Chapter 3

3.

When I met the lawyer, he asked if I wanted to try a settlement first.

I thought about everything that happened this week and shook my head.

"No. File the lawsuit. Just get it done."

I handed everything over to him.

Afterward, I went to the cemetery. I needed to move my parents' urns back to our old hometown.

When they passed away in that accident, I was a wreck.

Stella had handled all the funeral arrangements.

The cemetery staff told me I needed her signature to move them since she was the one who signed the original papers.

I took the forms back home and put them in front of her.

She narrowed her eyes, confused. "Why are you doing this?"

I blinked. "I had a dream about them. They said they wanted to go home."

Stella didn't like the idea.

"Won't it be a pain to visit them if they're that far away?"

My parents had treated her like their own daughter.

Every year on their anniversary, she used to be so dedicated to visiting them.

But since Silas showed up, she hadn't gone once.

The anniversary of their death was the same day she met Silas. Now, she spent that day celebrating with him.

I remembered trying to talk to her about it once.

She had just snapped at me.

"They're gone, Jace. They wouldn't want me to miss a date with a friend for something that doesn't matter anymore. They aren't petty like you."

Recalling that, I used her own words. "They're gone, Stella. They won't mind."

Hearing her own logic thrown back at her made her go quiet.

"Just sign it," I said, pushing the paper closer.

Before she could argue, Silas let out a loud cry from the bathroom.

She swallowed her words instantly. She grabbed the pen, signed the form, and ran toward the bathroom.

I looked at the signature. For the first time, I was grateful for Silas and his perfect timing.

It saved me from having to explain myself further. It was exhausting.

I was heading out to the cemetery again when Stella shouted from the bathroom.

"Jace! Get in here!"

I ignored her, but she kept screaming like the world was ending.

I hopped over to the door and asked what she wanted.

Stella looked frantic. "Silas twisted his ankle. Help me get him to the car. We need to go to the ER."

I looked at Silas, who was faking a look of agony. I smiled.

"Sorry. I can't help."

Stella exploded.

"Jace, this isn't the time to be a jealous prick! He's hurt! Can't you stop being so petty for once?"

"You're supposed to be a man..."

I cut her off. "My leg is broken, Stella. If you can't carry him, I'll call an ambulance for you."

Stella opened and closed her mouth, speechless.

But the disgust on her face was clear.

She was annoyed that her husband was useless and couldn't help her precious Silas.

Since I didn't move, she found something else to scream about.

"Then call the damn ambulance! Why are you just standing there? You're such a jinx!"

"I don't know why I ever married a guy like you!"

I slowly hopped back to the bedroom, called 911, and shut the door.

After the ambulance took him away, I got a text from her.

"Since you hate Silas so much, I'm moving into his place for a few days."

"We both need to cool down. You should think about your behavior."

I stared at the screen and laughed.

Stella was an expert at shifting the blame.

If this were the old me, I would have apologized and hobbled to the hospital to help her.

I would have done anything to keep them from being alone.

But now? I felt lighter than air.

Being alone was actually pretty great.