The night before the banquet, I sank into a hot bath, letting the water soothe my nerves. Maybe it was the steam, or maybe it was the memories, but my emotions felt raw.
For the first time in a week, I turned on my old phone.
It vibrated violently in my hand. A bombardment of 99+ notifications flooded the screen, nearly causing the device to freeze. Messages and missed calls from unfamiliar numbers.
I scanned them briefly.
Jackson.
**Jackson Sharp:** [Maya Henson, have you made enough trouble yet? Come back now, and I'll pretend none of this happened!]
**Jackson Sharp:** [How did you do it? I didn't sign anything—why has the cooling-off period started?]
As I scrolled down, his attitude shifted. The arrogance crumbled into desperation.
**Jackson Sharp:** [Please, Maya. I was wrong... Honey, come back, okay? As long as you come back, I'll cut off all those women. I swear.]
**Jackson Sharp:** [What will it take for you to forgive me? Are you telling me our feelings these past few years were fake? You can't be willing to part with me... Honey, where are you?]
**Jackson Sharp:** [Divorce or not, can you just see me once? Don't disappear like this. I really know I was wrong...]