Ten Years Wasted Before Spring Chapter 08
After Everett left, my life became quiet again.
Work gradually settled into a rhythm, and I slowly adapted to Seattle.
Sometimes I thought about the past, but it no longer hurt.
It was only numb.
Brynn never contacted me.
That didn’t surprise me.
She was too proud to apologize.
Then one day, I received a call from an unfamiliar
number.
“Is this Celia Marlowe?” the person asked, serious. “This is Harborview Medical Center.”
My heart tightened.
“Yes. What’s going on?”
“You’re still listed as Mr. Shaw’s emergency contact. He was brought in after an assault and asked us to notify
you.”
I froze.
Assault? Everett?
I had no feelings left for him, but I went to the hospital anyway, for one reason only: to sign the paperwork permanently removing myself as his emergency contact.
In the room, Everett had a bandage wrapped around his head and a cast on his left arm. He looked miserable.
“Celia.” His eyes lit up when he saw me. “You came.”
“What happened?”
He let out a hollow laugh.
“A guy at a bar recognized me from the viral posts. He started running his mouth, and things got physical.”
That was when I learned Brynn’s private Instagram had been exposed.
Someone had photographed her with Everett and posted it online.
People followed the trail and found the account where she had documented their love story.
The internet exploded.
Because I had deleted everything related to Everett, strangers decided I was the homewrecker.
Brynn’s followers believed I had come between them.
My personal information was doxxed. Abuse and threats came pouring in.
“I’m sorry, Celia,” Everett said quietly. “I didn’t think it would drag you in.”
I looked at him and suddenly felt only pity.
“Everett, who do you actually love?”
“Me? Brynn? Or yourself?”
He said nothing.
We both knew the answer.
