Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 56

**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time**

Life has a peculiar way of weaving distance between people, and as the months rolled by, I found myself ensconced in silence, deliberately severing ties. I even went so far as to request my parents to refrain from mentioning the Carters or anything related to their family. It was as if I was constructing a fortress around my heart, brick by brick, to shield myself from the echoes of a past that still haunted me.

College life at Stanford became the perfect refuge, a bustling whirlwind that swept me off my feet. I immersed myself in the vibrant atmosphere—joining the photography club was like discovering a new lens through which to view the world, volunteering at the campus radio station filled my days with music and laughter, and balancing a demanding course load kept my mind occupied. The California sun, with its warm embrace, had a magical ability to dissolve the shadows of old memories, transforming them into mere wisps of thought.

Reflecting on my past, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the absurdity of how I had once allowed my entire existence to revolve around a single individual. It was almost comical, really. I found myself recalling Alden’s words, which had resonated with me back then: “Why tie yourself down so young when there’s an entire world out there waiting to be explored?” At that moment, I felt a flicker of gratitude for the choice I had made in coming to Stanford. Sure, the earthquakes were a jarring adjustment and the rent prices were enough to make anyone’s head spin, but there was an undeniable enchantment in a place where flowers blossomed in every season. The biting chill of East Coast winters felt like a distant memory, fading into the background of my new life.

Then came winter break, when my old lab partner, Emma, decided to visit the Bay Area. Maya and I took her to a delightful brunch spot in San Francisco, a hidden gem that buzzed with energy. As we settled into our seats, the conversation inevitably veered toward Aiden.

“He and Madison barely made it a month,” Emma remarked, swirling her mimosa thoughtfully. “Now he’s hopping from one sorority to another at Columbia. Total player. You wouldn’t even recognize him now—he’s completely transformed from that intense valedictorian we knew back in high school. It’s like watching someone grapple with a quarter-life crisis at nineteen.”

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