Once His Wife, Now A Stranger He’ll Never Forget

Five years had passed since my divorce when I ran into Evren Hendrix again in a high-end boutique.

The store clerk was wrapping the tie I had chosen for my husband. When she spotted him entering, her tone instantly grew warm and eager.

“Mr. Hendrix, your wife already picked out your suit; it’s all set.”

Giving a slight nod, his eyes paused on the tie in my hand. “Add hers to my bill, too.”

I turned it down politely and placed the cash from my hand on the counter.

A quiet sigh left him. “Paisley Maynard, even after all these years, you still hate me.”

I smiled faintly and didn’t answer.

Who still had the time to hate someone?

I had already let it go long ago.

——

Grabbing the shopping bag, I slipped it into the canvas tote full of groceries and started to walk away.

The early fall wind blew hard.

Following my usual route to the bus stop, the gusts whipped my hair across my face until I could barely see.

When I finally brushed it aside, I saw Evren’s car stopped right in front of me.

Seeing my reddened eyes, his eyebrows pulled together.

“Get in. I’ll take you home.”

“No need, but thanks. I’m taking the bus.”

He looked me over, and when his eyes landed on the canvas bag over my shoulder, he asked carefully, “Have you been doing alright these years?”

“I’ve been fine.”

It was clear he didn’t believe me. “Come on, get in. Let me drive you, just this once.”

The bus behind me honked again and again, yet he didn’t move at all.

With everyone staring, I unwillingly got into the car.

“Strathand Villa,” I said flatly as I gave the address.

For a few seconds, the car stayed quiet before he spoke with an awkward tone. “Why are you staying in that place? It’s been deserted for years, and for you to live there alone, and…”

He couldn’t bring himself to continue, but I already knew what he meant.

That was where my mother had died.

Ten years ago on this very day, she had refused to attend my wedding with Evren.

She jumped from the tenth-floor rooftop.

The back seat had plenty of space, but the heat felt too strong, so I lowered the window a little.

“You’ll get sick from the wind. Close it, if it’s too hot, I’ll just turn the temperature down.”

I smiled faintly and shook my head. “Not anymore. Do what you want.”

He stayed quiet. After a while, his phone rang. “Sweetheart, did you pick up your clothes? Where are you right now?”

The voice from the car’s speaker was familiar, yet it carried a playful tone I could hardly recognize.

“I did. I happened to meet Paisley. I’m giving her a ride.”

The line went silent for a few seconds.

“Paisley’s back? It’s been ages. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You didn’t even ask me to come along?”

I had known Leah Terrell for over ten years, and I had never heard her talk like that before.

She used to be quiet and shy, caring only about her painting.

Even when someone stole her competition piece, she would just hide somewhere and cry.

It had been me who used a baseball bat to destroy that person’s painting in front of everyone, who wrote a report to expose the cheating, and who spent three days in juvenile detention for standing up for her.

Yes, when affection ran deep enough, it could become part of you.

“It just happened by chance. She has things to take care of. I’ll head home after dropping her off.”

“A coincidence means we were meant to meet. Why not treat an old friend to dinner?”

“Leah, that’s enough.”

Silence followed from the other side.

When Evren tried to comfort someone, his tone was always soft, yet once he decided on something, no one could change his mind.

Leah should have known that better than me.

The call cut off suddenly, just as the car stopped at the entrance to the complex.

“Thanks.”

After saying it politely, I stepped out.

Evren shifted his eyes away from the surroundings and called out to me.