Chapter 83
The next day, Yvonne drove to a cafe. The staff greeted her warmly familiar with her presence.
Yvonne, wearing an apron, walked in and began roasting coffee beans. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, and her mood
lifted immediately.
“Yvonne, can we meet? It’s Anthony.”
Yvonne already had a pretty good idea why he wanted to see her. The difference was that Anthony was her friend.
Soon enough, Anthony arrived at the cafe. Yvonne was sipping a cup of coffee, tasting the flavor carefully.
Anthony’s gaze landed on her. She wore her hair in a ponytail and was dressed in a hoodie paired with jeans, with no makeup
and no accessories.
“Yvonne, it’s been a while. You seem a little different,” Anthony said.
Smiling, Yvonne asked, “Is it for better or worse?”
Anthony couldn’t lie–the Yvonne before him now radiated a brighter energy, and her relaxed demeanor felt like it came from deep within.
“Why are you wearing their apron? Did you open this place?” he asked.
“No, I’m just roasting the beans here,” Yvonne replied.
Anthony sat across from her and suddenly said, “I really envy Jared. The coffee he drinks is made from beans you personally roast. Can I have a cup too?”
Yvonne was halfway through her coffee. “Sorry, this cup is just a test. The beans aren’t fully roasted yet.”
She called a staff member over to make him a cup of regular coffee.
“You didn’t come here just to talk about coffee, did you?” Yvonne asked.
Anthony didn’t try to hide it. “Yvonne, you and Jared are both my good friends, and I don’t like seeing things between you two like this. Maybe I’m overstepping, but I had to say something.”
He pulled out his phone. Even though Jared’s call with Yvonne the other night had ended abruptly, the former had accidentally recorded the conversation.
“That night when Jared was drunk, he said a lot of things to you–honest things. I think you should hear them,” Anthony said, tapping the screen.
He handed the phone over to Yvonne, but before Jared’s voice could even play, she quickly locked the screen.
“I don’t want to hear things I’m not meant to hear, and I don’t need to hear it now either.”
Anthony was taken aback by her reaction. “Yvonne, I thought you’d at least want to talk to me about it.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Anthony. We’re good friends, but please, no more about him.”
Yvonne finished her coffee and gently set the
cup
down.
No one knew what she’d gone through from the moment she couldn’t move on to the moment she finally did. But now, reconciled with herself. That was why she felt at peace. She’d loved Jared, and now, she truly didn’t.
There were no lingering emotions tied to the past in her eyes. All she had were hopes and goals for the future.
As Anthony looked at her, he wanted to say more. “Of course, we’ve been friends for years.”
But the word “friend” held him back.
she’d
Chapter 83
Just then, Yvonne heard the sound of the coffee roaster and stood up to check on the beans.
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Anthony seemed lost in thought, trapped in memories. He remembered their college days, when Yvonne stood on stage defending Jared. It was a moment that never left his mind.
He’d witnessed too many moments where she’d chosen to love Jared.
What was still holding him back now was knowing that Yvonne still loved Jared. As long as that was the case, he would never do anything to come between them.
He’d carried his affection silently for so many years. He didn’t mind burying it forever. It was an unrequited love, which never had a chance, but at least he got to see her choose her happiness.
Yvonne walked out, holding the freshly roasted coffee beans.
“I’m heading back.”
“Alright, see you next time.”
After she left, Anthony walked over to the counter.
Chapter 84
