Ditching Me for His 'Soulmate'? His Loss. Next Stop: My New Life novel Chapter 51

Chapter 1

“Hey babe, something urgent came up at work,” Samuel’s message blinked on my phone screen.

“I won’t be home tonight,” it continued, cold and brief.

I was carefully placing the final rose into the vase when the text arrived, my hands trembling slightly. The past week had been consumed with planning this perfect Valentine’s Day dinner—every detail meticulously arranged, hoping to surprise him despite his demanding schedule.

Still, I couldn’t help but plead silently to myself: He’s been working non-stop for years now. Can’t he just take one evening off? I had something truly special planned.

I tapped out a quick reply, but before I sent it, a voice message popped up from Samuel. His tone was sharp, laced with irritation.

“Stop being so selfish, okay? The whole company depends on me. It’s not like you’re doing anything important at home. I don’t expect you to understand, but please, don’t make things harder for me. Everything I do is for us. I’ll make it up to you tomorrow.”

His words hit me like a series of invisible knives piercing my chest. Memories flooded back—two years ago, the lab explosion that had taken my right arm in an instant. During those bleak days, Samuel had stepped up, taking over my company and becoming the CEO of Emerson Enterprises. He’d never once made me feel like a burden, and for that, I’d been endlessly grateful.

But now, his voice felt colder, his words sharper than ever before. The candles flickering softly on the table and the carefully prepared meal suddenly seemed like a cruel joke.

“Relax, babe. She’s just a kid fresh out of college. I’m helping her figure out her career. Don’t overthink it.”

He’d even gently cup my face, his eyes sincere as he said, “You’re the only one for me. Lily’s just a mentee. She’s not even on my radar.”

But now, this so-called “mentee” was flaunting their secret connection right in front of me, mocking my trust.

Lily had tagged the location in her post—an upscale lounge downtown. Without hesitation, I grabbed a loose coat to conceal my missing arm and hurried out the door, my mind swirling with a mixture of anger, betrayal, and heartbreak.