Falling For My Ex's Uncle novel Chapter 7

"Angela, don't you think it's a bit rushed to meet up today?" I asked.

"Trust me, the best way to get over a guy is to jump right into another one. It's a classic move!" Angela grinned.

"But—"

Angela cut me off, her curiosity piqued. "Laurel, you're not seriously thinking about fixing things with that loser, are you?"

"No." I shot back without hesitation, took a deep breath, and added, "Alright. Let's do this."

"Awesome! I'll text you the details in ten minutes. Make sure to check it, alright?"

After hanging up, I couldn't help but crack a bittersweet smile.

Wise people wouldn't fall in love easily, and six years were a long time to invest.

Yet, oddly, the idea of a complete breakup didn't sting as much as I expected. Maybe all that disappointment had built up to this moment.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel sad at all. Instead, there was just this strange emptiness in my heart.

Five minutes later, Angela shot me a message about my date being at a downtown restaurant. The name rang a bell—it was one of those trendy places on Yelp.

Autumn was here, and those maple leaves were turning red. A cool breeze swept over me, sending a little chill down my spine.

As I walked out of the hospital, I passed by a row of cozy little restaurants.

I grabbed a big bowl of spicy cheese dip — Austin never liked spicy foods, and I hadn't even dared to touch a chili pepper in ages.

He always said that spicy food was bad for the stomach, so I'd kept it off the table, and I was not allowed to eat it anymore.

Holding that steaming bowl of rich, creamy cheese dip, I grabbed a few roasted cloves of garlic to go with it.

Austin couldn't stand the smell of garlic, so even when he wasn't around, I'd avoid eating it just in case.

After a big bite, I felt this wave of sourness wash over me, and my eyes started to prick with tears.

It hit me then — there was no such thing as a fairytale ending in this six-year saga. He never really treated me special.

I was the one always scaling back, stepping down, while Austin simply took it all in stride, oblivious to what I was giving up.

And now, I was on the edge of a cliff.

After finishing my meal and settling the bill, I got a transfer from the agent. The moment I saw the money, my earlier reluctance seemed to lift.

Six years wasn't exactly in vain. At least I saved up enough to pay full price for my house, which I sold for forty percent more. It was true—money felt way more reliable than men.

On my way back, I got a friend request on WhatsApp. I thought it might be the blind date set up by Angela.

I clicked on the request, and all I found was a standard landscape avatar that looked a bit familiar. After I got through the verification, Bonnie texted me.

My mom was still fuming. Bonnie told me to head home and rest first, and my suitcase was left in the security room. I frowned a bit, already bracing for this reaction.

It was only natural for a mom to struggle with something like this. If she knew Austin had someone else in mind, she'd be even more upset.

As I grabbed my suitcase and headed out of the hospital, Bonnie sent another message, asking who my secret lover was. I couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. Why did my mom buy my story so easily that there was a third person?

After a moment of thought, I had to admit my mom wasn't totally off-base. If there wasn't someone else in the picture, I wouldn't have broken up with Austin so close to the wedding and just rushed home.

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