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“Astrid, you’re not mad, right? I mean, I was just doing my job,” Anya said with a bright smile, her red lips parting as she spoke. “Cedric and I are meeting a client for dinner soon, so we had to look professional, you know.”
I gave a nod, playing along. “Yeah, you’re right. It makes sense.”
But Cedric didn’t seem convinced. He grabbed my arm, his grip tightening as he glared at me. “You heard it! It’s just work! Are you really going to be jealous over this? Anya and I are just colleagues–stop assuming the worst!”
I almost let out a laugh. Just colleagues? He really had the nerve to say that with a straight face!
I shook off his hand, keeping my voice. steady. “I’m not jealous, Cedric. She did what she was supposed to do, and you
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heard me, I’m cool with it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got plans.”
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked away. I wasn’t lying–I really did have plans–dinner with a divorce lawyer who had a good reputation for handling messy cases. We were meeting at the Italian restaurant downstairs.
By the time I got there, the lawyer was already seated, waiting for me. We went over the details, and as we talked, I glanced out the window. There they were–Cedric and Anya, walking out of the office together. He opened the passenger door for her and even reached out to shield her head as she got in. Then, they drove away.
That spot in his car used to be mine. But ever since Anya came back, I found myself pushed out little by little. At first, I didn’t want to give it up, but Cedric brushed me off, saying she was just a guest and that I was being unreasonable.
Looking back, I should’ve known then–I
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wasn’t just losing the front seat. I was losing everything, too.
I turned my attention back to the lawyer, listening as she laid out the options. I asked her to draft a divorce agreement, and she seemed thorough, which helped me relax a bit.
Later that night, I went home and started packing after finalizing my resignation letter. Funny enough, after making up my mind to leave, I actually felt lighter–like I could finally breathe.
Then, my phone buzzed. It was a friend, sounding frantic. “Astrid, you’ve got to get over here! Josie got into a fight at the bar!”
My heart dropped. Josie Calloway was my best friend–bold and blunt, but she always kept it together. It wasn’t like her to just lose it, so as soon as I got the address, I rushed downstairs to grab a cab.
When I arrived, I wasn’t expecting to see who was there. Standing across from Josie
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were Cedric and Anya.
“You homewrecker!” Josie shouted, her words slurred from drinking. “The man you’re messing around with has got a wife, and you’re still all over him? Fucking shameless!”
I quickly moved to Josie’s side, trying to keep her steady. When she saw me, she gave a half–smile. “Astrid! You’re here!”
Then, she turned back to Anya, still yelling. “Stupid! Both of you! What, you thought it was romantic to give him booze mouth–to- mouth? Can he not drink on his own?! Oh, right, maybe flirting with a married man is just your thing, huh?”
Anya stood there, drenched, leaning into Cedric, tears streaming down her face.
“Astrid, your friend’s way out of line!” Cedric barked, his face red with anger. “Anya was just here with me to unwind after work, and she gets humiliated like. this? You two better mind your own
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businesses!”
He was practically yelling at me now, like I was supposed to be the one apologizing, and I just stood there, feeling a strange sense of calm.
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