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Todos los capítulos de After the Rain, Never See You Again: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

10 Capítulos

Chapter 1

Pain throbbed through my right arm, all the way to the bone.Blood trailed from my fingertips and spattered the wood floor with dark spots.I wrapped my arm in a towel and took a cab alone to the nearest urgent care clinic.The urgent care physician drew a sharp breath when he unwrapped the towel."The glass is embedded deep. I'll need to clean the wound and stitch it up. Are you here alone?"I nodded.The doctor looked at my right arm, then toward the door."You really should have someone with you. Once the local anesthetic kicks in, you'll have trouble holding things, and you still need to confirm your insurance information at the front desk."I accepted the form with my left hand and managed a smile."It's fine. I can manage on my own."The moment my right arm moved, the wound felt like it tore open again.With only my left hand, I fumbled to sign the forms, fish out my ID, and swipe my card.The man in line behind me tapped the counter impatiently."How much longer is this going to

Chapter 2

From our apartment to Kayla's lakeside neighborhood and back was about forty minutes.But Noah left at eleven and didn't get home until two in the morning.For those three hours, my mind ran through scene after scene like a movie reel.Kayla was always getting a sudden urge to visit some shop, some stretch of beach, or some waterfront food-truck row.Did Noah frown as usual, pretend he didn't want to go, and drive her there anyway?Sure enough, he came home complaining."She insisted I take her to Old Harbor for grilled wraps. When I refused, she threatened to call you and complain."He sat on the edge of the bed, touched my hand, and frowned in surprise."Why are you freezing?"He got up, turned the heat up, and tucked the blanket in around me.I buried my face in the pillow and pretended to be asleep.I'd turned the heat down on purpose.I didn't want him to know my hands and feet had been cold all night.Noah washed up for bed and lay down soon after.Before long, his breathing was

Chapter 3

I sent the message at ten in the morning.For a long time, no one replied.At four in the afternoon, Noah finally messaged.Congratulations, Leah. Three years of hard work finally paid off. You're incredible.I sent him the address for the dinner.The typing bubble lingered on his end for a long time.I tapped my mouse absently, closed my eyes, and prayed.When I opened them again, I saw his message.Kayla says the client loved her proposal, but they want a deeper breakdown of the user data.I'll help her break down the data and try to finish early. Then we'll come meet you together.If I don't, she'll bother you all night and ruin your evening.When my first product launched, Noah had promised to celebrate with me.That same day, Kayla's dog developed a sudden kidney infection. She called me sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.I asked Noah to take me to Kayla first.He had genuinely resented it then. The irritation was plain in his eyes."It's our date. Can't we go after we cele

Chapter 4

On the weekend, Kayla came over for dinner.After the meal, Noah went to do the dishes.Kayla's office called. An important client had changed the scope at the last minute, and she had to return for an immediate meeting.Noah came out of the kitchen with his wet hands held in front of him."I'll drive you."He swiped his hands across the apron, untied it, and tossed it onto the couch.He normally couldn't stand anything from the kitchen being carried into the living room.After they left, I went to the kitchen to finish the dishes he'd left half-done.As I scrubbed a pan, I realized it wasn't the one we used to own.Whenever Kayla came for dinner, she had complained that the old pan heated unevenly and left the fish tasting scorched.After that, she never complained again.I picked up my phone and searched for the same model.It was a pure-titanium nonstick pan imported from Germany, priced at nearly $3,000.The pan it replaced was one Noah had complained was too heavy and hard on his

Chapter 5

After a flight and a long bus ride, I finally reached a small coastal town in Maine.Cold, damp wind slipped down my collar.My cousin Emma was waiting at the station."Leah, what brought you back all of a sudden?"In the past, I always came back with Kayla.Eventually Noah started joining us.Emma glanced around."Is Kayla seeing someone? You two always used to come back together."I thought about it for a moment and nodded."Wow, she's so picky. What's her boyfriend like?"Head bowed, I followed the town's cobblestone streets."Her boyfriend's wonderful.""He acts like she's a nuisance, but he remembers everything she likes to eat. He drives out of his way for her, stays up late helping with her presentations, and slowly turns his home into the place she wants it to be.""Wow..."Emma wanted to ask more, but I cut her off."We're almost home. Is Aunt Mae there?"Aunt Mae's house stood just around the corner.She had prepared a huge spread of all my favorites.It had been a long time

Chapter 6

The quiet small-town life lasted a week.That quiet life lasted a week, until one evening I went for a walk by the ocean and found Noah waiting at the entrance to the neighborhood.He stood under a streetlight, dark stubble along his jaw and his coat badly wrinkled."Leah."I took him to a secluded bench in a nearby park."Did you sign the divorce agreement?"Noah looked baffled."Is this about the day you and Kayla fell, when I only thought about getting her to the hospital?""I'm sorry. What I did that day was inexcusable. But..."I cut him off."That day wasn't the cause. It was the last straw."Noah didn't want to hear it."That was one accident. I'm not like that.""Hasn't our marriage always been a happy one?"I looked at him."Thank you for the happiness you gave me over the last five years.""But both people in a marriage deserve to be happy.""Leah, I am happy. Life with you is easy."I closed my eyes for a moment, then met his unreadable gaze again."Am I the reason you're ha

Chapter 7

The month of leave passed quickly.I'd thought the divorce agreement would be signed soon.But Noah sent me snippets of daily life every day and never once mentioned signing.On my first day back at work, there was a bunch of sunflowers on my desk.Beside them sat a half-sweet latte, extra hot.His text arrived moments later.I missed your promotion dinner. I hope the flowers and coffee make up for it.Can we talk at lunch?I chose the new cafe on the ground floor of our office building.I waited for him at the table farthest from the door.He wore the linen blazer I'd bought him, noticeably thinner now."I'm sorry."That was how he began."Not only for choosing Kayla first that day."I listened in silence."I'm sorry because I saw both of you fall.""And I still ran to Kayla first."He was finally willing to admit it."Is that all?" I asked."What about everything else you did for her? Are you still going to pretend none of it meant anything?"He shook his head."I don't know what you

Chapter 8

After I left, Noah messaged me.You stay in the house for now. I'll move out tonight.I replied.Sell it. We'll split the proceeds according to what each of us contributed.There was no reply from his end.That evening, Kayla asked me to dinner.She sat in the restaurant with the same expression, as if none of this could possibly be serious."Every interaction I had with Noah was because he was your husband.""You don't need to end your marriage over this.""Noah is avoiding me now so nobody gets the wrong idea. He asked me to talk to you today, but otherwise he won't even answer my messages."I looked at her."You want us to reconcile because then you can keep everything he does for you without paying the price, don't you?"Kayla froze mid-pour and turned to stare at me."That's really how you see me?""Fine, get another husband. Are you really throwing away more than a decade of friendship too?"I held her gaze and enunciated every word."It's precisely because it's you.""You were t

Chapter 9

Before we listed the bayside apartment we'd bought together, Noah asked me to come see whether I wanted anything left inside.I didn't go.I told him to throw my things away or donate them.The apartment sale closed on the same day the family court's waiting period ended.The deed transfer and final divorce decree became official that day."Leah, I'm sorry."Noah spoke behind me.I turned and gave him a wave."Making someone you love happy should feel good.""You don't have to keep pretending she annoys you."With that, I got into the car I'd called.His message came after.He said he had wanted to do most of those things for Kayla.He apologized for the false front he'd put on around me.He apologized for doing so much for Kayla while claiming it was all for my sake.Reading it, I felt nothing but calm.I replied.You're free. I hope you'll be happy.Kayla asked to meet several times, and I refused every invitation.At last she sent a blunt question.Did you two really get divorced?I

Chapter 10

The new city was drier.It took me half a year to adjust.After the divorce, I threw myself into my career.I finally built the first breakout hit of my career.It was a social app centered on niche interests and communities.Its success earned me another promotion.I also bought a small apartment of my own.I decorated every corner of the place myself.When I walked into my own home, that old feeling was finally gone: the need to take a deep breath before opening the door, to remind myself not to be afraid.I shared that anonymously on the social app I'd built.It wasn't universally relatable, apparently. Only one person replied.Do you hate that person?I wrote that hate took too much energy, and I had none to spare.The stranger asked another question.Are you happy now?I wrote back.I'm at peace.I closed the app and saw a message from Kayla.She asked whether I'd go back to the town for Christmas, and whether we could get together if I had time.I said I wasn't going back.At fir

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