Heart of Stone (Parts I & II)

II. Chapter 17 | Aubree

Aubree stared at the space between her and him. "I'm sorry, Dan. I wish it didn't have to end like this. I-I wish—"

Head in his hands, Dan sobbed and it nearly tore her in two. On one hand, she knew she had to leave, and on the other, she felt inclined to stay and comfort him.

How could she do this to him?

Turning to walk away took every ounce of strength she had. One step forward, and then another.

"How?"

His voice made her pause, gripping her purse tightly to her chest.

"I waited for you," he said. "How could you do this to us?"

His voice was hoarse and strained. The sound of it broke her resolve and she couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears sprang to her eyes and she squeezed them shut as she locked her jaw.

"How could you—"

She cut him off as she whirled back to face him. "I didn't ask for this!"

The tears were flowing uncontrollably down her cheeks now and as much as she wanted to hold herself together, she couldn't.

Dan sprang to his feet and glared down at her. "Then why, Bree? Why would you do this? You agreed to marry me even though there was already someone else?"

I didn't have a choice! She wanted to scream, but all she could do was sob loudly and hold herself. She couldn't tell him that she did it because she loved him. How could he understand that?

I did it to save you. To protect you.

I love you enough to let you go.

"Because," she began as Dan stepped in front of her, "I won't be happy without him."

It was true, or at least partially true. She was sure that over time, Stone, and only Stone, would be the one capable of making her truly happy. That was their bond, was it not?

"Really?" he asked, an inkling of doubt evident in his voice. "Then why are you crying, Bree? If you love him and not me, then why are you crying?"

She couldn't answer him, but she knew she had to get out of there immediately before she lost her nerve.

Suddenly, her face was in his hands and his lips on hers. Shock rendered her immobile as his lips moved over hers in desperation.

He pulled away when she didn't kiss him back and hung his head, his hair falling in his eyes. "I know you still love me."

Her feet picked her up and carried her out of there before she could even fathom what had happened.

Dan loved her. He would have given her the world and anything she had asked for.

Stone wouldn't give her the family she had always dreamed of. He could barely even touch her.

As the night wore on, Aubree's mind replayed the scenes of her break-up with Dan over and over again. She couldn't help questioning whether or not she'd made a mistake.

She had loved him. A small part of her still loved him.

Her body wracked with sobs for an hour until she was so exhausted and her stomach was bunched up in so many knots that she couldn't take it any longer. She drew herself a bath to relax her muscles before returning to bed and falling asleep for a few more hours.

When she woke up, early morning sunlight was streaming through the window, but she couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. She didn't want to see anyone—especially Stone.