He Forgot The Pad That Saved My Dignity And I Used It To End Us Chapter 08

He Forgot The Pad That Saved My Dignity And I Used It To End Us Chapter 08

A few days later, Hazel came looking for me. 

She didn’t call. She didn’t text. 

She simply showed up at the coffee shop beneath 

my office building. 

As I walked past the floor–to–ceiling windows, I 

spotted her immediately. She was sitting by the 

glass with one leg crossed over the other, waving 

at me like we were old friends. 

“Selena. What a coincidence.” 

It wasn’t a coincidence at all. 

I ignored her and kept walking, but she got up and 

stepped into my path. 

“Come on, Selena. Sit down for a minute. It’s been 

forever since we’ve talked. I just want to say 

something.” 

I looked her over. 

Her makeup was flawless. She’d traded her old hairstyle for glamorous loose curls, and her nails 

glittered with fresh rhinestone designs. 

“What do you want?” I asked. 

She guided me toward the table. 

I remained standing. 

A faint smile tugged at her lips, carrying that same 

familiar sense of superiority. 

“Do you know how much weight Killian’s lost in the 

last two months?” 

She paused. 

“Twelve pounds.” 

Her eyes studied my face for a reaction. 

“He never goes home anymore. If he’s not at the 

airport, he’s hanging around that tiny town of 

yours.” 

Then she sighed dramatically. 

“I’m actually here to help you.” 

She rotated her coffee cup in slow circles. Her 

manicured nails tapped against the ceramic with, 

soft clicks. 

“The only person he’s ever loved is me. You’re just 

a replacement.” 

Her smile sharpened. 

“You really think he’s chasing after you because he 

loves you? He’s only doing this because he can’t 

stand losing. His pride won’t let him walk away.” 

I glanced down at her latte. 

The foam art had been stirred into complete ruin. 

She hadn’t taken a single sip. 

“Hazel.” 

She blinked. 

“What?” 

I met her eyes calmly., 

“You’re right.” 

For a moment, she froze. 

Clearly, that wasn’t the response she’d expected. 

I looked at her and said evenly, “You’re absolutely right. That’s why I gave him back. All you have to do is keep him.” 

Several emotions flickered across her face in rapid 

succession before settling into irritation. 

“What is that supposed to mean?” 

( 

“It means exactly what it sounds like.” 

I glanced toward the street outside. 

“He’s yours. He always has been.” 

I shrugged. 

“I stepped aside. You won. Congratulations.” 

She stared at me. 

This wasn’t the scene she’d prepared for. 

She had expected tears. 

An argument. 

Maybe a public breakdown. 

Not indifference. 

Not this complete lack of emotion. 

“You…” Her voice rose. “Stop pretending! If you’re really over him, why won’t you answer his calls? You’re just stringing him along!” 

I shook my head. 

“I blocked every number he had. The only reason he got through was because he kept calling from new ones.” 

“Then why don’t you make it crystal clear and tell 

him to stop coming after you?” 

“I already did.” 

I took a sip of coffee. 

“He just doesn’t listen.” 

She clenched her jaw. 

“You…” 

“Hazel.” 

I cut her off before she could continue. 

“You didn’t come all the way here to deliver a 

message for Killian, did you?” 

The corner of her mouth twitched. 

I smiled faintly. 

“So what were you really trying to find out?” 

Her expression tightened. 

“Were you hoping I’d reassure you?” 

I leaned forward slightly. 

“Or are you starting to realize you don’t have nearly 

as much control over Killian as you thought?” 

The color drained from her face. 

I set down my coffee and walked past her. 

As I reached her shoulder, I paused. 

“Don’t worry.” 

She looked up. 

“I’m not going back.” 

Relief flashed across her features. 

Then I continued. 

“But don’t get too comfortable, either.” 

I looked directly into her carefully perfected face. 

“You’ve watched everything he’s done these past 

two months.” 

My voice remained soft. 

“He lost twelve pounds trying to find me.” 

I held her gaze. 

“You spent five years with him.” 

A beat passed. 

“Did he ever fight that hard for you?” 

I didn’t wait for an answer. 

I walked away. 

Ten minutes after I returned to my desk, a text notification appeared on my phone. 

[Don’t get so full of yourself. Killian’s just confused right now. Once he comes to his senses, he’ll come back to me!] 

I opened the message. 

Read it once. 

Then I pressed and held her profile. 

Delete Contact. 

“Goodbye,” I said quietly to the screen.