A Promise He Never Kept Chapter 08
Oliver’s eyes locked onto me, unscathed and defiant, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. “And what about you?” he challenged. “How come you’re perfectly fine? Don’t think I don’t know your temper by now. Remember when we were kids? You dragged me to the amusement park until our parents called the police—and I was the one who got blamed for it!”
His words hit with a sharp edge, but I refused to back down.
“You never let anything go,” he continued, his voice dripping with accusation. “You’re furious because Abigail took something that belonged to you, so you lashed out. Apologize to her!”
Around us, people were watching, their eyes filled with a strange mix of curiosity and judgment. The atmosphere felt heavy, like the room was holding its breath, waiting for my response.
I let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Fine. I’ll apologize,” I said, my voice low but steady.
Oliver’s posture softened slightly, sensing victory. “See? You don’t even have a boyfriend. Last time, you only said that to—”
I cut him off with a muttered, “Fine, I’ll apologize.” But then, my anger erupted. Raising my voice, I shouted, “Here’s your damn apology!”
Before anyone could react, I spun around and slapped Abigail—who was still cowering behind Oliver—right across the same cheek again.
I flexed my wrist calmly and added, “I’ll send the recording to the group chat later.”
Then, smoothing back my hair, I flashed a bright, almost mocking smile. “Enjoy the replay, everyone.”
That night, I went home quietly, the adrenaline still buzzing through my veins. Later, I met privately with my old mentor, seeking guidance and reassurance.
Once everything was settled, a sense of calm washed over me. I felt steady enough to focus again. I threw myself into my work with renewed determination—buying a place and setting up my own dance studio.
After a relentless month of hard work, we were finally ready to move.
On the plane, my parents’ faces glowed with excitement and hope. For them, this move was the start of an easier, more peaceful chapter. For me, it was a fresh beginning—a promise to become the strength they could rely on.
Then, my phone buzzed with a series of messages.
[Oliver has sent you a friend request.]
[Where did you go?]
[I heard you moved away. Is that true or just a rumor?]
[Please accept my request…]
I sighed, irritation bubbling up, and blocked him.
Half an hour later, Oliver called Mom using Rebecca’s phone. Mom gave me an awkward glance before handing the phone over.
I couldn’t refuse, so I took it.
“Mom said you guys moved. That can’t be true, right?”
The moment his voice reached me, memories flooded back, crashing over me like a tidal wave.
Oliver’s tone was quick and anxious. “You’ve lived there for decades, and my mom said she and your mom promised to stay best friends forever.”
“Maybe people just got it wrong. You’re just traveling or something, right?”
I kept my voice steady, refusing to show any hesitation. “We moved, Oliver. We’re a thousand miles away now.”
We were only renting temporarily, waiting for the renovations on our new place to finish so we could move in before the new year. But there was no reason to share that with Oliver—I’d only answer what he asked.
After a pause, I thought he had hung up, so I said, “If that’s all, I’m hanging up.”
“Wait,” Oliver said twice, his voice softening, almost like a child caught in trouble. “I apologized to you in the group chat about that thing with Abigail the other day, but you didn’t respond. Did you not see it?”
Of course, I had seen it.
I had posted the recording, and the chat had exploded within minutes. Because of that, Oliver had no choice but to tag me publicly and apologize. He even promised to explain everything in person and bring me a gift as a sincere apology.
But I hadn’t replied.
“I saw it,” I said flatly.
Before he could say anything else, I added, “Anything else?”
Oliver sounded disappointed. After all, I used to talk his ear off if we went even a few days without seeing each other.
After a long pause, his voice softened. “You’re still mad about Abigail, aren’t you? You only said you had a boyfriend to get back at me, right?”
I hesitated, the sting of old feelings surfacing.
“I’ve been thinking these past few weeks… What I felt for Abigail was just a passing thing. I can explain everything…”
