After the Fireworks Faded

CHAPTER 1

Ashley’s POV

As I stared at my phone, I realized that I was alone again.

It was my 22nd birthday and I had cleared out my whole day, even though I had a lot of work to do to spend the day with my boyfriend, Jared.

We had made plans three months ago because Jared is a very busy man considering the nature of his job. He was the heir to a powerful Mafia Lord and he had to step in for his father at many events.

I dialed his number, hoping that he would pick up my call.

The moments I had spent with him had reduced several times because he said he had a big project. I tried not to pry too much, but part of me worried because of the nature of his job.

The other part of me worried because of Sara, his first love, who just returned to the city.

“Jared. Pick up.” I dialed his number again.

My call went to call forwarding and then it was cut.

As I paced around my small living room, I tried not to think too much about all the things that could’ve gone wrong with Jared. He always had to be on the lookout for enemies.

A message dropped on my phone the next minute: Something urgent came up.

I took a deep breath as I sat on the couch and took some of my anxiety pills. Dating Jared had not been as stress free as I thought it would be, but it was worth it because I loved him. And he saved me once when some men from a rival gang tried to kidnap me.

I texted back: Will I see you today?

It felt like I waited for an eternity for him to reply.

During that time, my mind went back to all of our previous dates that had been cancelled on such short notice. Like a picnic in the park or riding a bicycle alone.

It didn’t matter what kind of date it was or how little it seemed, Jared would show up and when he wouldn’t he would always send a detailed message about why he couldn’t come and when I could expect to see him again.

But I do not see that now.

All I could see was my ice cream melting and the food getting cold. I rushed the chocolate ice cream cake to the freezer.

But as I did, I remembered our last date.

Jared promised to meet me at the ice cream shop. I waited for him to show up. He said he was just around the corner, but when 15 minutes had passed without me seeing him, I called him.

Only to find out that he had run to Sara’s aid. She needed help moving her couch in the opposite direction in her room. And even though Jared had men he could send to do the work, he chose to go by himself.

I tried to put the thought aside.

Today is my birthday. Surely, Jared wouldn’t leave me for his former High School Lover, right?

It was like the universe heard my question because a notification on social media about a viral live video popped into my phone.

The caption read: Sara Morelli Written in Fireworks.

Jared’s former love was now an international model loved by all so it made sense that her video was on social media.

I clicked the video, and the first sight cut my heart in two.

It was my birthday, but my boyfriend was on a cruise ship holding hands with Sara.

I didn’t know whether to cry or to bash my head against the wall.

Here I was on my birthday, alone in my small apartment with all the windows shut because Jared had insisted on privacy as part of his mafia protection, but in public view he was holding the hands of another woman and pointing into the sky.

My heart sadness even more as I watched him laugh at something she said. What could be so funny?

The fireworks exploded again. Truly, her name was written with fireworks.

Jared had never performed such a large gesture for me.

He always just told me to be grateful for what I had because many women also wanted him.

He was right about those many women. Sara was the chief of them all. She always found new ways to insert herself between us, especially when she knew that Jared and I were to be together.

I watched him lean towards her and whisper into her ears.

I decided that I had enough and called his phone.

He didn’t pick until the third call. “Ashley, why do you want to blow up your phone?”

“Excuse me for interrupting your very private date.” I was as sarcastic as I could manage without sounding rude.

“I’m busy at work.” Jared said.

Before, I would never have doubted him if he said he was busy at work, but now, I think he sees me as a fool, hoping that I would never find out about him and Sara.

“I can see how busy you are. And maybe when you’re done, you’ll propose to Sara with fireworks too.”

“Are you calling me a liar?”

“If you don’t want me to call you worse, tell me where you are right now?”

“I’m at work. Calm down.” Jared yelled at me over the phone.

But I could see him on the video responding to my call. If Sara could make him lie to me on my birthday. Then there was no point in sustaining a relationship that is not based on truth.

“Enjoy your cruise but don’t even dare think of coming back home to me.”

“What makes you so bold to accuse me of such?” He demanded anger in his voice.

“It doesn’t matter, Mr. Social-Media-Couple-of-the-year. Enjoy your life with Sara. We’re through.”

With that, I ended the call and sat on my couch.

Shortly after, the livestream ended, Jared tried to call me but I put my phone on flight mode as I prepared to eat my ice cream cake all my myself with tears running down my face.

It was good that Jared got a taste of his own medicine. It was my time to be busy too.

CHAPTER 2

Ashley’s POV

The next day, I was able to leave work a little earlier than usual.

At exactly 6:05, I stepped out of my office. As I did, I heard a car beep. I looked at the car park and recognized Jared's sports car.

I kept walking, pulling the strap of my bag higher on my shoulders. The bus stop was just past the office and down the corner.

"Babe!" He yelled out.

I increased my footsteps as though I could not hear him speaking. He started to drive towards me, so I cut across the lawn, knowing he wouldn't drive that way.

He had tried sending me messages on all social media platforms. Then he sent a delivery guy with two bouquets of roses to my office and a note asking me to call him. I ignored him all day.

He had also tried to get some of his friends to apologize to me.

My phone started to ring. I looked at the call and realized that it was Jared calling me. I cut the call. and hurried to the bus stop.

The bus arrived and I got on the bus.

Just then Jared's car tore down the path, knocking off the brick fence that separated my office from the bus stop. The front of his car had been messed up by the bricks that hit it. He was aiming for the bus.

I turned to the driver and screamed. "He's stalking me. Please, drive."

The driver nodded, then shut the door just as Jared got to us.

Jared hit the door with his car just as the driver started to move and I settled into my chair, covering my face, so he couldn't see me.

He started to run out of his car but the driver sped off.

If he wanted Sara, then he could spend all his time with her. I didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

I got to my apartment complex in thirty minutes. I tried to hurry up the staircase knowing that Jared would have driven behind the bus, even though we lost sight of him at the second bus stop.

I got to my door to see my boyfriend standing in front, wearing a smirk. "Thought you could escape, huh?"

"Leave me, Jared. Or I'll —"

"Or you'll what?" Jared walked to me.

I turned away from him. "I don't want to see you."

Jared pulled my eyes away from my face and stared at me. "Why weren't you answering my calls?"

"I thought you were busy with work. I mean, Sara." I put up a smile as I dug inside my bag for my keys.

It would be hard to get around Jared to get into the house, but I needed to.

But now, all I could remember was how he leaned against Sara's shoulder in that video. In the eyes of the world, they seemed like a couple. While my relationship with Jared was hidden from most people who knew me.

"About yesterday —" he started.

"I'm not interested. As you can see, I still have a lot of work to do." I tried to walk around him.

He placed himself in front of where I would swipe the key card. "I'm trying to make up for yesterday."

"Sorry, a birthday only happens once a year. Try again next year. Or don't. I don't care."

"I'm sorry okay. I got you a gift." He reached into his pocket and grabbed out a diamond bracelet and strapped it around my wrist. "I wanted to take you to dinner today."

I almost turned to him. My fridge was empty and I had was a single ramen packet. With the work I had to do, I wasn't ready to go get groceries but I could grab something.

"Okay, where?"

Jared smiled. But it pained me that I saw the online version of the smile first. He put his hand around me and started to lead me down the stairs.

"I'm not properly dressed."

"Don't worry. We'll be around friends."

I shrugged his hand off. "Friends? Who? Will Sara be there?"

"Listen, not everything is about Sara okay. It's Kimberly's birthday. We're both her friends."

"I think we should reschedule."

So, he couldn't show up for my birthday, but he expected me to show up for his friend's.

Jared grabbed my wrist to prevent me from leaving. "We can't reschedule. Do you understand how busy my schedule is?"

Jared convinced me to come along with him to dinner. It was held on the ground floor of one of his father's restaurants.

I was kind of hoping that Sara wouldn't show up. I wanted her to have one of the many health problems that allowed her to take Jared away from me.

But the worst thing happened. Sara was there and dressed in the dinner dress. Same with everyone else around there.

I was the only one who looked like I was just coming from work.

I couldn't even deny that the atmosphere changed as soon as I stepped in. Everyone stopped talking and started staring at me and shared as they whispered.

"Oh, you made it." Sara rose out of her seat and hugged my boyfriend as if he was mine.

I took my hand out of his, expecting him to say something, but he didn't.

"Wow, I didn't think Ashley would actually come." Kim said. "There's just one seat left."

"Well, we can always fit one seat at the end of the table for Ashley." Sara said, grabbing my boyfriend's hand and pulling him across the room to the empty seat beside hers.

I watched them sit side-by-side while I was given a small excuse for a chair at the end of the table with two total strangers.

Everyone looked between me and Jared, expecting me to say something. Because it didn't look like Kim's birthday. It looked more like an engagement party for Sara and Jared.

To ease the tension, I took a sip of wine, then raised my glass. "Cheers to the birthday girl."

There were a few murmurs around the table and soon everyone was talking among themselves, leaving me to watch Sara feed my boyfriend from her own plate.

Kimberly seemed to catch my look because she pointed at me and Sara turned, sitting properly and saying, "Oh yeah, I should thank you for yesterday."

"What for?" I stabbed my potatoes.

"Lending me your boyfriend. The fireworks were absolutely amazing. Hope you're not angry about it?" Sara smiled like she had won a battle.

Everyone turned to me, awaiting my answer.