Lost Me Gained Regret

 ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

In the end, he caved.

"I won't tie you down, just don't be with Merritt."

Wasn't that still a demand?

She had to bend to his will to gain her freedom.

Christine shook her head, weary.

Dailey felt like his head was about to explode.

After much thought, the conversation circled back to the beginning.

"Why did you break up with me?"

"Fell for Merritt?"

Christine had been flying back and forth these past few days, truly exhausted.

She had imagined that upon reaching Helena's cozy backyard, she'd just crash on the sun lounger for a bit, to catch her breath. The airplane food was atrocious. Merritt had texted her upon her landing, mentioning Helena had saved her some dinner.

And there was roasted sweet potato.

Instead, she found herself cornered by Dailey, unable to rest or eat.

She had no patience for this endless back-and-forth.

"Yes."

As her words fell, she shifted from sitting to lying down.

Dailey loomed over her, his gaze heavy, a vast shadow casting a cold air around her.

Yet, she simply looked at him with a cool detachment, making no move to resist.

The atmosphere was tense for a long while before Dailey moved back to his chair. Christine got up, opened the car door, and left.

She hailed a cab and dialed Merritt.

The moment it connected, Merritt's anxious voice came through, "You okay?"

Christine chuckled, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

Merritt, unusually serious, replied, "Don't joke around. I'm a grown man; the worst I'd get is a beating. It's different for a girl."

"Especially a girl facing a man with overpowering force. You'd definitely be at a disadvantage."

Christine's feelings for Merritt were complicated.

She knew she couldn't love him, but his words, his actions, they reached her.

"I'm fine, don't worry. On my way back."

Merritt sighed in relief, "I'll warm up the dinner."

"Okay."

Christine hung up, gazing out the window, the warm breeze soothing her.

Mistwood truly was a place to unwind.

On the other side, the mood wasn't as light.

Quinn, not far off, had just tant ha

some

noodles and

to

He hadn't even finished preparing his meal when he saw Christine getting off.

He thought they'd head upstairs together, but Dailey didn't emerge from the car.

From a safe distance, the car

seemed shrouded in dark cloud

a

foreboding presence within,

s to en.kikistoriet

Quinn, biting on a plastic fork, dropped a message in the group chat.

This trip to Mistwood, it was PrimoQuinn tagging along.

The others were in Vista Town, keeping an eye on Nelly.

Primo was at Merritt's doorstep at the moment.

Merritt, ever the good host, had brought out some food.

Biting into the roasted sweet potato, he saw the group message.

His sweet potato suddenly lost its appeal.

Done for.

Eating his

n

might ass's rival's food, he

in

well be exiled to

net

@desert. Contentrees

es.com

to

Dailey stepped out of the car, and Quinn discreetly snapped a photo.

The man looked like he'd emerged from the depths of hell, cold and forbidding.

Primo was left with a bite of sweet potato, unsure whether to eat or toss it.

Then, Merritt brought over mushroom soup and chicken.

""

Primo couldn't help but feel he was betraying his own.

His boss had everything, but when it came to personality, Merritt had the upper hand.

If he were Christine, given the same level of kindness from both,

He'd choose the simplicity that Merritt offered.

"Sis."

A cab pulled up, and Merritt rushed to greet her.

"Just in time, dinner's still warm. Let's wash up and eat."

Primo watched them go inside.

Christine didn't spare him a glance.

Understandable.

Who'd side with someone named Pool?