Ditching Me for His 'Soulmate'? His Loss. Next Stop: My New Life novel Chapter 68

Chapter 10

Life abroad settled into a gentle rhythm, wrapped in a comforting warmth that I hadn’t known in a long time.

My mother’s health had taken a remarkable turn for the better—she was finally able to recognize me without hesitation, her eyes lighting up whenever I entered the room. It was a relief that filled my heart with quiet joy.

I managed to secure a position as Director of Operations at a modestly sized media company. The salary wasn’t extravagant by any means, but the independence and tranquility it offered made it more than worthwhile.

Though my mom never quite adapted to the local cuisine—steaks and pasta always felt foreign to her—she made sure to fill our home with the aromas of the dishes I’d loved growing up. Her comfort food was a bridge to my past, a taste of home in a new world.

It was because of her cooking that I crossed paths with my husband, Lucas Wilder.

Lucas was an indie film director with a dry, deadpan sense of humor that caught me off guard the first time we met. He was four years my senior, with an easy charm and a genuine warmth beneath his quiet exterior. Most importantly, he was utterly captivated by my mom’s cooking.

Our neighbor, Professor Eleanor—a chic woman who sported ripped jeans and silver-dyed hair—was Lucas’s former mentor from film school. He visited her frequently, which meant I saw him often enough to start exchanging greetings that gradually turned into conversations.

We both hailed from the same city back home, so those small talks quickly became familiar and comfortable.

One afternoon, Lucas dropped by to see Eleanor, but she was out walking her dog. With nowhere else to go, he settled on her doorstep, waiting patiently.

Coincidentally, it was my birthday that day.

My mother had prepared an extravagant feast, the inviting scents wafting through the air, impossible to ignore.

Lucas couldn’t resist the temptation.

“Don’t worry, I’m not just here to mooch off your hospitality,” he joked, holding up a beautifully wrapped box. “This gift covers dinner.”

Inside was a delicate, handcrafted crystal nightlight—an unexpected and thoughtful present.

After we married, Eleanor let me in on a secret: Lucas had asked her to delay him that day, claiming he had “a plan.” It was a small detail, but it made me smile, knowing he had orchestrated that moment.

We returned to the U.S. after spending three years abroad.

At an antique auction, I unexpectedly saw Ryan again.

He looked changed—older, with a darker edge about him. The scar on his left cheek appeared stiff, almost unnatural.

He kept stealing glances at me, as if struggling to find the right words.

I avoided his gaze and turned instead toward the buffet, picking up some mini cakes.

Someone at the table referred to me as “Mrs. Wilder,” and I noticed Ryan overhearing it.

His hand clenched around his wine glass, shattering it, blood seeping through his fingers.

His eyes flicked toward Ryan for the first time that evening.

They exchanged some polite, but clearly forced, words before Lucas handed him a business card.

“Your face looks a little… asymmetrical.”

“I know a plastic surgeon who specializes in that kind of thing,” Lucas added casually. “Might improve your numbers if you stop by.”

I grinned and chimed in, “Don’t mind him, Mr. Dawson. My husband’s just brutally honest.”

Ryan gave a tight-lipped smile and retreated into the crowd, disappearing from sight.

Outside, sunlight poured through the glass windows, casting a warm glow over everything.

A soft breeze drifted by, unnoticed and fleeting.

—

Ditching me for his so-called ‘soulmate’? That’s his loss.

Here’s to the next chapter: my new life.