Chapter 9: Meeting Again
JULIA
I stood frozen in place, a thousand thoughts running through my head but none sharp enough to form an escape plan. I could feel my heart hammering against my chest, and for a moment, I thought about turning around and running-
But I didn’t.
I couldn’t.
Instead, I just stood there, watching him walk toward me with the kind of steadiness that always threw me off balance.
Evan.
His name echoed in my mind like a long–forgotten melody. And when he was close enough, he reached out and grabbed my wrist. The warmth of his touch jolted through me, spreading to my chest, and for a second, I thought my knees might give out.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his eyes filled with rage.
I swallowed hard, trying to regain some composure, but his eyes–those dark, piercing eyes that always seemed to see straight through me–were too much.
Well, I couldn’t really tell him–‘Our son is studying here! came to pick him up early because you might see him and my mom together. But hey, you’re here now! I thought you would have left.”
“My…friend works here,” I managed to say, my voice wavering ever so slightly.
He let out a deep sigh, closing his eyes and massaging the bridge of his nose with his free hand.
“No.”
His grip on my wrist didn’t tighten, but it felt heavier somehow.
“You know what I mean. What are you doing HERE, Julia? What are you doing in this city?”
Of course, that was his question.
He always knew how to cut straight to the point, didn’t he? He was right, though. I’d left everything behind. I already left this city.
So, why was I here again?
I chuckled, hoping the sound didn’t betray the knot forming in my stomach. “Wow, always so dramatic,” I said lightly, shrugging like his question didn’t matter. “Maybe just wanted to explore new opportunities. Who doesn’t want that, right? Besides, you don’t even own this city.”
He sighed, shaking his head, before letting go of my wrist. I couldn’t admit that I missed it even for a second.
His shoulders straightened, and it seemed like he became even colder–if that was even possible.
“You’re still the same,” he said under his breath, like it was a fact he’d just confirmed.
His words hurt more than I cared to admit.
My chest tightened, and for a moment, I thought about saying something sharp and defensive.
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I’ve changed. I’m stronger now.”
But the look on his face stopped me.
He looked…different. Or maybe it was just that the boy I once knew was gone, replaced by this man who seemned both familiar and entirely foreign at the same time. He was more handsome than I remembered, though I hated to admit it. The sharpness of his jaw, the slight scruff on his face, the way his hair fell perfectly out of place–it all seemed unfair, like time had been especially kind to him while it left me scrambling to keep up.
“And you’ve changed,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them.
A small smirk curved his lips.
That damned smirk.
It was as frustrating as it was disarming, just like always. He stepped back slightly, the distance between us making his next words feel heavier.
“What did you expect?” he asked, his voice softer now but no less painful.
Gosh, what did I expect?
I bit the inside of my check, cursing myself for not preparing for this moment. Not that I could’ve. How does one prepare for running into the person who ripped their heart out and handed it back in pieces?
Evan turned, his eyes scanning the parking lot before landing on the sleek black car parked a few feet away.
It was so…him. Quietly flashy, just enough to make a statement without trying too hard. He started walking toward it, and something inside me snapped.
“Evan!” I called out, my voice louder than I’d intended.
He stopped mid–stride, his back still to me for a moment before he turned around. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes–they softened, just for a second, before the wall went back up.
And suddenly, everything I wanted to say was clawing its way to the surface.
Why?
Why did you leave me?
Why did you ask to break up that day when I was supposed to reveal that I was pregnant?
What are you doing with Heather? Are you together now?
Oh, and we have a child that looks exactly like you. Do you how that?
The questions burned in my throat, but none of them made it out. Instead, I settled on something safer, something that felt too small but was all I could manage.
“How are you?” I asked, my voice quieter now. It sounded pathetic.
He paused, probably wondering if I was serious. He shook his head in disbelief before letting out a faint, nearly resentful smile.
“Better,” he responded.
My stomach twisted at his response, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the simplicity of it, the finality.
Like he was better without me.
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Chapter 9 Meeting Again.
“And don’t call me that name,” he added, his voice firm and unkind. “It’s only for the people special to my heart.”
I blinked, the words hitting me like his expensive car. He turned and walked away, and this time, I didn’t call after
him.
As I stood there, watching him disappear into the car and delve off, I realized something.
No matter how much time had passed, no matter how much I pretended to be fine, Evan still had the power to unravel me with just a few words.
And I hated him for it.
But I hated myself even more.
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