Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 104

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**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time**
**by Dael Rowan Sire**
**Chapter 104**

Just as my feet touched the ground after disembarking from the plane, my phone rang. The harsh, insistent sound cut through the air, and I instinctively knew it was the police calling.

I found a secluded corner of the bustling airport, away from the chaos, and took a deep breath. The statement I had to give felt like a weight pressing down on my chest, but I managed to relay everything over the phone, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

Before I left the airport, I made a decisive move: I tossed my New York SIM card into the trash bin. It felt oddly liberating, like shedding an old skin I no longer needed.

Once I returned to Maplewood, a quaint little town nestled in the heart of Oregon, I used most of the savings I had painstakingly scraped together during my time in New York to purchase a house outright. It was a modest place, but it felt like a sanctuary.

And then there was Nana. I couldn’t bear the thought of her living alone in the countryside, so I brought her over to live with me. Her presence filled the house with warmth and laughter, a balm for my weary soul.

As for all those designer bags and extravagant gifts that Jaxson had showered me with? I sold them off, one by one, each transaction a step further away from the life I once knew. In the end, they fetched almost two million dollars. It was surreal to think of the value of those items, now transformed into something more meaningful: freedom.

The months that followed were a blur of activity. I immersed myself in market research around Maplewood, laying the groundwork for a boutique that had been a childhood dream of mine. The idea of creating a space filled with beautiful clothes and welcoming smiles excited me.

Opening day arrived, and as I stood behind the counter, I looked out to see Nana’s face beaming with an unstoppable smile—warm, soft, and reminiscent of autumn sunlight filtering through golden leaves.

My friends filled the boutique, their laughter and chatter creating a lively atmosphere that mingled with the rich aroma of fresh coffee and blooming flowers. In that moment, I thought, *Maybe staying here, close to Nana, wouldn’t be so bad after all.*

But then, those late-night hours would creep in, and my mind would inevitably wander back to the five turbulent years I had spent grinding away in New York. No matter how tangled those emotions were, that chapter of my life had shaped me, carved me into the person I had become.

Initially, whenever New York crossed my mind, Jaxson’s cold, detached face would flash before my eyes. The blend of love and hate twisted within me like an unbreakable rope, pulling me from sleep at 3 a.m., leaving me to stare at the ceiling until dawn broke.

For a long time, I believed he would be the one thing I would never conquer, that just thinking about him would cause my chest to tighten with anxiety.

But six months later, while sitting in a bar, I caught a glimpse of someone who looked strikingly similar to him from behind. Even the way he lifted his glass felt oddly familiar, sending a jolt through my heart.

I braced myself for the familiar ache, convinced my heart would plummet. But to my surprise, it didn’t. I felt… nothing. A wave of relief washed over me, and I turned back to my friends, laughter bubbling up once more.

19:24

*Aww, Seven Exes Begged. Cute. Blocked.*

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**Chapter 104**

In that moment, clarity washed over me. Even if the real Jaxson were to appear right in front of me, I could meet his gaze with calm resolve and simply say, “Long time no see.”