That new edge in her eyes.
I watch it once, twice, twenty times—and every time something inside me twists harder.
I’m proud.
I’m terrified.
I’m so fucking in love with her it feels like my ribs are cracking open.
But I’m also furious.
Because she’s out there fighting alone, turning the world upside down, while I’m stuck here pretending everything’s normal.
Dinner is its usual torture. Crystal glasses. Silverware lined like surgical instruments. My mother in pearls so tight around her throat I swear she’s strangling herself for fashion.
We sit.
We eat.
We pretend.
Until Mom sighs loudly into her napkin.
“Well,” she says, “Jade Bryan is the talk of the entire town.”
My fork hits the plate.
Of course she’s talking about Jade. Of course she is. They’realltalking about Jade.
“Everywhere I went today,” she continues, “the country club, the PTA brunch, the charity board meeting… it’s Jade, Jade, Jade. Everyone wants to know if she’syourex-girlfriend.”
I swallow hard. My dad glances at me over the rim of his wine glass.
I force myself to ask, “What are they saying?”
Mom waves a manicured hand. “Well, I won’t lie—they’re impressed. Very impressed.”
Something fierce lights up in my chest.
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “Now you know what I saw in her.”
She raises a brow.
“She’s got qualities those girls will never have,” I add. “Integrity. Grace under fire. Grit. She’s real. She turned down six figures today, Mom. Clearly she wasn’t after my money.”
Mom scoffs. “Honey, you know what we have. We’re worth nine figures.”
I mutter under my breath, “Nine figures, my ass.”
Dad coughs to cover a laugh.
Mom narrows her eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to get back with that girl.”
I look at my plate.
Push the food around.
“She wouldn’t have me now, Mom. She can do better. Sheshoulddo better than the boy who caved to his mother.”
