Restarted Without Him

He pulled out a check and handed it to me.

It was ridiculous. Almost funny.

I stayed polite. No scene.

"Mr. Patterson, you've got it wrong. These cufflinks aren't for you."

Gloria scoffed, eyes rolling. "Robyn, stop the act. Evan and I know your family's going bankrupt. That's why your parents rushed to marry you into his family. Now that Evan's offering money, take it. Be grateful.

"One thing though—we're getting married soon. You're not planning to be his side chick, are you?"

Evan cut in. "Leaving you at the altar was my mistake. But love is love—I never loved you. Eight years or eighty, it won't change.

"If the money's not enough, I'll add another hundred grand. Call it compensation for what I did to you."

They talked over me.

Like I wasn't even there.

Then Evan pulled out his phone, tapped a few times—and froze.

"You deleted me?"

***

I didn't get why he was freaking out.

Isn't a clean breakup supposed to mean you're basically dead to each other? Why keep an ex saved at all?

And Mia's dad—Adrian Ainsworth—might look calm and untouchable, but he's insanely jealous.

If he ever found out I still had my ex-fiancé's number, he'd make sure I never slept again. I could kiss my waist goodbye.

I said, "Didn't you say it yourself? You wanted nothing to do with me ever again."

Evan's face darkened. His lips twitched, like he had something to say. He didn't. He reached for his checkbook instead.

I stopped him. "Mr. Patterson, don't. We ended things clean. I don't need hush money. And like I said—the cufflinks weren't for you."

He snapped the checkbook shut. Loud. Final. His voice went cold. "Robyn Radcliffe, don't push your luck. If it weren't for our families' history, you think I'd even spare you a glance?

"My birthday's tomorrow. Today, you bid on those cufflinks—right in front of me. If they weren't for me, then who? Don't tell me your new boyfriend just HAPPENS to share my birthday."

I froze.

Adrian's birthday is one day after his. Dead close.

But to Evan and Gloria, my silence screamed guilt.

"Some people still think they're heiresses," Gloria sneered. "But once you fall, you're nothing."

She'd forgotten—back when everyone mocked her as a country bumpkin, I was the one who stood up for her.

Evan and I were barely childhood friends. Gloria was different. Poor. Sponsored by his family.

Because of that, Evan's parents never approved of her. She knew it too. So when his mother offered her half a million to study abroad, she took it. No hesitation.

I never told Evan the truth. I stayed. Through all of it.

I knew love couldn't be forced. I never expected him to love me back.

He was the one who insisted on marriage. Told both families himself.

Before the wedding, I asked him—seriously—if he was sure.

We could delay it. Cancel it.

He held me and said, "Robyn, I've thought it through. My parents are right. We're the best match."

Not love. A match.

And even that was enough for me.

I thought if I tried hard enough, "a good match" might turn into love.

Then Gloria's accident happened.

And he didn't care about me. Or the child I was carrying.

He drove us off the cliff.