Chapter 4

What was I to her?

I was some poor guy who looked a bit like her childhood sweetheart, nothing but a man hiding in the shadows who couldn't bear the light of day.

I was not fooling myself. I didn't even have a ticket to the game of high-society marriage.

Yet today, like an idiot, I had to go and ask her that question.

I wiped the moisture from my eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

Victoria's pet dog, Dolly, jumped onto my bed, looking at me with sympathy, drool dripping from her mouth.

Dolly was a stray mutt that Victoria had rescued from the streets, and I was the one who raised her.

I have to take her with me.

I carefully went downstairs, carrying Dolly in one arm and my luggage in the other.

I texted Wesley as soon as I left: [I'm heading out now.]

[Let's meet at the airport in thirty minutes.]

[I can't take a plane; I've got my dog with me.]

[Damn, we'll have to take the bus then!! Meet at the bus station in thirty minutes!!!]

Jason glared at me through gritted teeth as I stood there with my luggage and Dolly in my arms.

I didn't see what the big deal was, but Wesley showed up looking like a refugee with three massive suitcases, which really made me think.

"What's all this stuff you're bringing?"

"She dumped me and told me to wipe every trace of myself from her life, so I packed up everything that was mine."

"Did you really need to bring the broom, though?"

"I bought that broom too."

I momentarily fell silent and said, "Well, I got dumped, too. Victoria said she had plenty of other options."

Wesley gave me a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, his look indicating that he knew exactly how I felt.

Then we both loaded our bags into the bus' luggage compartment, looking like two rejected puppies, and squeezed onto the smelly bus with my dog.

We slunk out of the city like a couple of defeated soldiers.