“I haven’t seen Nash in a couple weeks,” someone nearby muttered.“The other one comes around.He’s like his spokesperson now.”
“I heard he’s sick,” a woman nearby chimed in.That made my stomach clench.Nash was sick?Did he need anything?Did he needme?Then my logical mind kicked in.
Of course he doesn’t need you.You’d have known by now.He’s made himself more than clear.He doesn’t need you, want you, or care about you.
My eyes fluttered shut as I weathered another tsunami of anguish.This heartbreak shit sucked.It was grief, pure and simple.And the fact that it hurt this badly after so little time together made me wonder if I was an idiot.
Or maybe we’d truly been soul mates like I’d suspected.Like I’d felt since day one.
Even thinking ‘since day one’made tears come to my eyes so I forced myself to focus on other things.Literally anything else.I watched as more people shared news, concerns, frustrations.
Speculation about where Nash was cycled through the crowd.At one point, a middle-aged man turned my way, looking at me over his shoulder.
“You should know, right?”he asked.“You’re his wife!Where’s Nash been?”
The question cut deep.I didn’t know, and that’s what hurt worst of all.
“He’s been sick,” I finally said, my voice sounding weak and distant.“Very ill.He’s so sad to not be here.”This seemed to placate the crowd.An older lady shuffled my way, squeezing my shoulder.
“It’s such a relief to see you attend these,” she said with a grin.“We always believed in Nash and Archer, but for you to be here, it just means a little more.”
I covered her hand with mine, smiling up at her.I didn’t have the heart to tell her that Nash had cast me out, that the entire thing had been a farce, that now I was left brokenhearted and in love with a man who’d truly only wanted me for financial gain.
There was no greater humiliation in my life than that.
So I said nothing.
Back at my apartment, I paid Sarah for her time watching Mia and got Mia ready for bed.We read two stories, I answered fifteen questions about Naff, and then she was ready to lie down.
“I love you, Mommy.”Her sweet little voice in the dimly lit room almost made me cry.“I love Naff too.Tell him.”
“I’ll tell him,” I whispered, before leaving her room.
I poured myself a glass of wine and sank onto the couch, exhausted.My phone buzzed with a message from Zoey.
ZOEY: How’s things?
I hadn’t been able to bring myself to tell Zoey the truth yet.Instead, I’d been dodging her requests to hang out or come to the penthouse.It was easy enough, with how many galas and events I’d attended with Nash.But there was no more hiding it.I needed to come clean with my best friend.
Fully clean.
CLARA: I’ve been better.I didn’t tell you I moved back into my apartment.
ZOEY: Really?What happened to the penthouse?
CLARA: I’m not with Nash anymore.
ZOEY: OMG.What???Are you home now?I’m coming over immediately.
Tears pressed at my eyes.This is what unconditional love felt like.I needed to remember this in my darkest hours when I was missing Nash’s arms around me and wishing he’d show up.
Twenty minutes later, Zoey appeared with reinforcements—a bottle of expensive red wine and a box of chocolates.
"Okay," she said, settling onto the couch beside me after a long hug that had started me crying."Tell me everything.And I mean everything.”
“I don’t know where to begin,” I whispered, wiping away spilt tears.“I just know that it was my fault.I didn’t uphold my…end of the bargain, so to speak.”
“Your end of the—” She tutted, swatting my arm.“What does that even mean?This sounds like some medieval shit, Clara.Like you were supposed to birth him three sons and failed or something.”
