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And then later that day, he let me go.
I think that hurt worst of all.
He was no longer fighting for me. He’d come to accept our doom. He told me he was willing to sacrifice his former life to make this work. But in the end, the happiness he got from me didn’t outweigh what he was missing.
I wasn’t enough for him.
Now I wanted to cry again.
Christopher must have noticed my change in breathing because he started to rub my back. “I know things are tough right now. I know you’re heartbroken. But remember who you are. You’re Rome, and you’re gonna get through this. We were both locked in that basement for a week, and you didn’t give up. And you wouldn’t let me give up either.”
Being locked in a basement was far less painful than this.
“I’m not gonna let you give up. You’re gonna hold your head high and get through this. And some day, you’re gonna find the right guy who treats you the way you want to be treated. This will all seem like a bad memory then.”
It was hard to imagine ever moving on to a different guy. I suspected I would always love Calloway. It was the kind of love that never faded. It was solid like a statue, standing through the ages of mankind. Like a scar that would never heal, his presence would always be visible on the surface of my heart.
But I nodded anyway to make Christopher feel like he was helping. “Yeah…hopefully.”
Later that night, Calloway texted me. I was surprised to see his name light up on my screen since he was the one who admitted he didn’t see our relationship working out. Even though I’d walked out, he was the one who dumped me.
I’m not gonna bother you again after this. But there are a few things I’d like to say.
My heart was beating so fast as I saw the dots light up on the screen.
Stay with Humanitarians United. You’re perfect for the job and the community. Whenever you have to deal with me, I’ll always be professional. I’ll never mention anything about our relationship.
The dots lit up again as he kept writing.
If you ever need anything from me, I’ll always be there. Even if it’s five years down the road, there’s nothing I won’t give you. I’ll keep a close eye on Hank and know his whereabouts at all times so you’ll never be in danger. I’m not just doing this for your protection, but so I can get some sleep at night.
The dots lit up again.
I want you to know that everything I felt for you was real. I’ll love you until the day I die, no matter what happens in the meantime. I wish things could have turned out differently for the two of us. I just wanted you to know that. Goodbye, Rome.
The dots disappeared.
I knew that was the last thing I would ever get from Calloway. Now we were officially strangers on this earth. I would run into him at work from time to time, but we would never have a real conversation. We would always be aware of one another, but distant at the same time.
Like a shooting star, our relationship was brilliant and beautiful, but it happened so fast that it didn’t seem to last very long. We only had a year together—the best year of my life. The ring he gave me was still on my finger, the black diamond that Isabella recognized. I knew I should take it off, but I’d grown used to the weight. I loved the way it was snug around my finger, just the way Calloway’s love used to be. I couldn’t part with it so suddenly, so I would take it off first thing in the morning.
But not a moment sooner.
A week passed, and I didn’t see Calloway. He probably didn’t come into the office at all just to give me space. If he really wanted to, he could work from home. There was nothing pressing that kept him physically in the office. I suspected he was there most of the time just because I was down the hall.
I kept glancing at my phone, waiting for a text message to appear. But I wasn’t sure why because I didn’t want him to text me anyway.
I could never forgive him.
Even if Calloway said he could conquer his demons, I couldn’t give him another chance. Knowing he had erotic moments with Isabella, even if there was no touching, still made me sick to my stomach.
It was an act of betrayal.
Christopher was particularly nice to me all week. He was the one who made dinner and cleaned the apartment. My laundry was always done and folded on the bed by the time I got home.
I appreciated the gesture, but nothing could fix my broken heart.
