Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Mia bit the back of her hand until it bled, her stomach suddenly cramping up so bad that the contract blurred into pieces. through her tears.
How many times now had Sebastian thrown her under the bus for Claire’s sake?
She’d lost count. The heartbreak didn’t even hit the same anymore.
“I’m not signing”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened, like he’d seen this coming
He nodded to his assistant, and security guys walked in carrying metal cases, popping them open.
Inside-stacks on stacks of cash.
“Even if you’re charging by the word, this should be more than enough.”
Mia bit her lip until she tasted blood.
When she just stared down in silence, he waved his hand. More cases kept coming in.
One, two, three…
They took over the entire hospital room.
Sebastian’s ice cold voice came from above, every word stomping on what was left of her self-respect.
“Penthouse in Manhattan. Title goes in your name.”
Her eyes burned, thinking about their cramped studio apartment where they used to share one ratty comforter.
“Tesla Model S. Keys are right here.”
Her hands clenched, remembering him giving her piggyback rides when the subway was down.
“Executive position at Pierce Corp. Whatever department you want.”
She bit through her lip, remembering when he worked three different gigs just to buy her some cheap jewelry from a street
vendor.
“Fine. I’ll sign.” Her voice was barely hanging on.
“Sebastian, this is it. This is the last damn time I’m doing what you want.”
He started to say something but stopped, like he couldn’t figure out why she looked so destroyed.
His silence was the final nail in the coffin of their eight years together.
The Sebastian who used to mess up trying to braid her hair, who’d walk her home in freezing weather-that guy was light years away from her now.
She was baggage, dead weight, but definitely not his girlfriend or his ride-or-die.
Chapter 7
After that day, Mr. Whitmore came to see her once.
“Mia Brooks, here are your visa documents and paperwork.”
He tossed the manila envelope in front of her, his expression dark.
“Was causing all this drama your way of screwing with Claire?”
Mia calmly shook her head.
“I already signed the settlement. I won’t make things difficult for Miss Whitmore.”
She paused.
“Don’t worry. I’ll get out of here soon and make room for your daughter.”
Mr. Whitmore snorted. “At least you know your place.”
After he left, tears came out of nowhere, rolling down her cheeks and leaving wet spots on the manila envelope.
The marks dried up fast, just like whatever she and Sebastian had-totally meaningless.
So even when she left, Sebastian probably wouldn’t give a shit.
www
She’d seen him
at
his worst, broke and desperate.
She was probably the memory he wanted to forget most.
Sebastian said he’d pick her up from the hospital, but Mia waited by the curb forever.
Even when it started drizzling, he was still a no-show.
Her phone screen lit up with a text from Claire.
[Ms Brooks, I forgot my umbrella so Seb had to come get me first. Just wait a little longer!]
Complete with a cutesy emoji. Mia could practically hear the smugness in her voice.
She walked in the rain for what felt like hours, her eyes so swollen she couldn’t cry anymore.
What was she even sad about?
She’d known this all along, hadn’t she?
Sebastian’s care and attention belonged to Claire ages ago.
When she got back to the villa, Sebastian was blow-drying Claire’s hair, looking totally smitten.
Mia was soaking wet but quietly headed to her room to change.
“Mia?” He stopped her, looking shocked.
“Didn’t I tell you to wait for me to pick you up?”
But she was done waiting.
Chapter 7
She was leaving.
Done waiting for something that was never gonna happen anyway.
Mia turned around, keeping it cool. “It was barely sprinkling. I used to work my fish stand in way worse weather than that.”
Sebastian’s face scrunched up as he started explaining.
“Claire forgot her umbrella and she gets sick super easily. I was worried she’d catch pneumonia or something. Don’t make it a thing.”
But she didn’t have the right to make it a thing. No claim on him whatsoever.
Mia just went “uh-huh” and brushed past them.
“Miss Brooks.” Claire grabbed her wrist. “Sebastian and I are hitting up this charity auction tonight. You should totally come!”
Before Sebastian could say anything, Mia forced a smile.
“Thanks, but those bougie events aren’t really my scene. I’d just make a fool of myself. You guys have fun though.”
Watching her walk away, Sebastian’s hands balled up so tight his knuckles went white.
Mia had already packed all her stuff.
She’d ditched everything that reminded her of Sebastian, except for the matching keychain he’d clipped to her old apartment keys back in the day.
Her phone lit up with a news alert about Pierce Corp buying up low-income housing for development.
The crappy basement they’d shared was getting torn down.
Mia’s hands started shaking as she made fists.
She ripped off the keychain and chucked it in the garbage, then walked over to the smart lock and deleted all her fingerprints
and face scans.
For eight years, Mia had loved that boy with everything she had.
But today, she dragged her suitcase out that door, ready to finally live for herself.
