Page 49 of Lost Summer
“Oh, Edward, you’re here!” she chirped, sounding like the perfect, polished version of herself she presented to the world.
I stared at her for a long moment. How could she be so calm and collected when I felt like my world was tipping sideways, balancing on a razor’s edge?
“Elena,” I began as I sat down across from her. “You said you needed to see me?”
Her smile faltered slightly, her eyes narrowing at my tone. “Must you be so formal? Come and sit with me, silly.”
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair in frustration.
Why does she have to make this so difficult?
“Elena.”
Her smile disappeared entirely, and the air in the room seemed to tighten around us. “What?”
“What did you want me to come here for?”
Elena rose to her feet, a cold glint in her eye as she stepped closer, her hands on my forearms as she studied me.
“I miss you. I miss us?—”
“Elena—” I lifted my hands and backed away as her eyes narrowed into slits.
“Oh, for fucks sake, Ted, you can’t be serious about leaving me for that…frump.” She waved her hand in the air, laughing.
I stared at her, unable to believe she’d summoned me here just to fucking play games with me. “I thought this was something to do with the baby.”
Elena crossed her arms. “Well, it is, really. But also, you need to come back to me and stop with this ridiculousness.”
I held my hand up, stopping her from spouting any more bullshit. I’d had enough of it for one lifetime, and dragging me here on false pretences was a cheap shot I wasn’t going to let slide. “I’ll be a father to our son, but this has to stop. There can’t be anus. There hasn’t been for a while.” The words felt jagged and hard, cutting through the bullshit she’d built around us.
Elena’s eyes flashed with something dangerous, but her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “So,that’show it’s going to be? You don’t want the perfect little family? You don’t want to stand beside me, raise our son together in the life we’ve already built?”
The way she said it made it sound so simple, so matter-of-fact, but that was the farthest thing from the truth.
“I never planned this life with you, Elena,” I said quietly. “That life you’re talking about...it was always about appearances. Status. I’m not the man you think I am. I can’t just be some arm candy to follow you to events and pretend I’m content living a life that doesn’t fit me.”
Elena’s laugh was hollow, echoing through the cold, immaculate room. “This is abouther, isn’t it?” she asked, her voice dripping with venom.
My pulse quickened, but I didn’t back down. “Yes. It’s about Adele. But mostly, it’s about me, Elena. It’s about what I want and can’t do anymore.”
Her expression hardened, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. “God, Edward, must you be so weak? Not everything revolves around love. Sometimes, we choose for business, power, or money.” She tossed her hair back and glared at me. “Frankly, I find you disappointing.”
My jaw clenched as I met her glare head-on. “I don’t care, Elena. You and I aren’t the same, and we never will be. I’m not asking for your permission.”
For a moment, I thought she might lash out, scream, or throw something in my face, but instead, she just sat back, her cool demeanour snapping into place like armour. “Go then,” she whispered coldly. “Go back to your frumpy girlfriend and her poxy flat. She’s probably only after your money anyway.” She placed her manicured hand on her stomach, her fingers spreading just a little as if to remind me of the life growing inside her, of the tie that would indefinitely link us together.
“Honestly, I’m not here for your opinion, Elena.” I swallowed hard, fighting the swirl of conflicting emotions inside me. Fear, guilt, even a stab of pity. But there was no room for backing down now. “I’ll be here for the baby,” I said, trembling just a little. “But that’s it.”
Elena’s chin lifted defiantly, her eyes blazing with unshed tears. She didn’t say anything more as I stood up and left her apartment, the echo of my footsteps chasing me into the hallway, where the air felt as heavy as before.
But outside...outside, the air was fresh, and the sunlight washed over me like it was congratulating me for doing the right thing.
I had done it. I had finally torn down the wall between me and a future that felt terrifying, messy, and uncertain but also real.
And it was a future that had Adele in it.
I felt like I could breathe again. That world was behind me now, and all I needed was to hold Adele in my arms once more.
