Chapter 1 Chapter 1
The courthouse clerk pushed the divorce certificates towards Jonathan Iyan and Teresa Johnston with a brisk “G
“Guant these well”
Their muntered thanks were barely audible as they each took hold of the documents that signified the end of their union
As they parted, Jonathan cast a lingering, weighted glance at Teresa before striding out of her life, never looking back.
The echoes of their passionate disputes and his parting shot-“Let’s call it paits. Im along“-lngered in her mind like a fading echo.
Teresa limped out of the courthouse, her legs aching from the tumultuous night she’d endured with Jonathan. It had been a loutal linale to their relationship, a symphony of pain that threatened to buckle her knees.
The phone in Teresa’s pocket buzzed with an incoming call from Miriam Shaw, her best friend. She thought a drink with Miriam could be just what she needed to dull the pain, even if just for a little while.
At the bar, Miriam’s eyes fell on the divorce certificate, her brow furrowing with concem: “You’re really doing this, huh?”
Teresa nodded, her voice devoid of emotion. “Yeah, it’s final”
Miriam struggled to process it. “But Jonathan adores you. How could he just let you guar
Teresa’s gaze turned to ice. “He told me it’s over.” She paused, swallowing hard to keep her composure. “He’s done with m
me
Miriam, her eyes slurp as daggers, leaned in, her voice a whisper that cut through the silence. “Is he with that wonuin now? What was her name agunt Yvonne Chapinan?”
Teresa’s shoulders rose and fell with a sigh, the day’s weight pressing down on her. “Haven’t a clue, and frankly, I’m past caring. His drama’s not ni
scene anymore”
She raised her glass to take a sip, In the liquid turned bitter on her tongue, followed by a queasy twist in her stomach:
Miriam’s s
sigh was a hiss of frustration. “Figures. I always said those shotgun weddings were doomed from the start”
Teresa paused, lost in thought, recalling the start of her story with Jonathan. It had all begun two years back when she was healing from a heartache.
Seeking solace, she turned to old friends and found herself at a dinner where Jonathan unexpectedly walked into her life.
He was striking–tall, charismatic, and possessing an allure that was hard to resist. After sharing a meal together, he managed to get her number.
Their conversations flowed like the river of time, and Teresa found herself drawn to his caring ways. He had asked her out, but she was hesitant, not yet ready to return to the world of dating.
With a sha
On a night when the wine had her feeling boki, Teresa’s usual reservations faded away. With a shaky linger, she hit record on WhatsApp and sent a Voice message to Jonathan. “Hey, Jonathan Do you have feelings for me?”
The line crackled with tension as Jonathan’s voice pierced through. “You’re upsy,” he said.
She shot back, her words tumbling out in a defensive flurry. “Fine, Jonathan, spil it. You got a thing for me? Those late–night talks and roses aren’t just friendly, are they?”
His response was decisive, brooking no debate. “This brit something to discuss over the phone. Fin coming over
She wrote him off as all talk, especially at the unholy hour of AM. But there he was, pulling up in his BMW, the winter air painting his ears a vivid red again the night
maybe it was the s surprise of his arrival, but she found herself waving him inwide.
Maybe it was the buzz from the alcolod, or maybe it was
The night unfolded into one she’d never forget–she rose up, laced her arms around his neck, and pressed a kiss to his lips. A moment frozen in
His response was more intense than she’d bargained for, catching her completely off guard. With a laugh that was half–gishly, half–shocked, she joked, “You’re on the book for this, Jonathan”
that, he sealed their fate.
He met her gaze, unwavering. “I know” And with the
In the span of a heartbeat, Teresa went from single to Mrs. Lynn, swept off her feet by a romance that moved faster than a suner storm.
The day she pledged her life to Jonathan’s, heil slipped a ring onto her linger and, with a playful smile, whispered, “Mrs. Lynn, you’re stuck with me
2:01 PM d
Chapter 1
now, for richer or poorer”
She was a fresh–faced 22, he, a seasoned 25. Fast forward two years, and their vows were as broken as the hearts they left in their wake.
Sipping from her glass, Teresa tasted the battemess of her current reality, each drop as sour as the memories of what once was
Miriam, her voice a soft caress of worry, leaned in “So, how’s the divorce shaping up! I’ve heard you’re the one with the financial upper hand compared to Jonathan
Teresa had been the envy of her peers–gorgeous and loaded. Even the divorce of her parents hadn’t touched her wealth, she’d coasted through college on a $30,000–a–month stipend and had three Porsches for every day of the week.
Jonathan, with his charm and corner office, was outclassed by Teresa’s financial clout
As Teresa’s best friend, Miriam was anxious, fearing that Teresa might lose more than just a husband in the split.
“He’s leaving with nothing” Teresa said softly to Miriam. “The house we shared, he bought it, and I don’t want it. His belongings, his memories- they’re all his “Her eyes, distant and thoughtful, looked into the void. “But I don’t think he’ll stay in Nareigh, will he??
The memory of the courthouse was as sharp as the day it happened. Teresa’s voice had cut through the air like a knife, final and resolute as she spoke to Jonathan. “It’s over, Jonathan. I hope you find whatever it is you’re chasing.”
She didn’t linger for his response, just turned on her heel and walked away, the echo of her footsteps t
marking the end of their story.
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