Chapter 37 Olivia
OLIVIA
Ipull into my driveway, and the day’s victory fades fast as I catch sight of Pete standing halfway up the drive. So much for a clean ending to the day.
Since I found out about Erin, he’s been trying to talk—calls, texts, messages relayed through Paige—and I’ve ignored every one of them. It’s not my business who he sleeps with anymore, least of all my former friend. But seeing him here, waiting…
For a fleeting second, the thought of Sam finding Pete on my doorstep skitters across my mind, sharp and unsettling.
The idea alone sends a prickling rush down my spine.
Sam showing up last night stunned me, but it also brought immense relief.
Just seeing him, hearing his voice, it was like air after drowning.
We hadn’t had a chance to really talk, not with Alec and Paige around, though I sensed he wanted to. Paige was thrilled to have them both here, basking in their attention. It did my heart good to see her laughing again.
Preparing myself for the inevitable confrontation, I mentally catalogue my day to steady my nerves. It had gone well.
Mrs. Preston signed off on the final designs, the orders are placed, and everything is set to arrive on time. For once, the universe seemed to be aligning in my favor.
And now…this.
I groan under my breath. If anything can unravel a good day, it’s Pete Hayes.
I walk past him, pretending not to see him—an immature move, but I don’t have the bandwidth for this.
“Olivia.” He grabs my arm.
I whirl around to face him and the sharpness in my gaze stops him mid-sentence. “Pete, stop right there. I’m going to make this really simple. We. Are. Divorced.”
Each word lands with deliberate finality.
“Who you sleep with is none of my business. But if it’s one of my friends—yeah, call me crazy or unreasonable—I do expect to be told.”
“I broke it off with Erin. I don’t want her.”
I raise a hand, stopping him cold. “Pete, you and I are over, and it has nothing to do with Erin. The chance to mend our marriage is long gone. I spent the last five years telling you what was missing, what we needed, how to fix it, and it was like talking to a brick wall.”
My tone softens, not out of pity but exhaustion. “You stayed silent, shut me out, and I kept giving you time—days, weeks, months—to come around. You never did. We can’t go back. We’re done.”
He opens his mouth, but I don’t let him speak.
“I’ll always care about you, and yes, I’ll always love you in my own way.
You’re the father of my children. We had something good.
Once. We built a life, made two incredible humans, and shared beautiful memories.
But that’s where it ends. I want us to be civil, to co-parent peacefully, but there is no us anymore. ”
Saying it still hurts, though not for the reason it used to. It’s not longing; it’s grief for a friendship that I’m only now realizing ended long ago.
“Shit, Liv.” His voice is thick with regret.
“I messed up. I know that now. I was a dumbass who thought we’d be together forever.
I buried my head in the sand and thought if I ignored it, it would fix itself.
I can’t imagine my life without you. The days since you left have been the darkest of my life.
I love you. Please, just give us another chance. ”
His words might have broken me open…once upon a time. But now they don’t even ripple the surface. Nothing. Not anger. Not yearning. Just, maybe…sadness.
“Pete, there are no more chances.”
He swallows hard, eyes glassy. “Liv…”
My chest tightens. I don’t want to hurt him, even if he hurt me. He takes my hand, pulling me closer. I let him, just long enough to place my palm flat against his chest, a final gesture, a goodbye that says everything words can’t.
“You’re a good man, Pete. You just couldn’t give me what I needed. I think you know, as well as I do, where things went wrong. And I finally realized I couldn’t keep asking you for something you didn’t have to give.”
Tears sting my eyes, but I hold steady. “I’ve moved on. I’ve found someone who makes me happy. Someone I love deeply. I wish you the best, truly. I hope you find love again. You deserve that.”
He stares at me for a long beat, and under the silver wash of moonlight, I see how much he’s aged, how much we both have. There’s sorrow there, and maybe growth too.
“Olivia,” he sighs, his voice breaking. “I’ll always love you.”
He pulls me into a brief, tender hug and presses a kiss to my hair before letting go.
“Bye, Pete.”
He nods, defeated but composed. “Tell Paige I love her. I’ll call her tomorrow.”
“I will.”
He lingers a moment longer, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find the woman who once loved him. I love that woman, even with her flaws and challenges. How could I not?
She got me to where I am today. She got me Drew and Paige. And ultimately, because of her, I also got Sam. But she’s gone, replaced by someone stronger, clearer, finally free.
The weight that’s been pressing on my chest lifts just enough for me to breathe again.
I stand in the cool night air for a long time after, the wind tugging at my hair, before finally heading inside.
I have no idea what tomorrow will bring with Sam—but tonight, for the first time in years, I know exactly who I am without Pete Hayes.
I know who I am. Period. With or without any man.