Mr. Fake-Mute's Love Game Ended When I Stopped Playing the Fool novel Chapter 5

The plane landed.

I turned my phone back on. Messages from Zeke flooded in.

“Harper, quit being dramatic. You didn’t even take your clothes.”

“Where the hell did you go? You’re worrying me.”

“Harper, text me back. You know I’m not good at this stuff.”

I laughed bitterly.

Not good at it? He had no problem sweet–talking Vivian.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t. I just wasn’t worth the effort.

[ blocked him everywhere. If we were done, we were done.

Charleston wasn’t like home. It was farther south–while everyone back home was still bundled in winter coats, Charleston was already in full bloom.

Off–season meant fewer tourists. I found a guesthouse looking for help. It was called Wildflower. Sounded romantic.

The owner was around my age. I called her Quinn. She had a ponytail and a golden retriever named Sunny.

She grabbed my suitcase with a grin, led me upstairs to a room with floor–to–ceiling windows. I could see the ocean from the bed–the

amous Charleston coastline.

She ran back downstairs, then came up again holding a tube of hand cream.

Saw your hands,” she said, smiling warmly. “Frostbite, right? This stuff works wonders. And the weather here’s warm–they’ll heal ip fast.”

Kindness from strangers always hits different.

My eyes blurred. I smiled back.

‘eah. My hands will heal. Everything will heal.

ife got fuller.

cleaned with Quinn. Bought fresh flowers at dawn. Walked Sunny. Sang around bonfires with a bunch of strangers who felt like riends.

ometimes I’d see Zeke’s name trending online.

eke Harrington Takes Over Harrington Global.

14:56

Mr Vaka Muto’s Love Cama Endod When ↑

Chapter 5

Zeke Harrington and Vivian Hart Announce Engagement.

I felt… nothing. Just calm.

He’d become a stranger. Someone I used to know.

A week passed. My hands were healing.

I picked up some freelance work–embroidery, small crafts. Made enough to buy myself pretty dresses. Turns out I actually liked looking nice. Who knew?

Calls came in daily–people booking rooms at Wildflower.

So when Zeke called, I wasn’t prepared.

‘Hello, Wildflower Guesthouse.”

‘Harper. It’s me. Zeke.”

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