Chapter 270

Xander Lewis shoved the sketchbook into my hands, then wrapped an arm around me as his quiet breath brushed against my ear. “Sophie, I like you.” “But you never said anything... You even encouraged me to get close to Jason, and when I married Henry, you didn’t stop me…” I tried to reason with both of us, convincing myself maybe he didn’t like me that much, maybe he’d just mistaken our years of friendship for something more. “I like you the way a man likes a woman,” he said softly, voice thick like fog. “You’re someone who makes people ache just by being yourself. I want to protect you. You being happy means everything to me. If asking you to stay meant stopping you from chasing closure… that’d be selfish. So I stayed quiet. But Henry doesn’t deserve you. You married him again, and you’re still miserable. I really didn’t want to say this, didn’t want to put pressure on you. But look— even when I stay silent, people can tell. Why, Sophie? I’ve been right here this whole time — how come y