Chapter 8  Overnight, Jaxon became everyone’s target. The looks of envy turned to disgust.  His cheating scandal completely overshadowed the solid reputation he’d built over six years of hard work. …

Chapter 7  Chapter 7  I turned and smiled at the approaching figure:  “Dad.”  “I thought you were sending a driver. Why’d you come yourself?”  Dad reached over and ruffled my…

Chapter 6  Chapter 6  “What? Why didn’t you call him directly?”  Jaxon stared at Bella in disbelief, but her reaction was weird-she avoided eye contact.  “Why are you being such…

Chapter 5  Chapter 5  Jaxon’s glass toppled over, wine spreading across the table and soaking the dress of the woman beside him, but he just sat there, not even bothering…

Chapter 4  Chapter 4  He looked so pleased with himself, like he was doing me some huge favor with his promises.  3ut watching him felt like seeing a monkey show-completely…

Chapter 3  Chapter 3  In all my years, I’d never heard the term “relationship announcement candy.”  The way she was going on, I’d think Jaxon and Bella were getting married…

Chapter 2  Chapter 2  I’d rarely used this tone with him in our six years together.  I remembered when he first joined the company-I was already leading a project team,…

Chapter 1  I found my boyfriend’s secret account right as he posted asking for romantic getaway ideas.  so I played along-anonymous comment, suggested this charming little town I’d been dying…

“Ugh! It got all over my dress!” Cherry jumped back, staring at the stains on her outfit like I’d just thrown actual garbage on her. Her dramatic shriek had everyone rubbernecking.[] Dylan jogged over, completely ignoring me while giving Cherry this concerned look. “What happened?”] “She was shoving that huge cooler around and totally slammed into me.”  Only then did Dylan bother to look at me, his expression cold and judgmental.] Even his voice was ice–cold:] “You think this is the place to be hawking your shit?“[] I might suck at arguing, but I wasn’t about to take the blame for something I didn’t do: “She’s the one who ran into me. She should apologize and pay for my damages.“] I knew damn well Dylan had seen exactly what happened.] But even seeing it with his own eyes, he still blained me first.[] My throat started burning, and my eyes felt hot and swollen I raised my voice: “Apologize!” Dylan stared at my reddening eyes and went quiet for a couple seconds. Back when Dylan was in my life, I’d been so happy that nothing seemed impossible–nothing worth crying over.[] Whether customers were being assholes or I was dead on my feet from exhaustion, I’d just smile through it without shedding a tear. Even the day we broke up, I never let him see me get emotional.[] Right now, though, he looked genuinely freaked out.] He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, but Cherry cut him off.] She lifted her chin like some prissy peacock and sneered:] “Are you literally insane? Even if I did wreck your little setup on purpose, I wouldn’t apologize to ANYONE.“)] And Dylan–Mr. Moral High Ground who used to lecture me about doing the right thing–suddenly only gave a shit about princess’s version of right and wrong. He hesitated for like for like two second seconds, then shoved some bills at me “She’s been spoiled rotten since day one. You’re not getting an apology, but this should cover whatever you lost.”…

Chapter 3 The number I’d asked Dylan for wasn’t just I wanted to buy this shop.] for wasn’t just some random figure I pulled out of my ass. As for whether I’d lose money… honestly, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I just figured that in a world this big, if some people can drop two hundred on dinner, there have to be others who can only afford a four bucks lemonade.] My boss was totally down for it. The day this place officially became mine, Dylan made a special trip just to shit all over my parade.[] Are you completely brain–dead? Your utilities, supplies, and labor costs are gonna be more than you make! This place will be bankrupt in three monthst I kept wiping down tables, not even bothering to look up:[] “Yeah, whatever. I’ll figure it out.” Dylan looked like I’d just slapped him. He was about to launch into another lecture when his phone started ringing I recognized the voice on the other end–Cherry. He shot me this disgusted look, answered the call, and stormed out.] It did sting a little, though.] Dylan seemed to have forgotten what he’d said before–bark when I’d come home so exhausted I could barely move, complaining about my restaurant manager being a total dick Our conversations were always the same pattern: me rambling on about stuff, him tearing me down.[] But that one time, he stared at my swollen ankles and said:[] “Maybe I should help you become the boss someday. Then you could tell other people what to do instead of getting worked to death.” That was the first time it ever occurred to me that I could be something other than just another minimum wage worker.] But Dylan’s little reality check just now reminded me–I needed to hire someone.[ What kind of boss doesn’t have employees? I grabbed a piece of cardboard and scribbled “HELP WANTED PART TIME” in big black letters.] I was biting off p pieces s of tape to stick it on the front window when someone’s hands–long fingers, nice hands–took it from me.[]…