30 Days Until He Loses Me by Aaren Collins novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In that split second before the camera moved on, Felicia caught a glimpse of Joshua’s panicked

face.

How cliché.

She smiled and waved, makin‘ it clear she was alone. Then the camera shifted away.

After the concert, she found Joshua and Whitney waitin‘ for her at the exit.

Whitney walked over first. “Feli, please don’t be mad at Joshua. You know how couple cam works–he only kissed me ‘cause he didn’t wanna make me feel awkward.”

Joshua chipped in, a little stiff. “I just got back from my trip. Whit got stood up, and I was worried about her heart, so I came with her.”

He paused, then turned to Felicia. “What are you doin‘ here? I thought you said concerts were boring.”

But that’s not what Felicia had said at all.

She’d said goin‘ to concerts alone was boring. ‘Cause she wanted him to come with her.

But Whitney was always the only one he cared about. Of course he wouldn’t remember.

Soon enough, nothin‘ about her would matter to him. anymore.

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Felicia brushed it off with a quick lie. “A coworker gave me her ticket. She had somethin‘ come up last minute.”

It was a lousy lie, but Joshua didn’t ask any questions.

Maybe out of guilt, he called a cab to take Whitney home. Then he turned to Felicia. “Let’s go.”

“No, you go with her.” She waved him off.

Bein‘ the “considerate” one like always, she even handed him an excuse. “Whitney’s health isn’t great. And it’s late–she shouldn’t go back alone. I’m used to headin‘ home by myself anyway.”

He hesitated. Then, no surprise, he nodded.

“Alright. Be safe.”

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Chapter 5

She nodded, got into her cab, and didn’t look back.

788 Your hers

Predictably, Joshua didn’t come home that night. Unlike before, she didn’t call or text him. She washed up and was about to go to bed.

Then her phone buzzed with a text from Joshua.

He needed her to send him a file from his study computer.

She didn’t think twice. Turned on the computer and opened the folder he’d told her to.

A flood of emails popped up on the screen.

They were all love letters–over a thousand of ‘em.

Startin‘ the day Whitney left abroad, goin‘ on for four years–not a single day missed.

Four whole years.

So Joshua had never gotten over Whitney.

But then why?

Why ask her to be his girlfriend? Why get engaged? Why give her hope?

What was she to him this whole time?

Right then, her phone dinged with a WhatsApp message.

She opened it–Whitney had sent a photo.

In it, Joshua was sound asleep, shirt off.

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Then Whitney texted: “Felicia, Joshua’s been with me the whole time. You’re just a toy to spice things up between us.”

Maybe Felicia saw this comin‘. Or maybe she was too numb to feel anything anymore. Either way, the big emotional breakdown she expected never hit.

Face totally blank, she saved every photo and message Whitney had sent her over the past few weeks.

She was done with both of ‘em. And this apartment–already stripped of everythin‘ that was hers- had nothin‘ left worth stayin‘ for.

Early the next morning.

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Chapter 5

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Felicia packed her last few things, grabbed her suitcase, and headed out. When she opened the door, she almost ran right into Joshua–he’d just come home.

His eyes dropped to her suitcase, his face shiftin‘. “Felicia, the wedding’s in three days. Where the hell are you goin‘?”

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