Broken Rings

Chapter 4

Autumn POV:

After Damian left his number in my planner, I texted him later that night and soon after, we started talking non stop, we would stay up most nights and talk about the book I've read and enjoy.

I soon found out he was the top chef at the restaurant I saw him at, so we would also talk about the favorite meals he likes to cook as well. We never talked about our families, which I'm fine with, maybe he is just a really private person and I will respect his space. I don't talk about mine, because maybe it makes him feel awkward about it.

But sometimes we won't have time to talk to each other, since we both have our own lives, friends, and high demanding jobs, it's hard to find time to talk.

                                     *

I'm currently at work, being an editor at a publishing company, I was doing my usual routine, when my co-worker walks in a cube, telling me that someone is here to see me at the front desk. I wasn't expecting anything or anyone, I went down to the front entrance of the building and there was Mattew's mom, standing there with a large box in her hand and a sly smirk on her face.

I froze, never thinking in a million years that Mattew's mother would come to see me, especially at my job, which she hated. Why would she visit instead of Mattew himself?

Was he that much of a coward?

"What.. are you doing here?" I asked slowly, trying to mentally prepare for what she's going to do or say.

"Oh, honey, don't worry, I'm just here to see how you are holding up" She smiles, fakely.

I cringe, hearing the word "honey" coming from someone who didn't want their son to marry, who didn't want me to work, and wanted me to be a stay at home mother and expected me to have babies. I couldn't trust her then, I'm not trusting her now.

"Okay?" I dragged out, questioning her once more.

"I'm also here" She excitedly says "To return most of the stuff you left at Mattew's apartment, such a shame it had to come to this, if only you had listened to us, then I would have loved you as a daughter-in-law" She states.

She then pushed the large box into my hands, I opened one of the lids, and inside were me and Mattew's memories that we kept together all those years. I felt hurt, not only Mattew had been ghosting me, but it felt like my existence was being completely erased from his life, like I didn't matter at all. And the worst part is his own mother had to bring me back the items we both got together.

Yet again, I felt like I had been slapped in the face by betrayal.

"Well if you excuse me, I have to get back home, have a lovely day Autumn" She said, with a stuipd sly smirk across her face.

I didn't respond, even if I wanted to, what's there to say? I feel like I'm fighting a battle all alone and there is a massive army waiting to kill me.

I felt trapped, it seems like Mattew will taunt me forever, but he gets to move on.

Remembering where I was, I quickly returned to my office with the box in my hands, I set it on the floor far away from me, I'll deal with it when work is over.

I couldn't think or focus for the rest of the day. My mind just wants to explode. I felt like crying all over again, just when it seems like when I have my life finally figured out, life grabs me by the throat and throws me back ten steps, I can't seem to overcome this problem.

Once my shift was over, I hurried out to my car, and threw the stuipd box into the trunk.

I sit in my car, thinking, I don't feel like driving back to my apartment yet. It will just remind me that I won't come home to him, and even though I've accepted it, the thought still hurts me.