Happily Ever After… Without Him

I had hoped that after I burned everything, they would finally leave me alone. But they didn’t.

Days slipped by, and gradually, Nathan started acting as if nothing had happened. Flowers arrived at my door again. His texts were sweet, casual—asking about my day, sending little jokes, even attempting a quick kiss when our paths crossed outside the building. It was like the past weeks had vanished into thin air.

Gabriel followed suit, stepping back into his “big brother” role. Coffee deliveries, reminiscing about old times, easy jokes. Every time they said, “We’re sorry. Let’s make this right,” it sounded less like an apology for betrayal and neglect and more like an excuse for a stubbed toe.

Then came the surprise dinner.

“Our treat,” Nathan texted. “The old spot. You remember.”

Part of me wanted to delete the message and forget it ever existed. But another, quieter part—the exhausted, broken part—wondered if maybe, just maybe, we could close this chapter without bitterness. Without hatred.

I went. The restaurant hadn’t changed. Warm wooden booths, soft jazz humming overhead, dim lighting casting shadows across familiar corners. Rosemary scents floated in the air alongside memories I wasn’t sure I wanted back. I watched them laugh, the way we once did, and for a fleeting moment, it almost felt… okay.

Then Nathan’s phone buzzed. He checked it and froze.

“It’s Sabrina,” he muttered, frowning.

“What? Slow down… robbed? Stabbed? Where are you?!” His voice went sharp as he dropped everything.

In seconds, both he and Gabriel were on their feet.

“She’s crying,” Nathan explained, voice tight. “She’s been attacked. We have to go.”

No goodbyes. No glance in my direction. They ran, as if the world depended on her survival.

I stayed seated, staring at the half-eaten food, the flickering candle slowly burning down to nothing. I paid the bill myself.

Outside, the sky had opened up. Thunder cracked and rain poured in sheets. Streets were empty—no taxis, no buses. The restaurant manager offered an umbrella, but the doors were already locked. I had to keep moving.

Each step weighed me down. My arms throbbed under the bandages. My body ached. But worse than the pain was the storm. Thunder rolled across the city, striking a deep fear I’d carried since childhood. During storms, I always froze. Lightning flares and thunder cracks made it feel like the world itself might split apart.

I clutched my coat tighter, pushing forward, the city a blur of lights and shadows.

Then—a sudden flash. A horn. A car.

No time to react.

Darkness.

When I woke, everything felt unnaturally soft. I blinked against dim lighting, clean white walls surrounding me. My body ached, but the pain was distant, manageable. I turned toward the source of movement nearby.

“Nathan…?” I whispered.

Not him.

A man sat in the corner. Tall, dressed in black, eyes unreadable. He didn’t stir until I tried to sit up.

“You’re awake,” he said, steady, deep. “Don’t move too much.”

“Who… are you?”

“Roscoe,” he replied. “Found you after the accident. Took you to the hospital. You were unconscious.”

I wanted to ask more, but the room spun, and I blacked out again.

When I opened my eyes, Roscoe was gone. No note. No explanation. No contact. No missed calls, no messages, no check-ins.

Except for my mother.

Mom: Call me when you’re on your way. Everything’s ready. Come home.

I didn’t tell her what had happened. I couldn’t—didn’t want her to worry.

The nurse said I’d been lucky. The car hit me from the side. Nothing broken. Still, I needed a few more days to heal.

So I stayed. Alone.

Finally, discharge day arrived. I returned to the apartment, just to collect the last of my things before booking my flight home.

That’s when Nathan appeared in the doorway.

“Oh, good, you’re back,” he said, smiling as if nothing had ever occurred. “Listen… we had to sell your car. And some of your things. Sabrina needed emergency funds, and—”

“What?” I froze. “You sold my things?”

“Relax,” Gabriel said, stepping in. “We’ll pay you back. Sabrina’s been through a lot since the robbery. She needs someone to care for her—can you cook? She hasn’t been eating properly.”

I blinked, stunned. “Are you serious?”

Gabriel’s brows knitted. “Where’ve you been anyway? Sabrina said you went to a party after dinner. You weren’t here when she needed you! That’s selfish.”

I laughed, bitter and hollow. “Right. A party.”

Then I hurled the hospital discharge file at them.

“There. That’s where I was. The hospital. You left me out in the rain. I walked home through a thunderstorm. I got hit by a car.”

“What…?” Nathan stammered, shocked. “You were in the hospital?”

“I thought you were with friends…” Gabriel mumbled, confused. “Sabrina said—”

“Of course she did,” I snapped. “It’s always Sabrina, isn’t it?”

Before they could speak further, a piercing scream echoed down the hallway.

“Help! Nathan, Gabriel—it hurts! Please!”

Sabrina. Of course. Always Sabrina.

I didn’t wait to see their reaction. I turned, crossed the threshold, and walked away.