Forever and ever 2. The adventure starts now.

Part 200.

~This is the last part of the second book, as I can only publish 200 parts per book. You can find part two of the sequel on my profile, so it's best to put it in your library right away so you don't miss any parts there either.~

Y/N's pov~

I returned home to a surprising letter that had found its way to me. Initially, I didn't expect much as I opened the plain white envelope. Yet, as my eyes met the carefully written script, I couldn't help but feel a sense of surprise. It wasn't often that I received letters that didn't pertain to bills or advertisements.

Dear Y/N,

It's been a while since we last spoke. I truly hope you've settled back into London comfortably.

I must admit, I've seen pictures of your pregnancy circulating online. My deepest congratulations!

I'm writing to let you know that I'll be in London on a business trip from September 29th to October 3rd. I know you mentioned wanting to keep your distance from me, and I respect that. However, I really do regret how things ended between us and have yet to forgive myself for the kiss I impulsively shared with you. I knew you were married to an amazing guy, and still did a selfish act, I shouldn't have done.

To that end, I've taken the liberty of reserving a table for two (or three if Parker would like to join) at Le Grand de Vivre on September 30th at 6 PM. I don't expect you to come, but I would appreciate the chance to see you again and hopefully clarify some things, as I find it unfortunate how our paths diverged.

I hope you're doing well and that we might have one last opportunity for reconciliation.

Warm regards,
Your Clark.

I must have read the letter a dozen of times, for by the end, I knew every word by heart. Even then, I could hardly believe what my eyes had seen. Clark was going to be in London. Clark was coming to London. He'd be here next Saturday, with a table already reserved for us. That left me exactly eight days to make a decision.

A decision that seemed impossibly complicated, considering how Clark no longer fit into the mosaic of my life.

Just this morning, I said goodbye to any remaining hope for a future with Tom. It was a sudden decision, one I made when I woke up at 6 AM and quietly slipped out of the room, but it was a decision made with the best of intentions. A man who had hurt me before could do so again, and who knew how far Tom would go next time? I already feared he wouldn't take my decision well, and I wasn't entirely wrong. His sarcastic remark managed to cut through deeper than a knife ever could. I was never going to find the love again Tom had given me. Even though they were just words, he was right, and I feared the truth in them.

What I had done—leading him on, letting him in, watching him fall—was wrong. It was deceitful, something Tom hadn't expected. I was never completely sure we could find our way back to each other though, but in those moments, it felt too comforting to let go of him. So I held on, held on until I realized there was nothing left to cling to. Not when he said he had changed, not when he thought I had forgiven him. Because I never did. And while my act of giving him false hope was unkind, his betrayal was incomparable. He had taken away all my trust.

The moment I had pushed him away, I thought I saw a glimmer of regret in his eyes—a brief flicker where he might have wished he had never met me.

And it hurt. So deeply that I didn't utter a single word to Ciara and Harry on the drive back. Parker was the only one I occasionally glanced at, but that was it.

On Sunday, the doorbell rang unexpectedly early. Usually, Harry picked up Parker at 3 PM, but it was now just 12. Parker was still at the table with a plate of pasta, broccoli, and ketchup—one of his favorite meals, though it would never top nuggets in his world.