The Ex by Freida McFadden(76)

“Oh,” Cassie murmurs.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Lydia holds up what had looked like a perfectly manicured hand, although Cassie now notices several of the fingernails have been chewed on. “You don’t want to talk about your boyfriend’s ex. But I’d like you to hear me out.”

“Okay…”

“The thing is…” Lydia is staring hard at her now, which prompts Cassie to take another sip of wine. “I don’t think Joel ever told you about my relationship with Francesca. Did he?”

Cassie frowns. “No…”

“I didn’t think so.” She crosses her legs and leans forward in her chair. “You see, I was the one who introduced Joel to Francesca.”

Cassie’s mouth falls open. “I… I had no idea.”

Although it makes sense. Now she understands why Lydia was so defensive of Francesca. Why Cassie couldn’t live up.

“Francesca was my sorority sister,” Lydia says. Her eyes have become distant. “My little sister. I remember the first time I saw her walk into the Kappa house. She was taller than all the other freshman girls, and she carried herself like a woman ten years older. There was something about her that made everyone want to get to know her.”

“Oh,” Cassie mumbles because she’s not sure what else to say.

“And when Francesca moved to the city after she graduated,” Lydia continues, “and she started her restaurant, I did everything I could to help her. Because she was still my little sister, and my job was to take care of her. I mean, she was my best friend. Like I said, she was Violet’s godmother.”

“I… I’m very sorry,” Cassie manages.

“You have no idea,” Lydia snorts. “I thought introducing her to Joel would make her life complete. That’s the most important decision a woman can make, you know—who she chooses for her husband. And I couldn’t imagine a better man for her. He was with someone else back then, and I had a sit-down with him—convinced him he could do better. He listened to me.” Lydia’s eyes become moist. “I thought I was helping Francesca.”

“It wasn’t your fault that she…” Cassie can’t bring herself to complete the sentence.

“No, it wasn’t.” Lydia lifts her slightly bloodshot eyes. “It was Joel’s fault.”

Cassie feels a buzzing in her head. It’s not a drunk feeling exactly. It’s something different. She feels almost woozy.

“Joel is responsible for Francesca’s death.” Lydia’s jaw tightens visibly. “He broke up with her and then two weeks later, she killed herself. Tell me he’s not responsible.”

Cassie tugs at her shirt collar. “Is it hot in here?”

There’s a sensation of heat all over her body. God, what’s wrong with her? What kind of wine is this?

“She was pregnant—did you know that?” Lydia says.

It’s the first thing Lydia’s said in the last sixty seconds that got through. “She was?”

Lydia nods. “Do you know what that must have been like for her to get dumped by the man she loved when she was pregnant with his child? No wonder she took her own life!” She frowns. “So when he started dating you, I felt angry that he was moving on. I didn’t think he deserved to be happy.”

“Yes…” Cassie murmurs.

“And that’s why I started following you.”

Cassie’s eyelids feel heavy. She’s trying to focus on what Lydia is saying, but she can’t. She can’t focus on anything. She knows Lydia is trying to tell her something, but she hears each scrap of a phrase individually and is unable to piece it together.

You…

Joel…

Needed to pay…

Never forgive…

And that’s the last thing Cassie remembers before she loses consciousness.





Chapter 55: The Ex


It doesn’t surprise me at all to find Joel in Francesca’s restaurant.

He comes here all the time. Or at least, he used to in the year after Francesca died. A family member of hers bought it and kept the name in her honor. Angela was Francesca’s mother. She had the same name as my grandmother—yet another thing Francesca and I had in common.

But since he’s been with Cassie, Joel hasn’t been here as much. He’s getting over it. He’s been happy again for the first time in a long time.

I walk into the small restaurant that Francesca had once owned. The first time I came here, back when Francesca was still alive and kicking, I had been intensely jealous. She had the man I wanted, and she was living my dream of having her own restaurant. I had always imagined a small Italian bistro just like this one.

Sometimes Dean tells me I should go for it. Follow my dream—open my own restaurant. But I can’t now. Not while Andrew is so young. And once he doesn’t need me anymore, it will be too late. No, that dream has passed me by. But at least I can cook for my little family. Francesca will never cook for anyone ever again.

I enter the restaurant and walk to where Joel is sitting, drinking a glass of wine. He lifts his eyes when I approach his table, and he doesn’t say anything when I fall into the seat across from him.

Joel is still as handsome as he ever was. These days I prefer Dean’s looks though. I never get tired of staring into my husband’s face. But Joel hasn’t lost his old appeal. He looks like he’ll age well. I bet all the women in the ER still hit on him.