He Terminated My Lease So I Terminated Our Wedding Chapter 09
A year later, the community safety project I led was shortlisted for the Young Architects Award.
At the awards dinner, the project renderings filled a giant screen. The old, enclosed tool shed had become a bright, open public space.
As applause rose around me, Mateo lightly brushed the back of my hand.
“Congratulations.”
I’m terrible in heels, and the backs of my feet were already rubbed raw. He pulled a pair of flats from under the table.
Before we’d left for the event, he had asked if I wanted him to bring a backup pair.
I had just changed my shoes when a commotion broke out at the entrance to the hall.
Owen and Cass were standing there.
Owen had lost a lot of weight. His suit was wrinkled, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Cass’s hair was a mess, her face drawn with exhaustion. They looked painfully out of place among the polished guests.
Owen walked straight through the crowd and stopped in front of me.
“Lila.”
His eyes were red. He dropped to one knee and opened a ring box.
The entire room fell silent.
“I sold the Boston apartment.” He looked up at me, his voice shaking. “You can have all the money. Marry me. Let me spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
Cass rushed up beside him, crying.
“I got fired after I leaked the chat logs. I can’t find work anywhere.” She reached for my arm. “Lila, I know I was wrong. Can’t we go back to how things were? The three of us, together again—”
I took a step back, out of her reach.
Mateo didn’t speak for me. He simply stood quietly at my side.
Owen was still holding out the ring.
“Tell me how to make it right. I’ll do anything.”
I looked at him and said, word by word,
“Owen, I don’t want you to spend a lifetime making it up to me. I want you to have never touched my life in the first place.”