n, stopped me at the curb. I didn't turn around, but I

in his hand. "For Leo," he mumbled, thrusting it towards

cake I ordered! My favorite, mango chiffon! I told Holden it was fine if he shared a slice with his, uh, employee b

weight. Mango chiffon. Of course. How fitting th

out at the box. "Cake?" he whispered

ndure anything. I forced a smile. "

his voice soft, hopeful. He looked at Holden, h

He sighed, a faint flicker of what might have been genuin

rgotten in the face of cake and a fleeting pa

away from the curb. Holden and Kassidy stood side-by-s

e cake on the small kitchen table. Leo, buzzing with excitement, watched as I slic

sweet boy," I said,

g in pure bliss. I took a bite

l flavor exploded

against my ribs.

hands, my movements jerky, fran

his face, stared at me. "Adriana, what are you

Holden?" I choked out, my voice trembling with a raw fury I hadn' t known I possessed. "D

ngo? Allergic? No... I... I didn' t... I thought he loved f

ike a hollow echo in a vast, empty canyon. I' m sorry. The words

ago alight with joy, slowly dimmed. He looked at Holden, then back at me, his

ed. "It' s okay." He turned, burrowing his face into my shoul

rgotten Leo' s birthday; he had endangered his life. And Leo, in his i

te, regretful gaze burning into my back, but I didn' t hesitate. I w

n't need to say goodbye. Not to him. My signed divorce papers were on his desk, already legal. My office, now stripped bare, felt l

and bustling crowds offered a strange co

e, sweet pea?" I ask

g deeper into my embrace. "

, but of release. Of freedom. Seven years of emotional abuse, of professional ex

t my phone. I blocked Holden' s number. I blocked him on every social media platfo

Gillespie. You a