Chapter 42

Chapter 42

*

The clock ticked endlessly, and I regretted not getting a digital one.

Her eyes had been so bright when she saw it in the pile of old junk my father had given to me as

‘Heirlooms. Even if it was broken, she saw the spark it still held.

So I fixed it and put it on the wall.

And she smiled.

But now, it felt like a curse.

I stared up at the ceiling, exhaustion in every inch of my weary body as I listened to the ticking of that

clock. Every second felt like days, and every hour felt like years.

I’d been so drunk, and I felt every bit of it as I woke up. I deserved to feel awful. And I had all day.

Her eyes swam with tears as she declared she was leaving. I always hated her tears. They were too

raw, too honest, and heartbreaking.

Every tick of the clock was the sound of her slamming the door behind her, the rattling of the walls, and

the sound of her footsteps racing down the hall and further away from me.

Now, that was all I could hear. Our fight was on repeat throughout the night as my mind refused to drift

away into the sleep I desperately needed.

No, I had to relive the sound of her breaking heart over and over, my cold and cruel voice replaying in

my head as I pushed her away.

The sound of silence she left behind and that damn stupid clock. It was all becoming too much, too

loud.

I’m a f*cking idiot. I threw my arm over my face.

Why didn’t I chase after her? Why didn’t I beg her to stay and apologize until my voice was hoarse?

Why did I have to ruin every good thing I had for myself? Why did I always have to get in my own way?

The sound of knocking on the bedroom door brought me out of my self-pity party, and I glanced at it,

seeing the shadow move under the door.

“You didn’t eat your lunch, Damon. Not good for you,” Mrs. Rivas sighed on the other side of the door,

her footsteps loud. and heavy as she set down a plate. “You better eat your dinner, or I’ll drag you out

by your ear!”

With that warning, she was gone. The smell of food traveled under the door, but I wasn’t in any mood to

eat.

I glanced at my phone, hitting the call button one last time. It rang and rang and rang, but no one

picked up.

“Hey, you have reached Adelaide Hilde-” the voice messenge started again, but I hung up.

Twenty voice-mails already and not a single call back. I was beyond looking desperate; this was

verging on stalking.

I had to stop.

I groaned, throwing away my phone as I covered my face with my hands, the exhaustion affecting me

deeply.

I’d messed up, and I didn’t know how to fix it. But just as I had settled myself into another long night of

feeling sorry for myself, my phone began to ring.

I jumped up, snatching it quickly from the bed as hope burst into my chest for the first time since I had

let her walk away yesterday

“Adelaide?” I cried as I answered, needing to hear just the sound of her voice. Anything to keep the

ends of my sanity from fraying any further.

“Uh, no.” Lacey replied, confused. “It’s your best friend.”

“Oh.”

I slumped back onto the bed, the depression crushing me into the sheets as I bit out, “What is it?”

“Did you two have a fight or something?” Lacey asked with concern in her voice. “Cause normally she’d

be with you.”

“We…” I sighed, not able to think of what to say.

“I messed up.”

I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it to protect the last bits of my pride. Adelaide was more important than that.

This was entirely my fault.

“Oof,” I could hear her wincing over the phone. “Well. I just wanted to ask if we should go to the bridal

shower or not. Because I don’t wanna step into that drama. Well, unless there’s cake. Is there going to

be cake?”

“What bridal shower?” I rubbed my face, tiredly, my brain not going as fast as it normally would. I felt

like I was swimming through molasses for the smallest answer.

“Your sister-in-law’s Lacey said in a ‘duh’ sort of tone. “Kathy’s her manager, remember? That woman’s

been inviting everybody.”

“I don’t care if you go or not.” I bit out. “I have bigger issues to deal with.”

“Yeah, yeah, lover-boy,” she said, sarcastically. “But at least make sure Adelaide charges her phone

when she gets home.”

“Her phone?” I perked up at that.

“Yeah, she called us on a friend’s phone. Apparently, she forgot to charge it last night. It’s been off all

day.” Lacey rambled but then paused. “Didn’t you know that? You two aren’t divorcing, are you? Cause

if you are. I call getting Addie on Christmas and Thanksgiving-”

I hung up, my eyes traveling to the clock still ticking away on the wall. Her giggles as we hung it up

together rang in my ear.

She wasn’t home yet. Her sets had never lasted this long. It was unsafe for her to be out this late.

The remains of my wounded pride fractured like glass as I jumped to my feet. Before my mistakes and

fragile insecurities. Adelaide’s safety came first.

She had always come first.

The sun was setting, but I didn’t care as I raced to the bathroom, doing my best to neaten my

exhausted appearance. I looked like a right mess, unshaven with dark shadows under my eyes.

Before Addie, I’d gotten used to pulling all-nighters, but now. I loved curling up in bed with her, feeling

her safe and warm. in my arms. One night without her, and I was already falling apart.

“You don’t know what you do to me. Addie.” I murmured to myself as I stormed out of the bedroom. My

pity party could

wait.

I wasn’t going to let my stupidity ruin the one thing I had wanted more than anything for my entire life.

1 unlocked the bedroom door, hopping over the plate of food on the floor as I raced down the stairs

with only one sock on.

I slid into the kitchen where I nearly ran into Mrs. Rivas.

“Dios mio! My heart!” she clutched her chest, stepping back from me, then gasped. “You look like a

mess, Damon! What on earth are you doing?”

“Where’s Peter?” 1 demanded.

“What? He has the day off. Did you forget, mijo?” Mrs. Rivas cried, looking confused as I cursed under

my breath. “Hey, no cursing!”

I raced to the foyer, throwing on my shoes and jacket in a hurry. I didn’t bother tying my laces; too much

time was taken already as I grabbed my keys.

“Where are you going?” Mrs. Rivas cried from the doorstep as I stormed to my car.

“To get my wife back!”

It was dark when I pulled up to her apartment building, and not in a good way. There was a fog rolling

in the air, and the streets were unusually empty.

The clock on the dash blinked 9:00 at me as I settled into the parking spot I was used to. I was worried

at this point, not about myself but about Adelaide.

I had never liked this apartment building for numerous reasons.

I got out of the car, searching the windows for hers, and once I found it. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Her light was still on. illuminating the shadow of her through the window. I could just barely make it out,

but it was enough

to know she was safe.

Until a familiar face stepped forward, reaching his hands out for Adelaide as he pulled her into his

arms.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, my heart stopping in my chest as I saw Adelaide embracing the man.

Not just any man. My brother.

Ashton.