So here I go, stepping into my own personal opera of awkward. Curtain up on the drama that is my love life.
Encore, anyone?
CHAPTER29
Adam
Ishould be back home, naked and in bed with Carlie.
Maybe even going for round two. Or three.
At least, that was the fantasy I had in my mind last night.
Instead, my nerves are frayed and my rage is simmering as I drive to St. Mary’s.
Saturday mornings are supposed to be for relaxation—for a brief respite from the week’s chaos. But today, I’m anything but calm.
The Instagram fiasco keeps replaying in my head like a bad movie on a loop.
IG has always been my thing. My place where I felt in control of the narrative and helped make a difference in people’s lives.
Everyone knows that.
Even exes.
I should’ve known Jillian was behind the drama lately. It’s just her style—subtle enough to deny, but obvious to anyone who really knows her. She must be getting one helluva laugh at our expense.
I pull up on the street outside St. Mary’s Hospital. This building, with its state-of-the-art gym, has been a sanctuary for me over the past few years—a place to clear my head and refocus. But today, as I walk through the familiar sliding doors, the hustle of the hospital only adds to the chaos in my head. It feels like just another stop in my quest for answers.
I head directly to the gym, the rhythm of my footsteps matching the rapid beat of my heart. I scan the area, searching for her familiar figure, but Jillian’s nowhere to be seen.
Approaching the front desk, I’m greeted by a guy I don’t recognize.
He looks up, his expression open and friendly.
“Hey, can I help you with something?” he asks, his eyes briefly scanning me up and down. “Oh, Adam. Hi.”
I might not know him, but evidently, he knows me.
“I’m looking for Jillian. Is she here today?” My voice is firmer than I intend, betraying my simmering anger.
He taps a few keys on his computer, his brow furrowing. “Sorry, man, Jillian doesn’t work Saturdays. Is there anything else I can help with?”
Not unless he has the power to snap his fingers and erase Jillian from the planet.
I shake my head and pat the counter in frustration. “Nah, thanks, though.”
I leave the gym, my frustration and irritation ratcheting up a notch. When I get outside, the morning sun does little to lift the darkness clouding my thoughts.
In my car, I sit motionless, gripping the steering wheel.
Right.Saturday. Jillian’s sacred day off.
The realization hits me with a mix of irony and anger. If she can stir up trouble from the shadows, then she can certainly face the music—even on her day off.
I start up the car, the engine’s hum a backdrop to the turmoil in my mind. As I drive to her house, I can’t help but think about how everything has spiraled out of control.
From the moment she cheated on me to right now—Jillian has fucked with me more than I ever thought possible.