“Jesus fucking Christ, Minji! What the hell are—nope, I know you aren’t thinking. Because if you were, you would know you shouldn’t be fucking him or any man that’s not your husband without a condom.”
“I know, I know. I took Plan B. He went out and got it first thing this morning.”
“Okay, that’s responsible at least. But seriously, babes, no dick is that good to make you forget to wrap it up.” She scolds me. “However, I support whatever you want to do. You’re a grown ass woman who has a brain of her own.”
I curl my toes into the balcony chair and stare at the city below. “I know.” I hug my knees to my chest, embarrassed by the tremor in my voice. “When I’m with him, everything I thought I wanted—partnership, prestige—suddenly feels less certain. I start to think about more and possibly a future with him, but it’s crazy.”
There’s a shuffling sound, and then Demi sighs dramatically. “Minji Lee! Listen to me.” She always calls me by my full name when she’s trying to make a point. “First of all, nobody dies from wanting something new. You’re allowed to be happy. Secondly, if this man makes you feel alive, and from what I can tell, I’m betting he does. So why are you running away from it?”
Because I know how these stories end. I’ve seen it so many times: the honeymoon phase, the feeling of safety, and then slowly fading into resentment, boredom, or quiet loss.
But I keep that to myself and tell Demi a safer version. “I just can’t afford distractions right now. I have work and a huge divorce case that could make me partner. If William hears anything about my personal life getting in the way?—”
“No ma’am! We are not talking about work or that dickhead,” Demi interrupts. “Stop letting him live rent-free in your head. Just stop. You’ve outgrown him. You’re on a different team now. Team ‘big dick’ Aaron!”
I watch Aaron through the glass, steam curling around him as he stands at the mirror, towel slung low, humming while he runs his fingers through his hair. He said he’s all in. Even if it doesn’t make sense or fit my plans, I want to be all in too. But I’m not sure I can. I don’t know if I’m ready for someone who loves so openly, who would give me everything without being asked.
“Can I call you after the wine tasting?” I ask. I love talking to Demi, but sometimes I’m not ready for her advice. It’s strange to admit I’m afraid of my own feelings. Really, I’m scared of falling in love again and risking my heart.
Demi’s voice softens. “Babes, you can call me every hour. But for now, go have fun. And don’t let your big attorney brain get in the way. Let your hot little attorney body have what it wants.”
I laugh. “I’ll try.”
“Don’t try… just do it.” Demi’s voice softens. “Just promise me you’ll use protection from now on, okay? I love you.”
“Love you too.” I hang up and put my phone in my robe pocket, taking a deep breath of the salty air before going back inside.
Aaron emerges from the bathroom just as I enter.
“All yours.” He gestures toward the steamy bathroom.
I move past him with a nod, my throat suddenly dry. His fingers brush against my wrist, stopping me.
“Hey.” His voice drops lower. “Take whatever time you need but remember I’m here. Don’t disappear on me, okay?”
“Okay.” I nod, slipping from his grasp into the sanctuary of the bathroom.
I turn on the shower and press my forehead to the cool tiles, letting the water drum away my panic. Hotel bathrooms always feel like portals to reinvention. I try to empty my mind, letting the water rinse away my doubts. I want to step out as the woman who made Aaron lose control, not the one who second-guesses her own happiness before she’s even tasted it.
CHAPTER 31
MINJI
When I gotout of the shower, Aaron was already gone for his interview. He texted me, said he was in the hotel conference room, and that I was more than welcome to join. I decided not to go. I still needed more time to sort out my feelings. An hour passes. Then nearly two. The movie I was watching ended as Aaron finally got back to the room. He looks slightly drained but wears a smile. “That went longer than expected. The interviewer was a fan and kept going off script.”
“How was it?”
“Good. Great, actually.” He pauses, studying my face. “You, okay?”
“I’m fine,” my voice wobbles. “What time is the wine tasting? I should probably get dressed,” I add, pasting on a smile that feels thin and see-through.
“You’re not fine, but I’m not the type to pry.” He crosses the room to where I’m sitting cross-legged on the bed. He places a small bakery box in my lap—a single golden kouign-amann—and settles beside me, close but not crowding.
I break off a piece of pastry, its warmth and crispness grounding me as I nibble. Aaron scrolls his phone, quietly offering me space. When I’m ready, he senses it—maybe fromthe way my chewing falters or the sigh I can’t hide. He looks up, thumb pausing mid-scroll, and sets his phone aside.
“Are you regretting this?” he asks gently.
“Not in the way you think.” I wipe my fingers, reach for my water, and lower my voice. “Happy endings are hard for me to trust, you know?” I confess. “I see couples come in, treating their marriage like a broken umbrella they’re desperate to return.” My laugh is thin, almost sharp. “At first, they’re generous.‘I just want her to be happy’or‘As long as he’s comfortable, I don’t care.’But then discovery starts, depositions pile up, and by the time the papers are signed, they want each other obliterated.” I draw in a shaky breath. “There’s this point where love curdles into revenge, and it terrifies me.”
