Lost Me Gained Regret

When I first met Mark and Bryant, I thought they were much alike. Both had that calm, reserved, and steady vibe.

But boy, I was so wrong. Mark's composure and gentleness came from deep within, but Bryant was a different story.

Take the present as an instance. Mark dropped a subject out of politeness, not wanting to pry into personal matters, while Bryant? He didn't ask because he genuinely didn't care. Bryant's heart wasn't in it.

We were at the party that lasted till nearly midnight, and Steven was already rallying us for round two par Knowing I was pregnant and shouldn't be up late, Christine insisted on taking me home. That was when Steven suggested, "Let Mark drive her. He's not much of a night owl, either."

Christine agreed.

But I was worried about her and tried to refuse

"Come on, get in the car," Christine said, reading my mind and nudging me toward Mark's car with a meaningful look. "Don't worry. I can handle myself. Men are like the fish in the sea, and I'm not about to start fishing. I want the whole ocean!" she declared with a laugh. I pinched her radiant cheek. "Fine, call me if you need anything."

Mark got into the car, too.

Feeling awkward, I said, "Mark, I live on Grand Peace Avenue. Is that on your way? I can take a cab if it's not."

"Since when are we so formal?" he joked, handing me his phone. "Could you set up the navigation? I haven't been around for years. Not too familiar with the roads."

"Sure." I took his phone.

RiverCity never slept. Even at this hour, downtown was still brightly lit.

I worried the long silence would be awkward, but Mark always knew what to say to keep the conversation going. Being around him was like a breath of fresh air.

Maybe his stable demeanor made me ask, "Mark, how do you handle things when you hit a rough patch?"

He furrowed his brows slightly, stopping at a red light, and turned to me. "Don't worry, there's always a way."

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His calm yet resolute tone eased the tension I'd felt all night. About twenty minutes later, we pulled up in front of my house.

He handed me a gift bag as I got out, "A little something for you. Hope you like it."

"Thanks, Mark!" I smiled, feeling,much better. "Let me treat you to dinner sometime when you're free."

"It's a deal." He smiled softly and added, "Ensure you're eating well. You've lost weight. Don't get malnourished."

I didn't think much of it. "Okay, I will."

I waited for him to leave before going inside, but he spoke first, "Go on. I'll wait until you're safely inside. Wouldn't want to fail the task Steven gave me."

"Okay then, drive safe." With that, I turned and went into the house.

By that time, Emma had gone to bed, leaving a light on for me. The house was so quiet.

After showering, I checked my phone before bed.

There were loads of messages, but not a single one from Bryant. I was thought the worst case scenario w him not coming home for the night. But it turned out that I was in for an even bigger "surprise."

With so much on my mind, I struggled to fall asleep and woke up near noon, starving.

Heading downstairs, I noticed an unfamiliar suitcase in the living room and heard voices. other than Emma's. One was eerily familiar.

Frowning, I scanned the room until my gaze landed on the kitchen. m

He'd reach out, and she knew to hand him the salt. Another reach, and she passed him a paper towel. Their synchrony was uncanny.