Chapter 500
Anastasia's heart sank as she stared at the screen on her phone, the words "Message Not Delivered" staring
back at her. It was a harsh reminder that they were no longer friends online, and she felt the sting of tears
welling up. She had always suspected he had removed her from his contacts. If he hadn't, she never would have
had the guts to send those messages. Keeping his number was like holding onto a sliver of hope, pretending he
was still there to talk to. Her chat history was a graveyard of unsent messages, a silent testament to all the
times she missed him and tried to reach out.
Wiping her tears, she made sure not to wake Pattie or alert Salma, her roommate, to her sorrow. Anastasia knew
she had to stay strong. She was the pillar of the household now; there was no room for her to fall apart.
She snuggled up with her daughter, finding comfort in their shared warmth. It was these moments that brought
her the purest joy.
The next morning, the smell of Salma's homemade pancakes filled the air. Despite Salma's encouragement to
get sextra rest, Anastasia couldn't shake the heaviness in her heart. She mumbled, "I'll just sleep a little
longer, Mom." Salma, always the caring mother, was happy to let her daughter catch up on sleep. She reminded
Anastasia about her aunt's birthday dinner that evening. "No need to set up your stall today, honey. Just rest up
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtand maybe find a nice gift for your aunt later. I'll drop Pattie off at school and head to work."
With a sense of purpose, Anastasia got out of bed after Salma and Pattie left. She occupied herself with her
jewelry designs, taking advantage of the day off to create new pieces for the upcoming street fair.
By noon, she had finished a few designs and went out to buy a birthday gift for her Aunt Cynthia. As luck would
have it, she ran into Julie at the local bakery. Julie, noticeably pregnant and craving sweets, was at the counter
when Anastasia walked in.
Seeing Julie's baby bump was a painful reminder of Anastasia's own lost child, and she felt a wave of grief. Julie,
after a moment of surprise, walked over with a smug look. "What a coincidence, running into you here. You've
bounced back so well after your pregnancy. Not an ounce of extra weight on you-flatter than a pancake. You'd
never guess you'd had a child. Truly envy-worthy."
Anastasia's comeback was sharp. "I admire you too, Julie, for being so open-hearted, carrying the child of a man
whose actions are, let's say, questionable. | often see your fiancé in the tabloids, wrapped around models and
starlets. | must say, | envy how carefree you must be, not having to take care of your fiancé's needs when he's
got a whole line of women to do it for you. Oh, and by the way, have you been dreaming of Grannie Anita
lately?"
The tense exchange left the air thick with hostility. Anastasia, having made her point, left the bakery feeling a
mix of sadness and a small sense of victory. She had once been Herman's wife and had known love, even if it
had slipped away. And that, she thought bitterly, was more than Julie could ever claim.
word
word
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWLHI0RAO&1
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
word
word
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWLHI0RAO&1
mmMwWLIII0fiflo&1
mmMwWL1i10f1ifl0&1
mmMwWLIiI0fiflO&1
NovelEnglish