He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 381

Scarlett paused, letting the weight of her words settle before delivering the final blow. "It’s about having someone who will hold an umbrella over you when the storm hits, without hesitation, rather than turning their back and leaving you to face the hurricane alone."

Julian’s heart ached. His fingers tightened slightly around his water glass as a profound sense of sympathy washed over him.

Scarlett’s eyes shimmered with fresh tears, born from a deeply painful realization. "True responsibility isn't about how much financial or emotional support a man can provide. It's about whether he can truly be the rock for you and your child when you come home. It’s whether he puts you first when it counts, and whether he’s willing to drop all his calculated 'pros and cons' for your sake."

She turned to look at Julian, her gaze shattered. "I loved him. I adored him. I genuinely believed he was the one who would shield me from the storms. But it wasn't until after I had my baby that I realized... he was the biggest storm of my life. I'm not hurting because I lost him, or because the marriage failed. I'm hurting because every ounce of faith I ever had in love has been completely destroyed by Yardley."

Scarlett sniffled, raising a hand to haphazardly wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks. As she did, her near-collapsing vulnerability was rapidly replaced by an unprecedented, cold hardness. "Thanks to him, I'm done believing in the fairy tale of romance."

Julian's eyes flickered, trying to offer comfort. "You can't be so absolute. If you meet the right person..."

"The right person?" Scarlett let out a dry, hollow laugh, leaning back against the headboard. Her gaze grew terrifyingly clear. "Once the divorce papers are signed, it’ll just be me, my mom, and my daughter. We’ll take care of each other. As for the future... since giving my heart gets me nothing but trampled on, I'm done being a fool for love."

She let out a self-deprecating but relieved laugh. "Since devotion got me nowhere, you can't blame me for changing the game. Instead of waiting for someone to be my umbrella, I'll become the hurricane myself. From now on, I'm the one holding the knife, not the one on the chopping block."

Suddenly, Scarlett shifted gears. She looked at Julian, her gaze dropping to the faint, lingering red marks on his neck. A blush crept up her ears, but she forced a breezy tone. "Also, Julian, even though we've only recently started getting to know each other, I can tell you're a decent, responsible guy. Please don't beat yourself up over what happened in the car earlier. You don't have to feel awkward around me. It was an extreme situation, and I was the one who crossed the line."

Taking a deep breath, she tried to mask her embarrassment with an air of absolute confidence.