Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

[A rose for every day I wronged you. I love you baby, please take me back.]

I stare at the small card with my mouth open.

What time did he arrange this?

I look around, and the floor is covered in red roses. Petals trail from the door to

the bed, some scattered in messy little bunches, others lying so perfectly they almost look unreal. The room smells like fresh flowers and heartbreak.

My heart thuds against my chest like it's trying to claw its way out.

"I think we are in the wrong room." I place the card back down.

"No we're not. The flowers are for you." A deep voice speaks behind me.

"You're insane," I whisper, not sure if I'm talking to him or myself.

Alex leans against the doorframe, his hands in his pockets, watching me like I'm the only thing in the room that matters.

"I am insane." He says, pushing away from the door frame, "But I'm in love with you."

I shake my head slowly, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice.

"You can't just buy flowers and expect everything to go away."

"I don't expect it to fix anything." He steps closer,"I just wanted you to know I remember. Every single day, I hurt you. Every time I made you feel like you didn't matter."

"And what? You thought a few dozen roses would make it better?" I try to sound annoyed, angry, anything but soft.

"It's not the roses," he says gently. "It's what they stand for. Regret. Memory. Hope."

I hate how those words make my throat tighten.

I look away, pretending to fix the strap of my bag, pretending I don't feel tears pressing at the back of my eyes.

"Why now, Alex? Why do all this now?"

pretending I'm okay without you." His voice

care of everyone, even when you're breaking. And I realized I've never really taken

the inside of my

to the nightstand and picks up another card I hadn't

hands it

This one just says:

[Please be mine again.]

it twice before setting it down because my fingers

go," I

away?"

heart pounding so hard I hear my

some hidden agenda. What? Is it the formula

been to stunned

his thumb and wipes an

it breaks my heart." He whispers, before

don't want it. That's why I'm shutting

even for you. You may be wealthy but you're not the

But I'm

end it all through a friend of Dad's. I'm sponsoring his campaigns and once he wins, we can get all this behind us Unless you want to revamp

in the one thing that can

shakes his head

is fine. I don't need the formula, as for the

You and Rayen are.

in the air like fog, thick and impossible

how warm it makes my

even though a small, dangerous part of me

saying all the right things, Alex. That's the

looks at me like I'm the air he's been begging

with words," he says,

single day, if you

step back, trying to

distance, the walls I've spent years rebuilding with

fury.

don't know how to be around you anymore," I admit. "I don't