Eight Years of Maybe One Day of I Do—Bride Swapped Deal With It novel Chapter 127

Chapter 9

Now?

He listened to Lilac, “Aurora doesn’t appreciate you. You don’t need to keep thinking about her.”

Something in him snapped. He grabbed Lilac by the throat.

“You think Aurora’s nothing compared to you?” He shoved her to the ground. “But the truth is, you’re the one who doesn’t measure up. What the hell makes you think you can compete with her?”

“If I hadn’t been trying to spare Aurora’s feelings, you think I would’ve let you into my bed?”

“Lilac.”

Julian’s voice was ice-cold. His eyes filled with disgust.

“I never gave a shit about you. Not once. To me, you were just a fuck toy. Aurora’s too innocent, too shy, too sweet. I couldn’t bring myself to bend her over and try all those positions with her. Couldn’t use handcuffs and toys on her because I didn’t want to break her.”

“But you? You’re different.”

“Lilac, in my eyes, you’re just easy.”

“You’ll never be Aurora.”

“Not even close.”

Julian didn’t spare her another glance. His mind was full of me. He needed to see me. Needed to tell me he knew he’d fucked up. That what happened with Lilac was just a moment of weakness. That he’d never had real feelings for her. That he never meant to hurt me.

He bolted toward the parking garage, desperate to find me-but Lilac blocked his path.

My parents had put everything on hold. They’d been researching travel guides like a couple of kids planning their first trip. They showed me the itinerary they’d made.

“What do you think?”

“We’ll start here, then head south. A family road trip.”

My mom smiled. “Your dad’s been wanting to travel for ages.”

“We just never had the chance.”

My dad nodded, grinning.

“Yeah.”

“Our daughter finally gave us an excuse.”

Seeing my parents-getting older now-still worrying about me made my chest feel warm. The day we headed to the airport, I got a call from one of Julian’s friends.

He said.

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Eight Years of Maybe, One Day of I Do-Bride Swapped, Deal With It!

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“Aurora.”

“Can you do a video call real quick?”

I didn’t think much of it. Right before boarding, I answered. And there he was-Julian, lying in a hospital bed, looking pale and sick.

His eyes were red as he stared at the screen. His gaze was desperate. Like he was trying to reach through the phone and touch me. I was about to hang up when he called out.

“Aurora…”

His voice cracked.

“Aurora, I know I messed up.”

“I really do. I swear I never meant to betray you. Lilac said she didn’t want anything serious. She told me she just wanted to beat you at something-just once-and I just…”

Julian couldn’t finish. He just kept crying.

His friend spoke up.

“Julian was trying to come see you. Lilac stopped him. They got into a fight in the car and started fighting over the wheel. They crashed.”

My stomach dropped.

“Lilac’s still unconscious.”

His friend hesitated. Then asked.

“Julian keeps asking for you. Can you—”

“No.”

I cut him off. “Julian and I are done. I’m not holding it against you guys for helping him lie to me back then. I did that out of respect for the years we spent together. Because I considered you friends. But that doesn’t mean you get to guilt-trip me into seeing him.”

I thought about what my parents taught me.

If someone makes you uncomfortable, they’re not right for you. Whether it’s a friend or a lover.

So before his friend could try to explain, I told him.

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Eight Years of Maybe, One Day of I Do-Bride Swapped, Deal With It!

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Chapter 10

“From now on, we’re done.”

I hung up.

Blocked everyone connected to Julian-his friends, coworkers, anyone who’d crossed paths with him. When I looked up, my parents were watching me with relief on their faces. I smiled at them.

“I’m okay now.”

I’ll admit it-I was wrecked. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t have the strength to rebuild. I had parents who loved me more than anything. And

honestly? That was everything.

I traveled with my parents. We went to the places we’d always talked about-Colorado, the Southwest, wide-open spaces I’d never seen before. We held baby lambs at a farm. Rode horses across endless fields. Drank fresh milk straight from the source. Watched the sun set over salt flats

that stretched on forever.

By the time we got back home, two months had passed.

We pulled up to the house and there she was-Lilac. Standing at the front door, peeking inside like she was waiting for someone.

My mom didn’t hold back.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Lilac jumped, startled. She turned around, saw me, and her face went tight with nerves.

“Aurora.”

“Can we please talk?”

I never thought I’d be sitting across from Lilac like this. But there we were. She stirred her latte with shaking hands.

“Have you been okay?”

Lilac asked.

“I’ve been thinking a lot.”

She looked at me.

“All our mutual friends stopped talking to me. Even when I reach out, they avoid me. Like I’m toxic. Like they’re scared to be near me. Even-” Her voice cracked. “Even Mrs. Peterson called me.”

“She said, ‘Lilac, losing Aurora is something you’ll regret for the rest of your life.””

“I didn’t understand,” Lilac’s tears started falling. “Then she told me you tanked your SAT on purpose. You left that last essay blank. She said everyone knew. Everyone but me. You did it so we could go to the same school.”

“Aurora.”

“I’ve always been jealous of you.”

“You were born with everything handed to you. Perfect family. Parents who adore you. School was easy for you. Whatever you wanted, you got.

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Eight Years of Maybe, One Day of I Do-Bride Swapped, Deal With It!

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