Chapter 21
Stuck In Denial
Chapter 19: Stuck In Denial
Logan’s POV
This was odd and out of track for Sedona. She wouldnt actually leave, and not take all this. These were all hers.
Unless she really didn’t want anything from me. Unless she really was-
No. No, this was still just Sedona being Sedona, taking this to a new notch just to make me worry over her, while she sleeps peacefully in an expensive hotel.
Sedona was always prone to dramatic and emotional acts, it wasn’t a new thing and she was just overreacting to Katherine’s presence. She’d cool off in a few days and come back, probably with some demands about me spending less time with Katherine or some other ultimatum that would just be as ridiculous as the former.
I noticed the note on the dining room table, with her wedding ring sitting on top of it.
“I meant what I said. I want a divorce. My lawyer will contact you. Please don’t try to find me p>
A divorce. The thought of it made me chuckle bitterly, who the hell did she think she was trying to fool with this.
She was actually talking about divorce now. I crumpled the note in my fist, anger surging through me. How dare she? How dare she abandon our son, abandon our marriage, just because she couldn’t handle me having a female friend?
I stalked back to the bedroom, yanking off my tie with more force than necessary. This was absurd and plain ridiculous, she didn’t think that being married to her, meant no more female friendships in my life. We’d been married for three years. We had a child together. You didn’t just walk away from that because you were jealous.
My phone buzzed with a text from Katherine: “Did you make it home okay? Nick must be exhausted! Such a sweet boy. I’m so glad we got to spend this time together.
I typed back quickly: “Home safe. Thanks again for coming with us. Nick had a great time p>
I was about to put my phone down when I noticed the small wooden box on Sedona’s nightstand-Nick’s baby teeth box. She’d kept every single one, had made this huge deal about preserving them. I’d found it excessive at the time, just another example of Sedona’s overprotective nature.
But she’d left it behind. The one thing I knew meant something to her, and she’d left it.
Why would she do that?
The answer came immediately: Because she’s coming back. She wouldn’t leave something this important unless she planned to return for it.
The realization was reassuring as I felt my panic dissolving as I realized what this meant. This was just a dramatic exit, meant to get my attention, to make me worry. Well, it had worked. I’d give her a few days to
3
< Stuck In Dept
+25 Points
ealm down, and then we’d have a conversation about boundaries and reasonable behavior and how marriage required compromise from both parties. As long as Nick’s baby tooth were still here, Sedona wasn’t leaving this marriage. I had worked myself into a frenzy for nothing.
“Dad?” Nick’s sleepy voice came from the doorway. “Where’s Mom p>
I turned to find my son rubbing his eyes, his hair sticking up in that way it always did after naps. He hadn’t noticed it yet, still busy rubbing sleep from his eyes.
“She’s not here, buddy p>
“Where is she p>
I considered lying to him about where his mum had gone, but Nick would notice eventually that Sedona’s things were gone. Better to frame this the right way from the start.
“Mom is upset about us taking you to Disneyland with Aunt Katherine, she did not like it and was pretty upset because she felt we chose not to spend time with her,” I explained, keeping my voice casual. “She’s being a bit jealous and silly, so she decided to go stay somewhere else for a little while p>
“She ran away?” Nick’s eyes widened. “Like a little kid p>
“Sort of like that, yes. She’s having some big feelings right now that she is having problems processing and instead of talking about them like an adult and working out on a compromise that would benefit everyone,
she decided to leave p>
“That’s dumb.” Nick climbed onto the bed, making himself comfortable on the bed as he continued speaking.
“Aunt Katherine says jealousy is ugly p>
“Aunt Katherine is very wise p>
“Is Mom going to come back p>
“Of course she is. She just needs some time to realize she’s being silly. In a few days, she’ll come home and apologize, and everything will go back to normal p>
“Can Aunt Katherine come over while Mom’s gone? She promised to teach me tennis p>
Something in my chest twisted uncomfortably. “Sure, buddy. I’m sure Aunt Katherine would love that p>
“Cool.” Nick yawned widely. “I’m going back to bed. Tell Mom she’s being dumb when she calls p>
He shuffled back to his room, and I was left alone in the bedroom that suddenly felt too big, too empty.
I looked around at Sedona’s empty side of the closet, at the note crumpled in my hand, at the baby teeth box she’d left behind. A small voice in the back of my mind whispered that maybe Grandma Brooke was right, that maybe I’d missed something important, that maybe Sedona really was gone for good. Ands I was stuck in denial because the idea that Sedona might finally be fed enough to leave me was something that wasn’t possible.
But I pushed the thought away. I knew Sedona. I knew how she operated. This was just another attention-seeking gesture, just another way of trying to control me through guilt and manipulation.
Stuck in Deerst
She’d be back. She always came back
† just needed to wait her out.
+25 Points
I threw the crumpled note in the trash, turned off the lights, and went to bed, refusing to acknowledge the small, persistent feeling that something was very, very wrong.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.