Five Years Of Marriage And I Was A Name He’d Never Mentioned Chapter 08

Five Years Of Marriage And I Was A Name He’d Never Mentioned Chapter 08

Two months after the divorce, I accepted the transfer to headquarters in Ashford City.

That email I’d put off for two years—I finally replied with a single word: [Yes.]

The new city was fast-paced. Lots of projects. The night skyline was bright.

I moved into a small apartment near the river and started learning to live alone again.

Learning to order takeout I actually liked. Learning to sleep in on weekends. Learning to put flowers on the windowsill. Learning to spend my paycheck on myself first.

It was strange.

I used to think that without Brandon, I’d struggle.

But after I actually left, I realized I could take care of myself just fine.

Better than before, actually.

Promotion. Raise. Project bonuses.

I bought my mom the necklace she’d wanted for ages. Got my dad a new car. Brought home the camera I’d never let myself buy.

Even my complexion looked better.

During a video call, my mom stared at me for a while, then suddenly smiled. “Lauren, you’ve got that spark back.”

I blinked and touched my face instinctively.

The person in the camera really did look different.

No more second-guessing. No more staying up all night waiting for someone to come home. No more turning every sentence over and over in my head.

All I had to do was move forward.

I found out later that Brandon came to my parents’ house three times.

The first time, he showed up with supplements. My dad blocked him at the door.
“Take that stuff back. We don’t need it.”

The second time, he wanted to see my mom.

She didn’t let him in. She just said through the iron gate, “When you had nothing, Lauren stayed and got through it with you. When you were at your best and most successful, you didn’t keep her in your heart. She’s moved on now. Don’t drag her back.”

The third time, my dad ran into him while taking out the trash.

Brandon stood under a tree, silent for a long time. Then he asked, “Sir… did Lauren really want to go to grad school back then?”

My dad looked at him.

“Yes. She did. Got offers from schools abroad.”

“She was afraid you’d be alone and struggling with your new business, so she didn’t go.”

“Then she was worried about your mom’s surgery bills. She never brought it up again.”

My dad walked off after that.

Later my mom told me that Brandon stood outside for a long time that day.

So long it got completely dark.

When I heard that, I just took a quiet sip of water.

No satisfaction, like I might have expected.

Turns out that after you truly move on, even other people’s regrets have nothing to do with you.