rsations, clinking glasses, and the occasional burst of laughter. Her heart raced from the da

s presence lingering like a shadow, a

ng. But Tina couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Not just in the room, but within her. She felt alive but t

and on her shoulder. She tensed for a second, thinking it might be Je

ing her in the way they used to when they were together like he w

id, his voice

urged within her anger, betrayal, pain but she wasn't sure which

managed, her voice betraying her,

as if he didn't want to have this conver

? Somewhere

im there was nothing left to talk about. But another part of her wa

de rooms off the ballroom. They slipped through the crowd quietly,

losed the door behind them. The noise from the party was

gaze. She had imagined this moment so many times, what she would say to

softening as he reached out. "Tina, I n

p back, avoiding his touch. "Don't act like

escaping him. "I didn't plan

d to keep her composure. "Just stop. You don't get to s

red, guilt flickering in his

You chose my step-sister. You let me believe that we had a future, that we were

his voice rising slightly. "I didn't plan t

ed. Their entire eight years together could be summed

r pregnant," Tina snapped, her voice breaking slight

get this out. She had been holding onto this pain, thi

"You didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself. I had to find out from h

t, Tina saw a flicker of regret in his expression

ed to explain." "Explain what?" Tina shot back. "Explain how you were sleeping with my sister behind my

his eyes pleading. "Tina, I ne

to keep the walls up. "Don't lie to me. Y

and for the first time since they entered the room, Tina felt like she had some control. She

oice steadier now. "You don't get to keep me in your lif

th a desperation she hadn't expected. "

anything, because we're done. We've be

nt them. It was over. Truly over. Whatever love or hope she had once

t the door suddenly creaked open, and the

elly, her eyes wide as she looked between them. The

started, her

topping her. "Don't. I

but Tina didn't care. She had no

w concerned, and just like that, he was back to being her protector. The man she had known for eight years now

The air felt different now and lighter. She had said what she needed to say and faced the pai

e spotted Jesse standing by the bar, a drin

asked as sh

of release she hadn't expected

nt in his eyes. "Good. Now

ballroom, leaving Nathaniel, Linia,

go