Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 37

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire 37**

Bryce fell silent for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully.

“Maddie, did you actually absorb what I told you yesterday?”

“Yeah. You and River are getting real close. Congrats.”

His laughter was sharp and bitter, a sound that cut through the air like a knife. “You know what? Fine. Absolutely fucking fine.”

I could almost visualize the tension radiating from him, his jaw clenched so tightly that it seemed like he might shatter. “I swear to God—if I ever find myself begging for you again, then I’m truly pathetic.”

In the background, I could hear his friend muttering, “Bro, she’s actually insane.”

Then, with more volume, he added, “Let’s go. River’s waiting. You promised her those bagels.”

Bryce inhaled deeply, the sound echoing through the phone. “Yeah. Whatever.”

Just as he was about to end the call, I interjected calmly, “Call me again, and I’ll change my number.”

He snorted dismissively. “Like I give a shit.”

After enduring an exhausting eight-hour flight, I finally touched down in the UK, the excitement of a new adventure mingling with the weight of my thoughts. The chaos of settling into a foreign land left little room for anything else; my mind was a whirlwind of new sights, sounds, and the pressure of starting fresh.

By the time I managed to catch my breath, days had slipped by like grains of sand through my fingers.

I opened Instagram, half-expecting a distraction, but my feed was inundated with River’s posts—photo after photo, each one featuring Bryce in a way that made my heart ache.

As the days rolled on, their poses grew increasingly intimate, a stark contrast to the distance I felt from him.

One particular picture froze me in my tracks:

Bryce, peacefully asleep beside her in a narrow dorm bed, the sunlight casting a soft glow around them.

Caption: [This idiot stole my bed?? I’m the patient here… and also a girl??]

I found myself staring at the screen for what felt like an eternity.

“Honey, did you really not tell Bayer you were leaving? He’s losing his mind.”

“What happened?” I asked, my heart sinking.

“He didn’t realize you were gone until classes started back up. When he couldn’t reach you, he panicked—showed up at our house at 2 AM.”

The image of Bayer, frantic and worried, sent a pang through my chest.

“Then the school informed him that you withdrew. He flew back immediately, kept calling the registrar’s office, asking if you were taking a gap semester. I told him you’re studying abroad. He refused to believe it.”

“He keeps showing up, crying, begging to see you. I can’t take it anymore. Please, just talk to him.”

A sigh escaped my lips, heavy with the weight of indecision.

Just to grant my mom some peace, I logged into my old account and unblocked Bryce.

The moment he saw me online, a video call request flashed across my screen, the urgency palpable.