tumultuous feeling in my mind.Willis offered a strained smile, settling in the chair across me on my work table.“She didn’t.” He replied, “I think she’ll be there.”I exhaled, heaving in relief. Silence fell over us briefly. I regarded him for a moment before I finally asked. “Why the long face?”Will
Chapter 65Ivory glanced at her reflection for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. Her strawberry blonde hair was styled in loose waves, falling on her back in a soft, elegant sweep. A sleek, red dress hugged her frame, its silk fabric shimmering under the light.Despite the short length, the dress had a side slit up her thigh, revealing enough skin to get you thirsty. The neckline was modestly low, showing a hint of collarbone and a thin bracelet, the jewelry a match with the necklace she had on. Yet, despite her polished appearance, there was a trace of uncertainty in her eyes. Marvin’s excited footsteps broke the silence as he rushed toward her, his face lighting up with joy. Dressed in a pair of blue overalls, slightly worn at the knees, and a striped red and white t-shirt, the five-year-old had all his energy ready to go party. Ivory felt a lump in her chest. Was this necessary? She hated the idea of having Arlo around Marv, but more importantly, the idea of hav
Arlo stood, speechless. The divorce letter in his hand pinned him to a spot, suffocating him.When Crystal had served him divorce, he felt nothing. Not even a bit. But standing here, next to a woman he hadn’t seen in five years, it felt like the world was crashing down on him. The tears of a man they say, never reaches his eyes but Arlo felt them rush to his eyes. For the first time, he experienced how it felt for the heart to tighten— his breath narrowed, the ground shifted beneath his feet.He leaned against the wall behind him, seeking support. “Ivory…” he called. He didn’t even know what he wanted to say, her name was the only thing he could mutter.“Let’s not drag it any further,” Ivory said. “I already signed my part, I’ll be expecting the same from you.”It was a surprise that she didn’t explode from Arlo’s sudden kiss. Her heart raced in her chest but it wasn’t the same feeling as before— the one where she would completely be mesmerized. This time she still had her senses