Dahlia's POV
"Lorena, isn't tonight a little soon?" I hesitated.
"Trust me, the fastest way to get over one man is to get under another one. It's Psychology 101!" Lorena's voice bubbled with excitement.
"But—"
"Dahlia, please tell me you're not thinking about crawling back to that waste of space," Lorena interrupted, her tone sharp with concern.
"Absolutely not." The words came out harder than I intended. I took a breath and softened my voice. "Fine. Let's do this."
"Perfect! I'll text you the details in a few minutes. Don't you dare bail on me."
After hanging up, I found myself smiling—the first genuine smile I'd managed in days.
Smart women don't fall in love easily, and I'd wasted years on Cobb. But strangely, the finality of our breakup didn't hurt as much as I'd expected. Maybe all that accumulated disappointment had numbed me to the pain.
I felt hollow rather than heartbroken. Empty, but not devastated.
Lorena's text arrived with the restaurant details—some trendy downtown spot that had been all over social media lately.
Fall had settled over the city, painting the maple trees in brilliant reds. A crisp breeze cut through my jacket, making me shiver.
I walked past a row of small restaurants near the hospital, and one particular smell stopped me in my tracks. Spicy cheese fondue.
Cobb despised spicy food. For years, I hadn't touched so much as a jalapeño because he claimed it was "unhealthy" and "hard on the stomach." I'd eliminated an entire food group from my diet to accommodate his preferences.
I ordered the largest bowl they had, extra spicy, with a side of roasted garlic bread.
Garlic was another thing Cobb couldn't tolerate. Even when he wasn't around, I'd avoided it, terrified the smell might linger and offend him later.
The first bite hit my tongue like fire, and tears sprang to my eyes—not from the heat, but from the realization of how much I'd sacrificed.
There had never been a fairy tale. Cobb had never treated me like I was special. I was always the one compromising, shrinking myself smaller and smaller, while he remained completely unchanged, taking my sacrifices for granted.
I'd been slowly erasing myself for years.
After finishing my meal, I checked my phone and saw the deposit from my house sale had cleared. The sight of that number lifted my spirits considerably.
At least those years hadn't been completely wasted. I'd saved enough to buy my place outright, and I'd sold it for forty percent more than I'd paid. Money, unlike men, was dependable.
A friend request popped up on my phone as I walked. Probably the blind date Lorena had arranged.
The profile showed only a generic landscape photo that seemed vaguely familiar.
I accepted the request just as Taryn texted me.
Mom was still furious. Taryn suggested I go home and rest—my suitcase was waiting in the security office. I grimaced, already anticipating the confrontation.
Of course Mom was upset. If she knew Cobb had been cheating, she'd be ready to wage war on the entire Zaid family.
As I collected my luggage, Taryn sent another message asking about my supposed new love interest. I laughed bitterly. Why had Mom accepted that story so easily?
After thinking about it, I realized Mom wasn't entirely wrong. If there hadn't been someone else—even hypothetically—I wouldn't have ended an engagement so abruptly and fled home.
Before I could respond, Taryn called.
"Dahlia, we need to be realistic here," she said, sounding worried.
"Aunt Taryn, if Mom finds out Cobb cheated and hit me, do you really think she'll just let the Zaid family walk away?" I asked.
Silence stretched between us as she considered this. "So how do you plan to handle it?"
I chewed my lip. "I'll figure something out."
"Just remember, your mother's health is fragile. I can't handle another crisis. Go home and rest."
I hung up and climbed into a taxi, unable to shake the image of that devastatingly handsome face—Soren.
When I got home, I collapsed into bed and slept until evening. Lorena's call jarred me awake.
"Please tell me you're not still sleeping."
I rolled over, groggy and disoriented. "Are you off work?"
"It's perfectly acceptable for a woman to keep a man waiting, but don't push it too far. Call me after dinner—we're getting you properly drunk tonight."
I bolted upright, suddenly remembering. "Oh God, I completely forgot about the date!"
I rushed through a shower and threw on the first decent outfit I could find. It wasn't until I was in the cab that I realized this date wouldn't involve Cobb's constant judgment and criticism.
Watching the city lights blur past the window, I felt something close to anticipation. Cobb used to claim he loved me, but I could see clearly now when that had stopped being true.
He hadn't chosen me—he'd settled for me. Deep down, I'd always known, but I'd chosen to ignore the signs.
Finally, I was choosing to let go.
I arrived at the restaurant thirty minutes early. The place was usually packed, but tonight it was eerily empty except for a single other patron.
I hesitated, wondering if I had the wrong location, when a waitress approached.
"Are you here to dine?"
I nodded awkwardly. "I have a reservation for table nine. I might be a bit early."
The waitress paused, then her expression shifted to something almost reverent. "He's already waiting for you. Please follow me."
My heart sank. Had Lorena set me up with some old man? I'd joked about wanting someone mature, but not someone who could be my father.
Still, I was impressed by his punctuality—arriving thirty minutes early showed real consideration.
As we walked deeper into the restaurant, I glanced at the waitress. "Why is it so empty tonight?"
"He prefers privacy," she replied smoothly.
I stayed quiet, my curiosity building. Just who had Lorena found for me?
The man sat with his back to me, wearing an impeccably tailored black suit. From behind, his build suggested someone younger than I'd feared.
"Sir, your guest has arrived," the waitress announced.
He nodded slightly, his elegant fingers adjusting his tie with casual confidence. When he turned around, a slow, devastating smile spread across his face.
"Hello, I'm Soren Zaid."