Chapter 5
I froze and turned around,
But the crowd was thick-I couldn’t tell where the voice came from.
My heart pounded.
I grabbed my suitcase and started running.
A hand grabbed my arm from behind, stopping me.
“Who the hell-”
I shouted and tried to pull free.
Then I saw his face.
“Let me go!”
I snapped.
Jace held my necklace in one hand, my letter in the other.
“Sloane, what is this?”
He looked confused, like he didn’t get it.
I almost laughed.
“Jace Vanderhorn, we’re done.”
I said it slowly, clearly.
He didn’t accept it–he pulled me aside.
“What do you mean?”
“We said we’d make up for our anniversary.”
15:03
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
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Chapter 5
“You’re overreacting.”
He was dodging it, like always.
He saw the letter, which meant he saw the rest.
“You and Zoey… you think I don’t know?”
I laid it all out.
He went silent.
“Zoey Calloway’s baby…”
He started to explain, but I was already done listening.
I gave him chances–so many, too many.
Even a few hours before I left, I gave him one last out.
If he had just said he didn’t love me anymore,
We wouldn’t be standing here making a scene.
Why did it have to come to this?
“Jace, this is a public place.”
I warned him, my voice sharp.
Panic spread across his face.
‘Sloane, please. Nothing happened with Zoey!”
‘She came on to me, okay?”
‘I admit it, I slipped–once or twice–but…”
‘Enough!”
I slapped him across the face, hard.
15:03
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
3.59%
Chapter 5
He shut up.
And then he did the most pathetic thing I’d ever seen-
He laughed, slapped himself a few times,
Then looked up at me, eyes pleading.
“You’re right, Sloane.”
“I deserve that. I’m a piece of crap.
Hit me again. Yell at me. Just… don’t go.”
For the first time in years, he looked desperate.
Since making it big, he never let himself look weak.
But here he was, on his knees,
In front of a crowd,
Begging me to stay.
I didn’t feel sorry.
I didn’t feel touched.
I just felt… sad.
“Jace, you’ve always known the truth.
You just didn’t want to face it.”
I sighed.
“It’s over. Let’s not drag this out.”
“No! I won’t accept that!”
He dropped to his knees, loud and sudden.
15:03
Nine Years Wasted–Now I’m Marrying Your Rival
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3.89
“Zoey got pregnant, but I told her to get rid of it! I swear-
Shane, I only love your”
He was a sobbing mess.
And all I could think was
What kind of man had I wasted nine years loving?
1 stared down at him, unmoved.
The boarding call echoed over the loudspeakers.
I turned toward security.
Jace jumped to his feet.
“Where are you going?”
As if if he asked quick enough, I’d stay.
But he was years too late.
He looked terrified–just like I used to look every time he left me hanging.
I smiled
And told him the truth:
“I’m going home.
To get married.”
Wine Years Wanted–Born Ï’s Merrying Your kid
