Chapter Three
Six Years Later
The morning sun spills through the windows of the cozy little bookstore, casting golden light over rows of shelves filled with well-loved stories.
The soft chime of the bell above the door rings, signaling another customer. I glance up with a polite smile, but it quickly turns genuine when I see the familiar messy curls bounding toward me.
“Mommy!”
A small boy rushes through the store, weaving between shelves until he collides gently into my legs, his little arms wrapping around them tightly. I laugh, bending down to his level and smoothing a hand over his dark hair.
“Slow down, sweetheart,” I whisper, brushing a stray curl out of his face. “What’s all the excitement about?”
Ethan grins, his bright brown eyes—the same shade as Ryan’s, though I never admit it out loud—gleaming with pure joy. He clutches something small in his fist and waves it proudly in front of me.
“Mrs. Thompson gave me a gold star today!”
I blink, momentarily distracted by the way his smile lights up his whole face. It’s infectious.
“Wow, a gold star?” I tease, pretending to be surprised. “That’s amazing, baby. I’m so proud of you!”
His smile widens, revealing the slight gap where his front tooth had fallen out just last month. My heart squeezes at the sight. Ethan is my whole world. My reason for pushing forward when everything felt impossible.
Six years ago, when I left the city, I had nothing but a broken heart and a growing baby inside me. I was scared, lost, and unsure how I’d make it. But now… now I have a home. A simple, happy life. And most importantly—I have Ethan.
He tugs on my sleeve, breaking me from my thoughts. “Mommy, can we get ice cream after work?”
I pretend to consider it, tapping my chin dramatically. “Hmm, I don’t know… have you been good today?”
“Mommy!” he whines, pouting just enough to make me laugh.
“Alright, alright,” I give in, pulling him into a warm hug. “Ice cream it is.”
“Yay!” He cheers, then dashes off to the little reading corner at the back of the store. I watch him, warmth filling my chest.
I may have lost Ryan, but I gained something far greater. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
But I never knew something was about to change.
---
It starts with a phone call.
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear and reach for the phone behind the counter.
“Hello?”
“Emma, you won’t believe this.” Olivia’s voice crackles through the speaker.
I balance the phone between my shoulder and ear as I continue shelving a new shipment of books. “What is it, Liv?”
“I just got word—Ryan Carter is back in town.”
The stack of books in my hands slips from my grasp, tumbling to the floor with a thud. My heart clenches, a sharp sting shooting through my chest.
Ryan Carter.
The name I’ve spent six years trying to forget.
I swallow the lump forming in my throat and crouch down to gather the fallen books with trembling hands.
“Emma? You there?” Olivia’s voice is softer now, concerned.
“I… I heard you,” I whisper, barely recognizing my own voice.
I thought I was past this. I thought I had buried that name deep enough that it wouldn’t hurt anymore. But hearing it now? It’s like tearing open an old wound that never fully healed.
“Are you okay?” Olivia asks gently, knowing me too well.
I close my eyes and take a steadying breath. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
She sighs softly, and I can almost see the sympathetic look on her face through the phone. “Because he broke you, Em. And because I know you still have questions. You never got closure.”
Closure.
I let out a humorless laugh. What closure was there to be had? Ryan Carter didn’t just break me—he shattered me. Humiliated me. Abandoned me when I needed him the most. He left without a word, without an explanation, and without ever knowing that he had left more than just me behind.
“He’s a CEO now,” Olivia continues after a moment of silence. “Apparently, his company’s doing really well.”
Of course, it is. Ryan always had ambition. Even back then, when we were just two foolish kids in love, I knew he would go far. But none of that matters now.
“I don’t care,” I reply stiffly, trying to sound convincing.
Olivia hesitates. “That’s not all, Em.”
I frown, sensing her unease. “What is it?”
She takes a deep breath, as if bracing herself. “I heard he’s looking for someone.”
My heart skips a beat, dread curling in my stomach. “Who?”
There’s a beat of silence before she finally says, “You.”
I freeze, the phone pressed tightly against my ear.
Me?
“Why?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.
“I don’t know,” Olivia admits. “But it’s not a coincidence, Emma. He’s been back for barely a week, and already, people are saying he’s asking about you.”
I shake my head, panic rising in my chest. No. This can’t be happening. I built this life to escape him. To protect Ethan. I can’t let Ryan waltz back into my life like nothing ever happened.
I grip the counter to steady myself. “I have to go, Liv.”
“Emma, wait—”
I hang up before she can say anything else. My hands tremble as I place the phone down, my mind racing with a thousand questions.
Why now?
What does he want?
And most terrifying of all…
What happens when he finds out about Ethan?
“Mommy?”
Ethan’s small voice pulls me back to reality.
“Are you okay?” he asks softly.
I force a smile, bending down to scoop him into my arms. “I’m okay, sweetheart,” I whisper, holding him close.
But deep down, I know everything is about to change.
Ryan Carter is back.
And whether I’m ready or not, my past is coming for me.
