Aww Seven Exes Begged Cute Blocked novel Chapter 60

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**A Promise Written on the Rusted Edge of Time by Dael Rowan Sire**
**Chapter 60**

There’s a familiar adage about breakups: women tend to mourn swiftly, often healing within a month, while men can take an eternity to grasp the magnitude of their loss. And then, inevitably, comes the frantic backpedaling.

For Aiden, the backpedaling arrived rather late. After six long months of exploring new romantic interests and a quiet winter break, he reemerged in my life with an intensity that was both bewildering and exhausting.

I could never quite decipher the excuse he concocted for his absences from Columbia, but it seemed irrelevant as he continued to materialize in California, as if drawn by an invisible thread. Luxurious gifts began to appear on my doorstep—designer handbags, expensive colognes, items I promptly returned without a second thought. Each time I refused his offerings, he would wait outside my dorm for what felt like hours, a stubborn sentinel refusing to budge. When he finally caught sight of me, he would shadow my every move—whether I was heading to class, dining hall, or even just taking a stroll around campus.

Jake, my ever-loyal friend, was caught in a whirlwind of emotions. His amusement was evident, but beneath it lay a current of concern. “You know, most girls don’t have their exes flying across the country just to stalk them,” he would quip, attempting to lighten the tension, though I could hear the underlying worry in his voice.

Mrs. Carter, Aiden’s mother, was relentless in her phone calls, her tone frantic as she expressed her fears about Aiden risking academic probation. “You have to talk some sense into him, Brooklyn! This isn’t just a game!” she pleaded. The irony of it all struck me hard—the perfect son, with everything at his fingertips, squandering it all for the very girl he once took for granted.

Finally, I could no longer remain silent. I confronted him by the bay, the setting sun casting a golden hue over the water, reflecting the turmoil within me.

Aiden erupted the moment I approached. “Why is it that Jake can pursue you, but I can’t? He’s known you for what, five minutes? I’ve known you my entire life! Nobody understands you like I do, and nobody is better for you than me!” His frustration was palpable, filling the air between us.

I couldn’t stifle a laugh, though it was tinged with disbelief. “Really, Aiden? Have you completely erased everything you did? Did you ever consider my feelings? You reveled in having someone idolize you, knowing I would always be there, no matter how poorly you treated me.”

His facade shattered under the weight of my words. “Yes, I messed up,” he admitted, his voice cracking. “I was young and foolish, convinced the world was waiting for me. I didn’t want to be tied down. I owe you a real apology—I’m truly sorry, Brooklyn.”

His tone softened, almost pleading. “But even if you see me as a stranger now, don’t I deserve a chance to win you back? Since you’ve been gone, I’ve been lost. I can’t fathom a life without sharing it with you.”

The evening breeze off the bay whipped around us, and I took a moment to gather my thoughts, weighing my words carefully before speaking.

“You know what I’ve learned since leaving? Real love shouldn’t feel like tiptoeing around a minefield. I can finally be myself; my happiness isn’t dependent on someone else’s mood. Perhaps what I felt for you wasn’t love at all—it could have just been youthful naivety.”

His expression shifted, as if I had struck him with a physical blow. When he finally found his voice, it was small and filled with despair. “But we had plans—college together, grad school, traveling the world. Are you really breaking all those promises?”