After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 14

Elaine walked away.

Alistair watched her walk away, suitcase in hand, without a hint of hesitation or a single glance back. It was the first time she had ever turned her back on him. Stunned, he staggered to his car, his mind stuck on her final question-one he still couldn't answer.

As he drove through morning traffic toward Chase Enterprises, he passed Westbrook Academy, on impulse, he pulled over.

Westbrook was where he and Elaine went to high school. They had tied for the top spot, but while teachers loved Elaine, the perfect straight-A student, Alistair was the school's resident bad boy.

He used to run into her all the time—when she was cornered by bullies, caught in the rain without an umbrella, or that one time he teased that she was such a goody-two-shoes she'd help old ladies cross the street... only to actually catch her doing it the next day.

The coincidences didn't stop there. She'd forget her lunch card in the cafeteria, get locked in the equipment room, or end up manning the camera at basketball games-where, he later realized, most of her photos were of him.

being such a rule follower, so uptight. She'd just lower her head

her hunched over her desk, hiding behind a book, scribbling

wondering which straight-A nerd had managed to

he saw his own name at the bottom of the page. That was the first time he realized Elaine had feelings

What a surprise! If we'd known you were coming, we would have prepared a

principal's voice dragged him back to the present. The man was practically jogging toward him, his face stretched into a painfully eager

through. Thought

this unplanned visit, he might never

he felt a strange sense. So young, so full of life, laughing, teasing each other.

rang, it

refused

nose. He