Chapter 9%
The laughter and chatter swirled around the ballroom. But I only focused on one thing. The confusion written on Jairus’s face. His eyes bore into me. He looked like he was trying to decode the sudden change in my demeanor. The way I smiled at Katie instead of lashing out and the way I accepted her digs with grace rather than bitterness. It unnerved him.
And I wanted it to.
I glided across the room with champagne glass in hand. Then I made my way towards him. He tensed when I reached him. But he tried to maskit by plastering an impassive expression on his face. And Katie, still glowing from the unwanted attention of my toast, barely noticed.
I tilted my head and smiled up at him. I managed to keep my voice light and airy. “Congratulations, Jairus.“%
His frown deepened. “Vanessa–“>
But I cut him off by leaning in and wrapping my arms around him in what seemed like an affectionate embrace. But as I pressed my lips close to his ear, my tone dropped to a whisper.
“No thanks,” I murmured. “The divorce papers will be delivered to your office soon.”
He stiffened. Then he hovered his hands over my back but never touching.
I pulled away. Then I gave him a final lingering glance before turning on my heel, leaving him standing there, frozen in place. I didn’t bother looking at Katie’s reaction. I already knew she was watching. And I already knew the moment of victory she had craved was slipping through her perfectly manicured fingers.
I strode out of the ballroom. And with each step I took, it felt as if a weight was being lifted from my shoulders. The weight that had once kept me tethered to a marriage filled with loneliness and deceit had finally lifted.
Tonight, I was free.
***
The city was mesmerizing with its lights gleaming over the busy streets despite the late hour. The chilly air brushed against my skin, jolting me awake just a little. My heels clicked against the pavement. The sounds of traffic and distant laughter filled the space around me. But inside, there was only silence. A silence that felt like peace.}
I let the night take me wherever it pleased. I walked with no real destination. Just a desire to feel the pulse of the city. To exist beyond the confines of a life that had suffocated me for far too long.
I passed groups of friends. Their laughter bubbled over into the streets. Couples huddled close together in the chill of the evening, sharing whispered secrets. For once, I didn’t feel like an outsider watching from the edges.
I was here. Present. And for the first time in years, I wasn’t waiting for someone else to dictate what happened next.
Then, I saw it. The neon glow of a club with its entrance thrumming with anticipation. A line of people stretched down the block. They all looked like they were eager to slip inside and lose themselves in the music, in the moment
A part of me hesitated. This wasn’t something I normally did. But then again, what was normal anymore?}
I didn’t stand in line. I walked straight to the bouncer with exuding confidence I wasn’t sure I actually possessed. He barely spared me a second glance before stepping aside.
The moment I stepped inside, the heavy bass of the music hit me, vibrating through my bones. The air was filled with perfume and alcohol. Bodies moved in hypnotic rhythm under the dim and pulsing lights.
It was intoxicating.}
I moved toward the bar and slid onto a stool and crossing my legs. The bartender approached.
“Vodka tonic,” I ordered.
As I waited for my drink, I let myself take everything in. The people, the energy, and the unapologetic indulgence of the moment.
No expectations. No past. Just now.
Then, just as the bartender set my drink down, I heard a voice.[
“Put that on my tab.“}
The bartender nodded before I could protest. And that’s when I turned. Only to find a familiar face watching me.
Mr. Williams. Or should I say, Jared Williams.
He was leaning against the counter with his sharp and knowing eyes locked onto mine. The same man who had seen me at my lowest, who had pulled me back when I had almost lost myself in the street.
A slow smile played at his lips.
And just like that, the night took an unexpected turn.2
