The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 28

The polished floor reflected everything like a mirror, and the steady rhythm of their footsteps seemed to fill the entire space with an energy no one could ignore. Passengers just off their flights paused behind the glass, drawn in by the sight.

Inside the quiet cabin of a private jet, Franco flipped through a stack of documents. Jay set a steaming cup of coffee down by his left hand.

“Have someone watching the hospital. Especially Petty. Don’t let her anywhere near Hassan,” Franco said, eyes still glued to his papers.

***

A taxi rolled into Belvedere Heights.

A few years ago, Petty had bought an apartment here. It was close to the TV station, just a ten-minute walk, and she’d picked it up back when she was still an intern, wanting something convenient. At the time, she’d been dreaming about heading overseas as a foreign correspondent, so she hadn’t thought much about it and just bought a simple two-bedroom place.

One bedroom was hers. The other was Hans’s.

She pressed her thumb to the fingerprint lock, stepped inside, and flicked on the lights. The place was spotless, probably thanks to the housekeeper who must have just been there.

Hans liked things clean. Every property he owned got a deep clean every three days, so whenever he finished filming, he could crash wherever he wanted. Her apartment got the same treatment, which meant it was always sparkling and ready to go.

Petty dropped her suitcase by the door, then let herself fall back onto the sofa. She stared up at the white ceiling, not moving, not blinking.

So this was what divorce felt like.

Sign your name, walk away.

The pain wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d imagined.

It all felt strangely unreal.

The marriage she’d forced herself into was finally over.

After her shower, Petty unzipped a hidden pocket in her suitcase and took out her sleeping pills. First night single again. That deserved some kind of celebration, right? At least a good night’s sleep.

But she didn’t fall asleep until late, the medicine finally dragging her under sometime after midnight.

The next morning, she opened her eyes and just lay there for a moment, disoriented. The room looked familiar but distant, and it took her a while to remember—she'd signed the divorce papers.

She and Franco were really over.

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