18. Sasha

18

SASHA

T he street is nearly empty, the last of the wing shop customers having drifted away, and it’s just me and Gareth now, standing under the flickering glow of the streetlamp. Evie’s gone, and the space she left behind feels like a gaping wound, raw and exposed. I watch her disappear down the street, my chest tight with a mix of anger, guilt, and fear. I want to run after her, to make her understand, but my feet stay glued to the pavement. I’m stuck here, facing the one person I hoped I’d never have to see again.

Gareth leans casually against the brick wall, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, the same calculating gaze I’ve spent years trying to forget. He looks at me like he’s got the upper hand, and maybe he does. He’s tall, dressed in a tailored coat that probably cost more than my month’s rent, and has this infuriating air of confidence, like he owns every room he walks into. He’s handsome in that polished, put-together way, but all I see is the arrogance and entitlement that comes with money and privilege.

“What the hell are you doing here, Gareth?” I snap, my voice shaky but edged with the anger that’s been building since he showed up. “I told you to leave me alone.”

Gareth straightens, brushing imaginary dust off his coat, and I can see the faint smirk tugging at his lips. “I didn’t come here to argue, Sasha. I came to get what I need so I can finally put this mess behind me.”

I take a step back, crossing my arms defensively, trying to keep the distance between us. “What mess? You were the one who pushed this, remember? You were the one who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

He rolls his eyes, a dismissive gesture that makes my blood boil. “We’ve been over this. You’re not some innocent victim here. You said yes, Sasha. You said yes, and then you ran.”

The words sting, and I hate that he’s right, at least about the running part. I did say yes, but not because I wanted to. I said yes because it was easier than fighting, easier than standing up to everyone who told me it was the right thing to do. Gareth’s family had pulled strings, and I was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who got caught up in something I never wanted. The marriage was just another deal to them, something to be managed and controlled, and I’d been too scared and too young to push back.

“I never wanted any of it,” I say, my voice breaking. “I never wanted you, or the life you were trying to make me live. I left because I couldn’t breathe. I left because you and your family pushed me into something I didn’t want.”

He shakes his head, his expression darkening. “And you think I did? You think this was my dream? I was as trapped as you were, Sasha. But I didn’t just disappear. I didn’t just leave you to clean up the mess.”

I flinch, the guilt crashing over me. He’s right about that too. The way I left wasn’t fair, or right, but I’d felt cornered, suffocated by the weight of everyone else’s expectations. I packed a bag one night, booked the first flight I could find, and never looked back. I didn’t tell anyone, didn’t say goodbye. I just needed out, and I didn’t care what bridges I had to burn to get there.

“I’m sorry,” I say, and it feels hollow, too little, too late. “I know I left you in a bad place, but we both know we were never meant to be together. It was a mistake from the start.”

Gareth sighs, his expression shifting from anger to something that almost looks like resignation. “I know that now,” he admits, and it’s the first time I’ve heard him sound anything other than smug or bitter. “I don’t want you back, Sasha. I’m not here to drag you back into my life. I’ve moved on, or at least I’m trying to.”

I blink, caught off guard. It’s not the response I was expecting, and for a second, the fight drains out of me. “Then why are you here?” I ask, my voice quieter now, the edge softening.

He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out an envelope, holding it out to me. “I need you to sign the divorce papers. It’s the last thing tying us together, and I can’t move forward until it’s done. I’ve tried to get them to you, but you’ve been impossible to find.”

I stare at the envelope, the weight of it heavy in his hand. It feels like a symbol of everything I’ve been avoiding, the final severing of the life I left behind. I take it from him hesitantly, my fingers brushing against the crisp paper, and for a moment, I feel the full gravity of what this means. This isn’t just about ending a marriage I never wanted; it’s about letting go of the guilt, the shame, and the fear that’s been haunting me since the day I left.

“You really don’t want me back?” I ask, needing to hear it one more time, needing to know that this is about more than just ending a contract.

Gareth shakes his head, his expression unreadable. “No, Sasha. I don’t want you. I just want my life back, and I need you to let me have that. We’re not kids anymore. We’re not trapped. Let’s just end this and go our separate ways.”

I nod, swallowing hard. It’s so simple, the way he says it, but it feels monumental, like the final chapter of a book I’ve been stuck in for too long. “I’ll sign them,” I say, my voice steadier now. “But you need to understand—leaving was the only way I knew how to save myself. I’m sorry for the way I did it, but I don’t regret getting out.”

Gareth studies me, and for the first time, I think he really sees me, sees the person I’ve become outside of the life we were forced into. “I get it,” he says finally, and there’s a softness in his tone that I’ve never heard before. “Just...don’t disappear on anyone else, okay? It’s not fair to keep running.”

He turns to leave, and I watch him walk away, the tension in my shoulders slowly easing. It’s not closure, not entirely, but it’s something. I look down at the envelope in my hand, feeling lighter, like I’ve finally cut one of the strings that’s been pulling me back.

By the time I make it to Glass’s place, my mind is spinning with everything that’s just happened. I need to talk to someone, to get this mess out of my head, and Glass is the only person who knows enough to help me make sense of it all. He’s sprawled on his couch, a half-empty bottle of red wine on the table, and he raises an eyebrow when he sees me, reading my expression before I even say a word.

“Rough night?” he asks, his tone teasing but tinged with concern. Glass always knows when I’m on the edge, and tonight, I’m dangling by a thread.

“You could say that,” I mutter, sinking into the armchair opposite him. I pull the divorce papers out of my bag and toss them onto the table, the sight of them making my stomach twist. “Gareth showed up.”

Glass’s eyes widen, and he sets his wine down, suddenly serious. “What the hell? I thought you got away from all that.”

“I did. Or at least I thought I did,” I say, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “He found me. And he told Evie. She...she knows everything now. Or at least the worst parts.”

Glass lets out a low whistle, leaning back and crossing his arms. “Well, shit. I’m guessing that didn’t go over well.”

“No, it didn’t,” I admit, the weight of it sinking in all over again. “She walked away. I tried to tell her it wasn’t what it looked like, but Gareth just had to drop the bomb before I could say anything.”

“What does he want?” Glass asks, nodding toward the papers on the table.

“Just for me to sign the damn papers,” I say, my voice heavy with exhaustion. “He’s done. I’m done. But he showed up at the worst possible time, and now Evie... I don’t know how to fix this.”

Glass is quiet for a moment, studying me with those sharp eyes that miss nothing. “You’ve got to tell her the whole story, Sash. The running, the marriage, everything. You can’t keep piecing it out and expecting her to understand. She’s hurt. And you hiding this didn’t help.”

“I know,” I say, and it’s like admitting it makes it hurt all the more. “I just...I was scared, okay? I didn’t want to scare her off with my baggage. I thought if I could just keep moving forward, maybe it wouldn’t matter.”

Glass gives me a sympathetic smile, reaching across to squeeze my hand. “But it does matter. And if you really care about her, you owe her the truth. All of it. Not just the parts you think she wants to hear.”

I nod, feeling the sting of his words but knowing he’s right. “I don’t want to lose her, Glass. She’s everything I didn’t think I could have.”

“Then don’t lose her,” he says simply. “Fight for her. Show her that you’re willing to be honest, even if it’s messy and painful. You can’t control how she reacts, but at least you’ll know you gave it your all.”

I look at the divorce papers again, the final piece of a chapter that’s haunted me for too long. Glass is right. If I want a future with Evie, I have to confront the past, not just run from it. I have to be willing to stand still, to be seen, even when it hurts.

I pick up my phone, staring at Evie’s name in my contacts, my thumb hovering over the call button. I’m terrified, but I know I have to try. I have to tell her everything and hope that it’s not too late.

“Thanks, Glass,” I say, my voice steadier now, filled with a quiet resolve. “I’m going to make this right. I have to.”

He raises his glass in a mock toast, his smile warm and encouraging. “You’ve got this, Sash. Now go get your girl.”

I nod, my heart pounding with fear and determination. I don’t know if Evie will forgive me, but I know one thing: I’m done running. It’s time to fight for the life I want, the one I deserve. And that starts with facing Evie. No more secrets, no more lies. Just the truth, however messy it may be.