Self

Chapter 48

“Jumping from one guy to the next, huh? You sure know how to play the field.”

The man’s voice turned cold and menacing. “Who was that guy earlier? What were you two up to upstairs?

Yara’s smile vanished, her hand throbbing under his iron grip. She tried to pull away, but he was all brute

force.

The har

harder she fought, the tighter he held.

“Yale, let go of me!”

“Not until you answer me!”

Yara scowled, biting back the pain. “Why do you even care?”

“Hey, I’m your ex. I have a right to be curious about who you’re dating now, don’t I?”

Yara laughed, her gaze cool and detached. “Oh, so you remember you’re my ex? What are you doing here, then?”

Yale was caught off guard. “Can’t I just be passing by?”

Right then, an old man stormed into the alley, fuming. “Who’s the genius who parked their car at the entrance? Can’t they see the alley’s barely wide enough as it is?

“Blocking the whole path with their fancy sports car, no decency whatsoever. How’s anyone supposed to get through?!”

Yale sighed internally.

Yara instantly spotted the flashy Porsche across the street and knew it was Yale’s. She did not care why he showed up; she tossed her trash and spun around.

“So what if I’m seeing someone new? One guy, two, maybe even three or four–it’s none of your business

“We’re done, and you know what that means, right? Your future’s got nothing to do with me, and I’d like you to stay out of mine. We…”

She hesitated, “Let’s just be strangers, okay? And I don’t know how you found me here, but do me a favor and don’t come back.

“I don’t want your girlfriend to get the wrong idea. You decided to make it official with her, so stick to it and be loyal to her.”

Yara knew what it was like to be drenched and hurt; she did not wish the same for Xandra.

Xandra deserved to thrive and grow and not be mistreated.

Everyone made their own choices–Yale chose Xandra Yara had decided to walk away.

Yale was rooted to the spot, too stunned to react.

Yara left.

Yale’s heart raced with a new fear as he watched her go.

It felt like he was losing something precious, and when he reached out to hold on, he found nothing but

air.

“Are you for real, Yara?”

“Yes.” She did not even look back.

“You’ve said that before…”

They had had their fights, but Yale had never felt that kind of panic.

She had agreed with such ease, like she truly meant there was no coming back. Yale reached out, wanting to pull her back, but the words would not come. He was the one who suggested the breakup, and he was the one who let Yara slumped into her couch at home, the silence enveloping her. She knew Yale would show up someday–it was not a shock.

go

first.

That goodbye felt deeper, more final than their last rushed parting.

Yale lingered outside long after Yara had gone, frozen in place, until the grumpy neighbor threatened to call the cops to tow his car. With a sigh, he finally moved.

“Seriously? This is your ride? What’s your deal? I’ve been hollering forever. You got rocks in your ears or something?”

With a heavy foot on the gas, Yale zoomed back to his mansion in a mere 20 minutes.

Mary was simmering soup in the kitchen when a loud bang startled her. She thought something had

toppled over, but instead, she saw Yale storm through the living room and bolt upstairs, his presence dark and silent.

Mary’s heart pounded. What else had set him off again?