All Chapters of Dear Ex, I'm More Than Your Plan B: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

The ride back was quiet, but not uncomfortable. The kind of quiet that lingered between two people who had said enough and still had more to say.The city lights streamed through the tinted windows, bathing Vera’s skin in a soft gold glow, and Asher, seated beside her, found himself watching her more than the skyline.She was gazing out the window, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the petals of the bouquet he’d given her.The scent of hydrangeas still lingered faintly in the car, mixing with the leather and something distinctly her.“Are you going to keep staring at me like that the whole way back?” she asked without turning, her lips twitching.“I thought I was being subtle,” he said, unapologetically.She finally looked at him, raising a brow. “You’re literally burning holes into my profile.”Asher leaned in slightly, eyes gleaming. “Can’t help it. You look like you’re glowing.”“Is that your post dinner compliment line now?”“No. That’s just the truth.”Vera snorted but didn

The sun filtered lazily through Vera’s window, casting delicate shadows on the hardwood floor as she moved through her morning routine with a sluggish pace.The scent of fresh coffee curled in the air, but even the warmth of the mug between her hands couldn’t chase away the restlessness humming beneath her skin.Asher’s visit the previous day lingered in her thoughts like a sweet aftertaste, unexpected, disarming, and unsettling in the best and worst ways.She wasn’t used to the softness he was offering. Not after everything she’d endured. Not after Lucas.She hadn’t let herself believe Asher could be anything more than a distraction, a tool in her revenge. But the man behind the armor, the way he listened, the way he looked at her like she wasn’t broken, that was dangerous.She was about to pour herself another cup when her phone buzzed on the counter. She glanced at the screen, expecting it to be Asher. Maybe a text asking if she’d eaten or slept well. Something thoughtful like he’d

Two messages.Both from Asher.Her stomach flipped.There was no judgment in the words. No pressure. Just concern.Warm, soft concern that made something in her chest squeeze tightly.God, she’d forgotten to respond.She hadn’t meant to ignore him. Not really. She just… needed time. Needed to process what that call meant. What it brought back.But reading his messages now, a rush of guilt swept over her.He didn’t deserve to be left hanging. Not when he’d been so different lately.He was trying. Genuinely trying. The man who had once viewed her as a burden, a tool for damage control, had slowly revealed himself to be thoughtful. Sharp. Attentive. Capable of quiet affection even beneath all that cocky charm.And now she was the one pulling away.She sighed, typing out a response.Sorry, I didn’t mean to ignore you. Got caught up in something.I’m okay though.She paused.Then added:Thanks for checking in.It felt… inadequate. Like she was giving only the surface of herself, when in tr

Asher checked his phone for the third time in five minutes. The last message from Vera still glowed on the screen.I’m sorry.Two words, too vague to bring comfort, too heavy to ignore.He looked up at her door again. Nothing.Not a flicker of light, not the sound of footsteps, not even the shift of curtains. Just silence.Leaning back against his car, Asher ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tensing. It wasn’t like her to shut him out, not like this.Ever since the banquet, things between them had shifted. For the first time, it had felt real. Unfiltered. Like they had finally peeled back the layers and were choosing to see each other clearly, without the armor or pretense.So why the sudden wall?He had replayed their last few interactions in his head a dozen times since he got here. Dinner and breakfast had gone well, better than well. They’d laughed. Teased. And when she’d sent him away with that smug, playful smile, he’d believed it was a promise. That tomorrow would only bring

Vera set the phone down and stood up to get dressed, moving with intention now.She pulled on her favorite pair of jeans, the ones with a single frayed tear at the knee, and an oversized cream sweater that hung just enough off one shoulder to feel casual but still deliberate.She brushed her hair out slowly, braiding it loosely to one side.Today didn’t have to be about pain. Or avoidance. Or ghosts from the past clawing their way into her future.Her fingers hovered over the screen as she opened the message thread again.She didn’t want to sound desperate or cryptic. But she needed him to know that the silence wasn’t rejection. It was just… her learning how to navigate this strange, terrifying thing that felt dangerously close to being real.Vera:I’m sorry for shutting you out. I had some stuff come up that I needed to handle on my own. But I’m here now… if you’re still around.She hit send before she could overthink it.Then, for the first time in hours, she leaned back against the