Chapter 14
After a month in Spain, the Sullivans had completed all their paperwork and move into their new home.
The immigration process had kept them busy for nearly two months, leaving the entire family exhausted.
So once everything was settled, the three of them decided to take a beach vacation It was a perfect autumn day with clear skies and a gentle breeze. Autumn lay on a lounge chair watching the waves come and go, her mind finally starting to relax. She casually opened her phone and was flooded with messages from friends back
home.
“MAJOR GOSSIP ALERT! Autumn, did you hear Ryder and Elle’s wedding fell apart? LMAOOOOO!”
“You should’ve seen Elle’s face–totally DERANGED! And Ryder got slapped TWICE! You missed the drama of the century!”
“Told you these rush engagements never last! Hahaha, they broke up ON THEIR WEDDING DAY! I’m dying!”
Message after message, all saying essentially the same thing.
Autumn found it all rather boring.
She had just closed her phone when her mother sat down beside her with two glasses of juice, handing one to her daughter with a relaxed, happy tone. “You’ve been sitting here motionless for hours. Is this your idea of a vacation?” Autumn took a sip, her voice lazy and content.
“What else would it be? Sitting here watching all the hot people walk by–perfect day if you ask me.”
Her mother couldn’t argue with that logic.
They chatted for a few more minutes before her mother gave up trying to coax her into the water and wandered off with her phone.
Autumn adjusted her sun hat and was about to apply more sunscreen when her
mother’s phone rang.
She saw it was Mrs. Caldwell calling. After hesitating for a few seconds, she answered.
“Victoria, we’re in Madrid. Are you home?”
Madrid?
We??
Autumn’s eyelid twitched as a sense of foreboding washed over her.
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But since this was her mother’s friend calling, she had to be polite. “Mrs. Caldwell, why are you in Spain? We’re in Barcelona right now.” Hearing Autumn’s voice, Mrs. Caldwell’s tone immediately softened, tinged with apology.
“Oh, Autumn! Could you share your location in Barcelona? We’d like to come see you. There are some things we need to discuss.”
Though she was vague, Autumn’s intuition told her this had something to do with Ryder and Elle’s canceled wedding.
After thinking for just a few seconds, she responded directly.
“Is there something specific you wanted to talk about?”
There was silence for a moment before Autumn heard a familiar deep voice.
“It’s me. Elle and I called off the wedding. My parents know everything about us now. We want to talk to you and your parents, to apologize properly.”
Apologize?
Hearing that word from Ryder’s mouth, Autumn couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “That won’t be necessary.”
Those three words shut down anything else he might have said.
Hearing his breathing quicken with anxiety, Autumn showed no mercy as she
continued coldly.
“Whatever was between us ended completely a month ago. We won’t have any contact in the future. Tell your parents I don’t want to discuss this, and they don’t need to apologize. In my heart, they will always be like family to me, regardless of anything that’s happened–including you.”
Her words cut into Ryder’s heart like a blade, tearing open endless pain.
But he understood better than anyone that he was the architect of this disaster. He had no one to blame but himself and could only bear the consequences. Now, he couldn’t bring himself to say a harsh word to her. He could only lower his pride and beg.
“Autumn, please don’t be angry. I can explain everything. Just give me one more chance, okay?”
It was strange hearing such a humble tone from him. Autumn wasn’t used to it. Though she didn’t know what new act Ryder was putting on, she was done playing along with his performance and told him point–blank:
“There’s nothing left to talk about between us. Just tell your parents we won’t be in
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contact anymore, then go back to Boston. That’s it.”
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Being hung up on yet again, Ryder felt a profound sense of helplessness wash over him. The light in his eyes dimmed considerably.
Just seeing his expression, his parents realized something was wrong, their tone
becoming more urgent.
“What did Autumn say?”
Even now, Ryder still couldn’t tell his parents that he and Autumn had reached the point of never wanting to see each other again.
So he couldn’t bring himself to repeat her harsh words, instead saying vaguely: “She doesn’t want her parents to know about this, so she’s not interested in meeting. She wants us to go home.”
Hearing this, his parents‘ hearts sank.
When they first learned about the situation, they’d hoped that with everything out in the open, the two young people might reconcile and even eventually marry, bringing the families even closer.
But the most important thing was respecting their children’s feelings.
And judging by Autumn’s attitude, that possibility seemed increasingly remote. They both sighed simultaneously, furrowing their brows.
“If Autumn doesn’t want to meet, then so be it. But ultimately, you’re the one who wronged her. You still need to properly apologize. We can’t let your mistakes ruin the decades–long friendship between our families.”
Ryder couldn’t say a word, his mood darkening further. The three of them booked direct flights to Barcelona,
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