With the slam of the front door, she was gone.She'd walked out of my life, and I had a feeling, she wouldn't be coming back anytime soon.
Chapter23
Reina
I'd never been so angry in my entire life.How dare they discuss me like I wasn't standing there and couldn't take care of myself?
The problem was that I was still driving a Sterling truck, and I didn't have a place to live.I could call any one of my friends, but most of them already lived with someone.
I texted the group chat.
Reina: I need a place to stay until my apartment's ready.
Clara: You can stay with me.I have plenty of room.Texting you the address.
From what I could recall, she'd inherited her grandmother's house and lived there.
I waited for her text to come through.She was only a few minutes outside of town so I headed in that direction.
I only knew a few things about Clara.She'd inherited her shop from her grandmother, recently got out of a long-term relationship, and she was my new roommate.
My stomach churned.I couldn't believe the two most important men in my life could be such idiots.Talking about me as if I wasn't in the room.Declaring me a thing to be protected.It was infuriating.
I'd just had sex with Morgan.I could still smell him on my skin, and for him to stand there and look so guilty about it a few minutes later hurt.
I wanted him to support me, to rally around us, and tell my brother what he felt for me.Maybe that he didn't care what Tom thought about our relationship.We were adults who didn't need to answer to my brother.
Instead, Morgan had chosen his friendship with my brother over me.He'd spent his time trying to convince Tom that he hadn't meant to give in to temptation.As if that was all I was to him.Not a woman he was falling in love with but someone he had to resist.
Logically, I knew that wasn't exactly what he was saying.But I couldn't seem to process what had just happened.How much it hurt, and how much I wanted to punch both of them.
Clara lived in an older neighborhood with large trees.I parked in the driveway of her ranch-style house and got out.
I couldn't believe how much my life had changed in a short time.I thought our relationship was getting stronger, that we were on the cusp of admitting how much we liked each other, maybe even loved each other.But instead, Tom walked in, and everything fell apart.Maybe it wasn't as strong of a relationship as I thought.
I couldn't see Morgan standing up to Tom and telling him our relationship was none of his business.Tom saw me as his little sister who made impulsive decisions.
Now I wished I'd insisted on getting my own place after the fire.Why had I gone home with Morgan that first night?Because of a misguided sense of safety because he'd been the one to rescue me from the fire?
It was ridiculous, and I almost wished I could take everything back.
The light on the porch came on, and the front door opened.
I got out and grabbed my suitcase from the back.
Clara met me at the trunk."Is everything okay?"
I couldn't stop the onslaught of tears.
Clara wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me toward the house."Let's get you inside."
I couldn't seem to stop crying.Everything felt like it was too much.Our relationship.What happened with Tom.Why I thought Tom would never find out about us.Or that if he did, Morgan would tell him that we were the real deal.
My relationship with Morgan wasn't what I thought it was.We weren't moving toward something but away from it.It was better if I realized that now.
Inside, Clara walked into the kitchen."Would you like a matcha?I just figured out how to make them at home."
"Sure."I didn't really care what I drank or where I was staying.Nothing mattered anymore."You live here alone?"
