He'd barely made it a few steps outside the apartment complex before stopping, feeling a surge of regret. Maybe it was just that he'd never learned how to comfort a woman-no wonder every argument with Athena ended in a shouting match and bruised egos. He couldn't help thinking how childish it all seemed.

Tyler pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and tipped his head back to stare at the sky. He'd come here today planning to have a real conversation with her, to talk things through. But the moment he saw her face, something inside him twisted, and all his emotions crashed around, making it impossible to stay calm or say what he meant.

He smoked the whole cigarette and waited. Athena didn't come out looking for him. That only made him angrier.

He had no intention of going back inside. What would be the point? So he stayed downstairs, finishing one cigarette after another-five in total—still no sign of Athena. Suddenly, the whole thing struck him as pointless. She's just a woman, he told himself. Am I really so hung up on her that I can't let this go?

He drove straight home. But as soon as he sat down on the sofa in his empty house, the air felt wrong, thick and heavy. Each breath seemed to press on his chest.

A week passed. Tyler didn't go out to dinner with friends, even though Bert kept calling, asking if he'd gotten back together with Athena. Otherwise, why else was he holed up at home again?

Just thinking about it made Tyler's blood boil.

He'd made an appointment to get that mole removed-but when the time came, he hesitated and kept second-guessing himself.

The truth was, he knew Athena liked that mole. If he got rid of it, she'd be upset.

He didn't want to make her sad anymore.

But a week went by, and Athena didn't soften, not even a little. It was like she'd made up her mind-this breakup was for real.

miserable. He didn't even want to go out drinking with his

phone, waiting for a message that

weeks passed in silence. Athena hadn't


met a woman with this

cold showers for days, maybe hoping to snap himself out of it, and

remembered how he used to mock lan, laughing at how that guy would do anything for a woman. Now, here he was, in

around comes

he was sick and alone at

didn't hesitate-she immediately picked

seems to be looking out for you lately.

suppose we

do you mean, ‘suppose'?

"We broke up."

the last time Athena came to her for help buying a watch. Fifteen million, just like that. Doris had been an actress for years but never owned anything extravagant unless it was a gift from

were they fighting

didn't warn you. Tyler may be a jerk, but plenty of women in the


with him.

him and make sure

wants to leave you

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