The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 98

"I got divorced."

Sloane's expression was calm, devoid of any visible grief or anger, yet Josh could still catch a fleeting trace of... loneliness buried deep within her ink-black eyes.

His heart gave a painful squeeze.

He opened his mouth, unsure of what to say. Sloane beat him to it, offering a light smile that revealed her shallow dimples. "It's fine. It was an amicable split. Honestly, the feelings have been gone for a long time."

She raised her water glass toward him.

"Well, Josh? Aren't you going to toast to my newfound freedom?"

Josh blinked. Freedom...?

Crack—

In that split second, he felt something heavy inside him shift, like a frozen ocean suddenly splintering apart.

"Josh?" Sloane noticed his strange expression, wondering what he was thinking.

"Right. Congratulations on your freedom." Josh finally looked up and raised his glass. The wine flushed his cheeks with a faint red, but his gaze was fiercely earnest. "And... I hope the rest of your life is smooth sailing and completely safe."

He kept the final sentence locked in his heart, repeating it silently:

And... I hope you find someone who truly loves you.

*

May 1st, Atacama Port.

Right now, he was holding his phone high, grinning at the camera.

"What's up, chat! Do you see this?! This is our ride! The Oceanic Glory! Luxurious, extravagant, baller—there aren't even enough words to describe it! I'll take you guys inside for a tour in a bit, but first—drop some fire emojis in the chat!"

"Sloane!"

Spotting her, Diego's eyes lit up, and he immediately whipped the camera around. "Guys, look! The absolute goddess of our crew is here! Come on, Sloane, say hi to the chat!"

Sloane instinctively dodged out of frame. "No, no, I'm terrible on camera..."

"Who says you're terrible?!" Diego chased her with the lens. "Don't be shy!"

Out of nowhere, Josh stepped in and clamped a hand directly over the phone's lens.