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Chapter_28
The moment their eyes met, Quinn’s heart stuttered, and for a brief second, time seemed to stand still. She hadn’t expected to see him here, not after all that had happened. His gaze locked with hers, cold and calculating, but there was something else there—a flicker of something Quinn couldn’t quite place.
She quickly turned her attention back to the sink, her fingers gripping the dish in her hand, as if the simple act of washing could erase the tension in the air. Her stomach twisted, not from the smell this time, but from the emotions swirling within her—anger, hurt, confusion, and something else she didn’t want to acknowledge.
The owner’s wife, sensing the heaviness between them, cleared her throat awkwardly. “I—I think he’s here to speak to you, dear,” she said, glancing between Quinn and Alexander with a look of concern.
Quinn stayed silent, not daring to speak first. She knew she didn’t want to hear what he had to say, but at the same time, she was uncertain if she could just pretend he didn’t exist in her life anymore.
Alexander took a slow step forward, his presence imposing in the small diner. “Quinn,” he said, his voice low, “We need to talk.”
Quinn’s eyes flicked to him, her lips pressed into a thin line. “About what?” she replied, her tone distant. She didn’t want to make this conversation easy for him.
His expression hardened, his jaw clenching as he glanced over her, taking in the simplicity of her new life—one she had built without him. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Not avoiding. Just living,” Quinn answered sharply, feeling a rush of frustration. She didn’t owe him an explanation, but she felt it bubbling up inside her.
“Living?” His voice was edged with disbelief. “Is this how you want to live? In this… place?” He motioned around the diner with a sweep of his hand, his distaste barely concealed.
Quinn’s temper flared, and she straightened, abandoning the dishes she had been washing. She wiped her hands on a rag and met his gaze, her chin held high. “It’s not much, but it’s mine. At least here, I’m treated with respect.” Her voice was steady, but inside, the words felt like a punch in her chest.
Alexander’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t seriously think this is better than what you had.”
Quinn’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Better? Maybe not. But it’s mine. Something you never gave me.”
The silence between them stretched, thick with the weight of unspoken words. Quinn’s heart was pounding in her chest, but she held her ground, refusing to let him break her resolve.
Finally, the owner’s wife cleared her throat, drawing their attention away from the heated moment. “Maybe this conversation isn’t best held here,” she suggested gently. “There’s a back room where you can talk privately.”
Quinn gave a sharp nod, turning her back to Alexander as she grabbed her coat from the hook by the door. She wasn’t sure she was ready for whatever he had to say, but she couldn’t avoid him forever.
Once they were seated in the back room, the air felt thicker, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath. Alexander sat across from her, his usual composed demeanor slightly cracking around the edges.
“I never wanted this,” he began, his voice quieter now, but still carrying an edge of authority. “I didn’t want you to leave. You made that decision.”
Quinn’s gaze dropped to her hands, her fingers twitching slightly. “You didn’t want me, Alexander. Not in the way I needed.”
He sighed, looking at her with a mix of frustration and something deeper that Quinn couldn’t quite read. “I didn’t want to lose you. But sometimes, things don’t work out how you expect them to. We… we were never supposed to be this way.”
A laugh, harsh and short, escaped Quinn’s lips. “You’re right. Things didn’t work out. But I’m done making excuses for you, Alexander. You made your choice.”
He leaned forward, his tone becoming more urgent. “I’m trying to fix it. For you—for us. It’s not too late.”
Quinn shook her head slowly, her heart breaking again, but this time, she couldn’t let him see it. “It’s too late,” she whispered. “You’ve made your choice, and I’ve made mine.”
She stood abruptly, the finality in her movements clear. “I’m not going back, Alexander. I can’t. Not to a life where I’m constantly second place to everything else in your world.”
As she turned to leave, Alexander’s voice followed her, raw and filled with desperation. “Quinn… don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
But Quinn didn’t turn back. She walked out of the back room, leaving him behind, knowing it was time to move forward without him.
