Chapter 5
707words
I was reading at a coffee shop when Lucia suddenly dropped into the seat across from me.
Her face barely contained her rage. "You've already divorced Harvey. Why are you still clinging to him?"
I frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
I set down my cup. "How did you even know I was here? Are you stalking me?"
Hatred blazed in her eyes. "Did you know Harvey fired me? He's blocked my number and won't see me!"
"If you hadn't seduced him back, he'd never treat me this way!"
"You already have a boyfriend! Yet you're still after mine. Have you no shame?"
I knew what had happened between them.
Though I'd tried to avoid news about Harvey since our divorce, friends still mentioned him occasionally.
I'd heard Harvey had taken on a troubled project and couldn't recover the funds, nearly breaking his cash flow.
Just as he'd found an investor and was about to sign the contract, Lucia had burst in and attacked a female employee of the investor.
The deal collapsed, of course.
The "employee" was the chairman's daughter.
She was working from the bottom up to learn the business before eventually taking over.
My friend had been indignant on my behalf. "Harvey deserves it. He had a good life but didn't appreciate it. He brought this on himself."
Another friend had added: "Lucia stole someone's husband, so naturally she thinks every woman wants to steal hers. When Harvey was cheating on Bella, she assumed he'd cheat on her too."
Lucia's voice rose, drawing stares from nearby tables.
"Harvey and I are divorced," I said, disgusted.
"When you were flirting with him, didn't you know he was married?"
"He chose you for the novelty. Of course he'd tire of you once that wore off. What's surprising about that?"
I smiled coldly. "Didn't you consider this possibility while seducing a married man?"
Lucia gritted her teeth. "He clearly liked me. If you hadn't interfered, he wouldn't have changed!"
Lucia opened her mouth to continue, but her eyes suddenly widened.
Harvey burst through the door, grabbed her arm, and hissed: "Didn't I warn you to leave her alone?"
Lucia froze.
Her eyes filled with tears. "You're divorced! Why do you care if I talk to her?"
"You said she was boring! That she revolved around you! That you couldn't stand her!"
Harvey froze, glancing at me instinctively.
"I wasn't thinking clearly," he said through clenched teeth. "You were just a novelty."
"Let me be clear—there's no future for us."
"Don't approach her again, or I won't be so polite."
Lucia's eyes widened as tears spilled down her cheeks.
"You jerk!" she sobbed.
She turned and fled.
Harvey turned to me, taking my hand carefully. "Bella, I regret everything. I've been thinking clearly. What I felt for Lucia was just novelty, not real love."
"I was temporarily bewitched."
"I was wrong. I thought I was tired of routine, but now I see how much you did for us."
I smiled.
I'd waited so long to hear these words.
The truth was, Harvey loved neither Lucia nor me—he only loved himself.
I'd taken care of him too well over the years. He never had to worry about anything—clean clothes, hot meals.
When he realized he'd never find anyone as devoted as me, he panicked and cut Lucia loose.
But I refused to be the fool waiting in the wings.
Waiting for him to fall for someone else, then discard me.
Waiting for him to return after he'd had his fun.
Harvey took a deep breath. "I can overlook your... indiscretion."
"I won't contact Lucia anymore. I've already fired her."
"I went too far before. Let's start fresh."
"Think about our history together. Is it necessary to make things so difficult?"
"We've been together ten years. Can you really walk away?"
I stared at him, feeling dazed.
He casually asked me to forgive him, to pretend his affair never happened.
He spoke with such certainty because he was counting on my love—using it as a weapon against me.
Disgusted, I yanked my hand away. "Get lost."
I turned and walked away, leaving Harvey staring after me in bewilderment.
