After She She Stopped Loving Him

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The next morning at eight sharp, Yolanda arrived to pick lan up. With fingerprint access to his place, she let

herself in without a second thought.

She set the breakfast she'd brought on the kitchen counter. Their call twas ten, and with no signs of him

downstairs, she knocked on the master bedroom door. “lan? You up?” she asked.

To her surprise, the door wasn’t latched, and her gentle push made it swing open. Ahead, the ensuite bathroom’s

sliding door stood slightly open, the sound of running water drifting out, along with low, muffled groans.

Yolanda froze. Through the steam, she caught a glimpse of lan-his toned frame, his head tilted back, and water

sluicing down his body. She stumbled backward, her hip smacking into the dresser hard enough to make her

wince.

lan’s eyes flew open at the noise. Through the haze of the shower, he turned and spotted Yolanda hovering in

the doorway.

Her face burned. She ducked her head and bolted.

The water kept running. lan’s muscles tensed under the spray. He looked down and dragged a hand through his

wet hair, droplets flying as he reached for a towel.

After drying off, he caught his reflection in the fogged mirror: jaw clenched, and something too sharp to name

flickering in his eyes.

Downstairs, Yolanda sat stiffly on the couch, her pulse still hammering. In all her life, she’d never walked in on a

man like that. Her skin burned, and her thoughts tangled into knots.

She'd always treated lan as just her friend, completely ignoring how charming he was. But the image of him,

water-slicked and sinfully built, burned behind her eyelids. She groaned, thumping her forehead with her palm.

A movement in her periphery made Yolanda glance up. lan was coming downstairs, unusually quiet-not that he

was ever talkative, but today, the silence felt deliberate. Like he was avoiding her after the bathroom incident.

Heat prickled her neck. She scratched her cheek, staring at the floor. “Hey, uh, sorry about before. | thought

you'd still be asleep. Didn’t mean to walk in on you showering. Well, I'll drive you to the set. We'll leave by ten.”

lan just slid into a chair, shoulders rigid as he unpacked the breakfast she'd brought without a

word.

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Chapter 28

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Yolanda took a steadying breath. “Look, morning energy is totally normal. My bad for not calling first. Next time,

I'll make sure you know before | come.”

“It's fine,” he cut in, voice low.

She exhaled, relief loosening her shoulders. Then, almost against her will, a wry thought flickered through her

mind. “Twenty-three-year-olds and their endless stamina. Between his boxing routines, that unfairly perfect face,

and-well-everything else, slucky woman's going to have her hands full someday.”

By now, Yolanda had pulled herself together-hair neatly tied back, that fleeting blush long faded, her usual

sweet-but-sharp composure firmly in place.

She slid into the chair beside him, watching as he picked at his food with deliberate slowness. An amused smile

tugged at her lips. “Alright, let's get you to the set.”

lan paused mid-bite, his eyes flickering to hers like he wanted to say something. But after a beat, he just pressed

his lips together and nodded.

It wasn’t until they were in the car that Yolanda realized why he’d hesitated.

The film crew was shooting on location for a fantasy , which meant the first month of production would

take place almost entirely in the mountains. And the drive there would take a solid four hours at least.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. Last night, when she’d asked him about the schedule, he’d been vague. And

like an idiot, she'd agreed without thinking it through.

lan buckled himself into the passenger seat, his voice carefully neutral. “If it's too much

trouble-"

The way he said it made it impossible for her to back out now. “No trouble at all,” she cut in, forcing cheer into

her tone. “Pack whatever you need. I’m your agent and assistant now, remember? This is literally my job.”

A faint smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. “Okay.”

Yolanda leaned against the car, arms crossed, as she watched him haul out his suitcase and backpack. With his

casual clothes and slightly tousled hair, he really did look like scollege kid heading out on a trip.

lan tossed his bags into the backseat before sliding into the passenger side again.

They were about to spend over four hours in the car, so when Yolanda passed a convenience store, she pulled

over to grab ssnacks.

She hadn't been out much these past two years, and as she drove, she couldn't help but notice

11:36 Wed, Sep 10

Chapter 28

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the changes along the roadside. Spring had painted the city in bursts of color, flowers blooming in patches she

didn’t recognize.

“When did they plant all these? | don’t remember this section being so... floral,” she asked.

“Two years ago,” lan said simply.

Yolanda pursed her lips, forcing a tight smile. Just then, her phone rang. She pulled over to answer it, catching a

glimpse of lan stepping out of the car in her periphery.

It was the maid from Moonbay Estate. “Mrs. Sinclair, your wedding anniversary is the day after tomorrow. Should

we decorate like last time?”

Last year, Yolanda had gone all out-candlelit dinners, fresh flowers, and the whole estate transformed into

something out of a dream.

But Charles never showed. He'd claimed it was for a last-minute business trip, though she later learned he'd

been with Sophie. All she got was an emerald necklace sent in his absence.

This year, he hadn't even mentioned the date. He must have forgotten, so she brushed it off. “No,” she said

flatly.

“Should we still prepare the cake ingredients?” the maid asked.

A bitter taste rose in her throat. Last year, she'd spent weeks perfecting a homemade cake, even taking

decorating classes just to get it right. But he didn’t come.

Like so many other things-massages, creams, and elaborate meals-she’d learned them all for him. And for what?

He was never home.

She just answered, “Don’t bother. I'll be busy. We'll discuss it later.”

The maid hesitated. Last year, Yolanda had started planning a month in advance, while now, she wouldn't even

acknowledge it. The maid couldn't imagine what mattered more to Yolanda than Charles.

Yolanda hung up, exhaling slowly as she leaned back in her seat. Funny how things changed. Fifteen years of

loving him, and she'd once believed she'd never walk away.

But here she was, letting go, piece by piece. At least now, his absence didn’t keep her up at night. At least now,

she no longer ached for his touch or hug.

She sighed, lost in thought, until a burst of color caught her eye. A bouquet appeared, bright and vivid, like

spring itself held in the hands.

For a moment, she just stared. Then lan’s face emerged from behind the blooms. “An old lady was selling these

down the road,” he said. “Said she grew them. Figured if | bought some, she

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Chapter 28

could pack up early.”

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The words snapped her back to the present. She took the flowers, lips quirking. “That's the most I've ever heard

you say at once.”

lan slid into the passenger seat, buckling up without another word.

Yolanda bent to inhale the sweet, fresh scent. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sharp line of his

throat, the way his Adam's apple moved as he settled back.

The awkward memory flickered, sudden and unbidden. Her breath hitched. Flustered, she tossed the bouquet

aside and hit the gas.

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