Chapter 2

2.

The next morning, I was about to call my boss to request time off for my parents when a text came from my mom.

"Your dad and I decided to head back early. Work hard and come visit us when you can."

I froze. I immediately called her.

"Mom, why are you leaving so soon?"

Her voice was gentle. "Your dad is itching to go fishing with your uncle. It's fine, Silas."

"We're boarding now. Talk to you later."

As the line went dead, I felt a crushing sense of guilt.

My city was only a short flight away from my hometown.

But for the past few years, my entire world revolved around Lyra. I rarely went home.

A sudden thought sparked in my mind. I got up and drove straight to the office.

"Mr. Henderson, I want to take that transfer to the Miami branch."

My manager looked surprised. He had offered me the position months ago, but I had always refused because of Lyra.

"What changed? I told you before, that branch manager position is yours if you want it."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I just realized that nothing is more important than my career and my family right now."

Mr. Henderson smiled and handed me the paperwork.

As I walked out of his office, Lyra called. Her voice was shrill and frantic.

"Silas, why didn't you wake me up? Where is my breakfast? I have a huge client meeting today!"

I listened to her entitled demands and laughed at myself.

"Lyra, I'm not your maid. I don't owe you a damn thing."

"Silas Grant, you think you're so―"

I hung up. I didn't want to hear another word.

For five years, I had treated her like a queen.

I cooked every meal. I did all the chores. I even laid out her clothes for her every morning.

My devotion had made her believe she was entitled to it. The moment I stopped, I was the villain.

I was so relieved I had finally woken up from the nightmare.

Once I decided to let her go, my productivity skyrocketed. Tasks that usually took a day were finished in hours.

When I stepped out of the office, it was raining. Lyra called again.

"You're off work, right? I didn't drive today. Go home, get the car, and come pick up Jace and me."

She said it so naturally. She even expected me to pick up her "childhood friend."

I wondered how much of a pathetic loser she thought I was. Did she really think I'd drive through a storm to chauffeur them?

"I'm busy."

I hung up and hailed an Uber.

Back home, I ordered a huge spread of greasy, spicy street tacos and extra-hot wings.

I loved spicy food, but Lyra always claimed it was "low class" and "dirty."

She refused to eat it and forbade me from bringing it into the house.

But I remembered a photo Jace had posted a while back. It showed Lyra in her expensive power suit, sitting at a plastic table eating those same "low class" tacos with him.

Her likes and dislikes were selective. I just wasn't the person she'd compromise for.

I was halfway through a beer and my wings when Lyra and Jace walked in.

They were soaking wet and miserable. They looked at me, sitting there comfortably in my pajamas, and Lyra exploded.

"Silas! Is this what you meant by being 'busy'?"

"So what if I missed one dinner with your parents? It's not like they're dead! Why do you have to be so petty?"