I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 25

A sunrise?

For a moment, Natalie was lost in a memory from two years ago. She had told him she wanted to see the sun rise over the ocean, to witness that vast, breathtaking moment. They had already watched one from a mountaintop, and he had promised her more—from a beach, a snow-capped peak, from every corner of the world. They would see every sunrise together.

But after making that promise, they had never gone anywhere to see a sunrise again.

Natalie stepped out of the car. A cool, salty breeze drifted in from the sea, and the rhythmic crash of waves sounded like nature’s own beautiful melody. A few couples strolled hand-in-hand along the shore. As her feet sank into the soft sand, all her worries seemed to melt away, leaving her feeling relaxed and alone in the vastness of the universe.

“The wind is chilly. Put this on.” Alexander’s voice was beside her. A second later, a soft fleece blanket was draped over her shoulders. He smiled faintly. “I’m going to get some water. Wait for me here.”

His voice was as gentle as the water, warm and comforting, and for a fleeting moment, Natalie felt as if she had been transported back to the beginning of their relationship. Before she could respond, he had already turned and walked away.

The soft fleece brushed against her cheek, feeling as if it were slowly, gently abrading her heart. Another gust of wind blew in from the sea, and she pulled the blanket tighter around herself.

Her phone vibrated. She pulled it out to find a junk notification from some app. As she was about to put it away, her thumb accidentally brushed the screen, opening up her social media feed.

The first post was from Camila.

[New Year’s Eve last year, watching the sunrise from a snowy mountain. There’s a saying that whoever you kiss as the new year begins, you’ll grow closer to in the coming year. Please don’t be mad at me anymore, okay?]

Beneath the text was a selfie. Amidst a vast expanse of snow, the wind whipping through a woman’s hair, she was pressing a kiss to a man’s cheek. The man, seen clearly in profile, was Alexander.

So, the promises he had made to her had been fulfilled with another woman. And his strange behavior tonight? It was nothing more than a reaction to his anger at Camila for going on a blind date. He was just using her as a tool, as always.

Natalie let out a self-deprecating laugh. She liked the post, then closed the app.

Suddenly, a call came through from Eugene Ramirez. Natalie answered.

“Not watching anymore? Where are you going?”

She had just turned when she saw Alexander standing a short distance behind her. His gaze was cold.

“I’m not feeling well,” she said, her voice still thick with emotion. “I want to go back.”

Alexander stared at her for a moment before slowly walking closer. “What do you think of this spot for a sunrise?”

Her mind was numb, her answer mechanical. “The view is good. It’s facing east. It’s a great spot.”

“If you say it’s great, then it must be,” he said, pausing before adding with casual cruelty, “Camila has always wanted to see a sunrise by the sea. I guess tonight was just a trial run.”