SWNOVELS Chapter Billionaire My Husband 315
TIM
LAURA STILL STUCK IN THE PAST...
The smell of paint and varnish hung heavy in the air as I stood in the corner of the shop, scanning the shelves. I'd been here for what felt like forever, searching for the perfect sage green. Every shade I picked up was either too minty or too dull. Maybe I'd have to mix it myself.
The bell above the door jingled, but I didn't bother looking up. Customers came and went all the time in this place, and I never noticed them-not until Tim. Which was a massive mistake-huge-one I won't be repeating anytime soon.
I crouched down to check the bottom shelf, brushing my hair out of my face. Just as I grabbed another swatch of green, a voice floated over to me.
His voice.
"Laura?"
I froze, my hand hovering mid-air. For a second, I thought I might've imagined it, but when I glanced up, there he was. Tim.
He stood a few feet away, his hands shoved into his pockets, looking every bit as sheepish as I'd expected.
I didn't want to do this. Not here. Not now.
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"Go away, Tim," I said, keeping my voice steady as I turned back to the shelf. "I don't want to hear it."
He hesitated, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Laura, please. I just
"I said, go away," I snapped, straightening up and turning to face him. My heart was pounding, but didn't let it show. "I don't need your apology. I don't need anything from you." Tim winced like my words had physically hit him. "I wasn't trying to hurt you. I swear-"
"You weren't trying to hurt me?" I cut him off, my voice rising. "You have a girlfriend, Tim. A girlfriend. Did you even think about her? About me? What the hell is wrong with you!"
He looked down at his shoes, the same stupid pair he'd worn on our date. It made me hate him just a little bit more.
"I didn't mean for it to happen like that. I just saw you, and you were so... I don't know. I didn't think, I guess. I just saw you and wanted you," he mumbled.
I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. "Well, it did. And now I get to deal with it. So, congratulations, Tim. You got what you, wanted, and I got to be the idiot who fell for it."
I grabbed the closest paint sample I could find and brushed past him, heading for the counter. My hands were trembling as I set the swatch down.
"Laura, wait
"Don't," I said without turning around. "Just... don't."
The cashier raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he rang me
1. up.
As I walked out of the store, I felt his eyes on me, but I didn't look back. I couldn't. I'd spent enough time letting Tim make me feel small. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Not again.
The cool air hit me as I stepped out of the shop, my chest tight and my mind racing. I stopped just outside the door, pinching the bridge of my nose to calm myself down.
Why did he have to show up here? Of all places?
Before I could fully spiral, someone stepped in front of me, steadying me with a firm hand on my arm.
"You okay?" Josh's voice was low and steady, but the tension in it made my heart sink.
I looked up, and there he was, his eyes scanning my face with that familiar intensity.
"Josh, I'm fine," I started, but before I could say more, the door banged open behind me.
"Laura! Wait, I'm sorry!" Tim's voice called out.
I froze, my stomach sinking.
Josh's gaze snapped past me, locking onto Tim like a predator spotting its prey. His entire demeanor shifted in an instant- shoulders squaring, jaw clenching. TIM
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"Josh-"I started, but he was already moving.
Without a word, he stormed past me, closing the distance between him and Tim in a heartbeat.
"Hey, man, what the-" Tim barely got the words out before Josh grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the side of the building.
"Josh! Stop!" I yelled, but it was like he couldn't hear me.
Tim's hands shot up in surrender, his voice shaky. "What the hell, man?"
NOT THE FIRST TIME
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NOT THE FIRST TI