Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 22

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire**
**Chapter 22**

A laugh bubbled up inside me, almost escaping my lips.

Damien, with all his bravado, probably believed he was being so clever, dropping those subtle hints for me to check the portal, to uncover his little switcheroo, and then to follow him like the obedient follower I had always been.

But the truth was, he was far too proud to just lay it all out for me.

I suppose it made sense in a way. Explaining himself to his “difficult” shadow—me—would require a level of effort he clearly wasn’t willing to expend.

Thank goodness I had already resolved to move forward. No more glancing back.

As I observed him assisting Madison with her application, a wave of determination surged through me. I reached for Zoe’s arm, a silent signal of my intent. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” I urged her.

Zoe had plans to drag me to a birthday party for one of her friends, and for once, I found myself too weary to resist.

After we finished dinner, the girls insisted we check out this new club downtown.

The moment we arrived, I was met with the unexpected—Damien’s celebration was unfolding at the very same venue.

A web of familiarity quickly formed as people mingled, merging our group into one colossal gathering.

I noticed Damien’s discomfort the instant our eyes met, but he chose silence over confrontation.

In that moment, I resolved to act as if he was nothing more than a ghost, a mere figment of my imagination.

When I slipped away to the bathroom, I inadvertently overheard a conversation between Damien and one of his friends just around the corner.

“Just be honest with her, man. A girl traveling across the country alone? That’s tough,” his friend urged, concern lacing his tone.

“Come on, don’t be like this. I honestly don’t get why you’re so moody today. Did you sort out your application?”

I kept my lips sealed, my gaze fixed on the ground as if it held the answers to all my questions.

Just as the tension escalated to a near unbearable point, Madison’s voice sliced through the air like a knife: “Damien! Ryan’s looking for you to do shots! Oh… sorry, am I interrupting something?”

I swore this girl had some kind of sixth sense.

How was it that she always appeared at the most inconvenient moments, right when Damien and I began to talk?

Seizing the opportunity created by Damien’s momentary distraction, I ducked under his arm, desperate to escape the intensity of the moment.

But just as I tried to slip past Madison, she grabbed my wrist, her grip firm yet friendly.