My Ex Begged for Me After My Tech Empire Reveal (Remarried After | Secretly Divorce.
Chapter 305 Back to the Start
Finished
That was it. The message was gone, and there was no way to undo it. Natalie stared at her screen, cursing her own clumsy fingers.
Jackson’s reply came through almost immediately: “It’s fine. We all do what we have to for a living.”
He followed it with a wide-grinned emoji. It was the first time he’d ever used a sticker with her, let alone sent more than a few words at a time. Natalie’s heart did a little somersault. If this wasn’t
what progress.
was?
Emboldened, she quickly typed back: “Jackson, are you working tomorrow?”
“No,” he replied.
She didn’t hesitate. “Then can I treat you and Tracy to dinner?”
The chat went dead. Natalie waited, her pulse thrumming in her ears. When several minutes passed without a word, she finally sent a string of question marks.
A moment later, Jackson finally surfaced: “I’m busy tomorrow. My family set up a blind date.”
The news hit Natalie like a physical blow. She stared at the words until they blurred, the air leaving her lungs. Was that it? She wondered to herself. Was she out of time before she even had a real chance? Her heart sank. Apparently, her love life was destined to be a disaster.
Natalie wasn’t sure how she ended up at the bar. She just knew she couldn’t stay home with her thoughts. Under the dim, moody lights, the bartender moved with practiced grace, mixing drinks behind the counter. Neon lights flashed across the room, casting a lonely glow over Natalie’s slight frame.
She had thought about calling Tracy, but it was already past eleven. She didn’t want to drag her friend out, so she sat at the bar alone, watching the crowd lose themselves on the dance floor. It had been years since she’d set foot in a place like this.
Ever since she started dating Leon, she’d stayed away. First because they were broke, and later because Leon preferred modest women. She had spent three years playing a part that wasn’t hers.
Before Leon, she had actually enjoyed the nightlife. The owner and the staff here all knew her; she felt safe here. But for Leon’s sake, she had traded away everything she loved. She had carved herself into the shape of his preferences until she barely recognized what she actually liked anymore.
The bartender slid a cocktail across the marble top toward her. “Long time no see. Where have you been hiding?”
As a friend of the owner, Natalie used to be a regular. Then she vanished. He’d heard the rumors that she’d turned her back on her family for some guy. The Sands hadn’t approved, apparently because the guy was broke and had a massive chip on his shoulder. Nobody could figure out what she saw in him.
Natalie took a sip, leaning heavily against the bar. Her voice was hollow. “Let’s just say I wasted the last few
10:39 am
ppp.
Chapter 305 Back to the Start
0
Finished
years on a piece of trash. From now on, I’m living for myself. No more hiding in someone else’s shadow.”
The bartender opened his mouth to respond, but a new customer signaled for a drink, forcing him back to work.
Natalie swirled the glass, watching the liquid catch the light. She had missed this. If it wasn’t for Leon, she never would have forced herself to be the good girl type. It wasn’t in her nature.
She had spent years trying to win over his family and managing his company’s books, and what did it get her? Betrayal. Insults from his parents. A man who tried to kick her to the curb the second he found
success.
She tilted her head back and took a long, hard swallow. It had been so long since she’d touched alcohol that the sting made her cough. Her head felt heavy almost instantly. Three years of sobriety had completely trashed her tolerance; only a few sips in, and the world was already starting to blur.
She finished the glass in one go and signaled the bartender. “Another one.”
He walked back over, giving her a concerned look. “I just finished a new recipe that’s been a hit. Want to try it?”
He remembered that Natalie used to be his unofficial taste-tester, always ready with a critique. He knew she used to be able to hold her liquor, but she looked like she was already fading. He didn’t want to have to explain a passed-out Natalie to the owner.
Natalie’s bleary eyes brightened. She waved a hand dismissively. “Sure, let’s have it. If it’s good, I’ll take some to go for my best friend.”
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