“All right.” The words emerged hollow, a shell of acquiescence.
“I’ll be going now,” he stated with unnecessary finality. Find the newest release on find{n}ovel.net
The moment Ernest’s back presented itself, the color drained from Elissa’s face like water slipping through open fingers. Though the other voice on the phone call remained inaudible, every syllable Ernest had uttered burned into her consciousness with perfect clarity. In that moment, puzzle pieces aligned with devastating precision, revealing a picture she had desperately hoped not to see. Ernest was rushing to rendezvous with Bonnie.
Men. Their predictable betrayals never ceased, merely cycling through new faces.
Elissa’s eyelids descended like heavy curtains. The past years stretched behind her—countless solitary nights while Robin pursued his entertainments elsewhere, his fidelity as substantial as morning mist.
Had fate cruelly orchestrated this familiar tragedy? Was she destined to relive the same exquisite torment, merely with different actors playing the same devastating roles?
If that was the case, Elissa wanted this nightmare to end. Now. She would be a fool to let herself fall back into years of pain. She had already lived through that once, and she wasn’t about to do it again.
She shut her eyes for a moment, then yanked off the covers and got out of bed.
At the entrance of Cozyroom, Ernest stepped out of the car just as Bonnie appeared at the door.
“Mr. Flynn.” Bonnie greeted him, her smile tinged with both shyness and quiet confidence.
Ernest smiled back. “You came. Sorry. I should’ve picked you up.”
Bonnie shook her head, her smile unwavering. “It’s alright. I was just home doing nothing. You’ve got enough on your plate. No need to make an extra trip just for me. Besides…”
Bonnie looked around, seemingly pleased with herself. “Why this place, though? Cozyroom is insanely…”
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It was true. The restaurant was the most upscale spot in all of Srixby. Bonnie had never stepped foot inside before, but she’d heard even the cheapest wine ran for over ten grand.
“It’s nothing,” Ernest replied, unconcerned. “Having a meal with you shouldn’t feel ordinary. This place suits the occasion.”
“Oh… Alright.” Bonnie’s lips twitched as she tried to hide a smile.
Did that mean he saw her as someone special?
Bonnie bit back a laugh, though her chest swelled with quiet satisfaction. This was the man who swore he wanted to marry Elissa. And yet here he was, falling right into her hands with barely any effort at all.
Bonnie pressed her lips together. “Mr. Flynn, shall we go in?”
“Sure.” Ernest stepped aside with a polite gesture. “Ladies first.”
Just as Bonnie and Ernest turned to head inside, a taxi rolled to a stop at the curb.
Elissa stepped out, her eyes fixed on them as they disappeared through the entrance. She stood there for a moment, lips curling into a mocking smile. Then, she started walking after them.
“Miss Holland.” A voice came from the side, and a figure moved to block her path.
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