A Message From My Ex (Completed)

Prologue

Edited by: Dan_ishere

Dedicated to brookieismyname for making my wonderful book trailer.  Go fan and check her out if you want your own book trailer :)

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Guilty.   That was how Linsdey had felt on the night of December 19, 2010. It was supposed to be great; it was her and Chris' ten year anniversary. Ten years. That was a long time to be a couple. Yet Chris had never even popped up the big question. Maybe tonight was the night he would.

It didn't feel right for Lindsey. It was a night of magic. Chris had made sure of it. They were staying in his uncle's big summer house over at Long Island where no one could have disturbed them. First, a walk down the park, then a romantic homemade dinner and finally, bed.

Lindsey wasn't a bad person. In fact, she was the best girlfriend ever, as Chris had always described her. But she wanted to do it. How would Chris have reacted if she made that choice? It would have broken his heart.   Actually, cross that. Of course it would—they had been together for ten years!   Lindsey could not concentrate on how wonderful the evening really was. Any girl would have given everything to be in her shoes and here she was, wasting it all away.  

And Chris? Well, he had no idea. The thought of it had never even crossed his mind.   The two of them had been together for such such a long time that the possibility of it happening was down to a zero. He and Lindsey were perfectly happy. When people saw the couple, they were envious. No other couple had loved each other more than the two of them.   Lindsey sighed. She had to do it. Life wasn't complete without Chris but without this, life just wouldn't be life.

"What's wrong, Lin?" Chris asked, looking at his girlfriend sympathetically. Lindsey had tried her best to keep her old face whenever she was with Chris - smiling like she was having the time of her life. How time had changed her. How did Chris manage to maintain his old self? she wondered.

"Nothing," she lied, looking away from him.  

"Doesn't look like nothing." He gave her a tender kiss on the cheek. "Tell me." She decided then that she couldn't lie about it anymore.

She couldn't hide it for that long.   "I have a job offer."  

Chris beamed. "That's wonderful! You've been wanting it for months already. Good job for you."

Lindsey held back tears but restrained herself. "That's not the thing. I've been holding it off for a few weeks already and they wanted me to make up my mind already so I... said yes."  

"What did they ask you to do?" he asked with concerned eyes.  

"...I have to move to Milan. As in Milan...in Italy." She hesitated.  

Chris was quiet, absorbing everything in. His mind must be racing with a million thoughts, Lindsey thought. They had never ever been separated from each other for more than a week before, and now, Lindsey had to move a continent away from him. Long distance wasn't even a thought.  

For full five minutes, Lindsey and Chris shared an awkward moment. Then, Chris beamed. "Looks like we're moving to Milan then!"  

Lindsey stared at him, mouth open in disbelief. How could Chris react like this? How could he be so ready to give up everything his wonderful life in New York just to be with her? The guilt in her felt even heavier now with the words Chris had just uttered from his mouth.  

"Chris." She looked at him longingly.  

"I'm serious! I could tell my boss. We probably have a branch over in Italy as well. Well, maybe not in Milan, but still!" He ranted on, exploring the possibilities. Lindsey shook her head and the tears rolled down her face. She had never felt like this ever in her life. She knew that Chris was always the one, but now a simple job offer made her doubt that feeling.   She felt horrible.  

"Chris!" she yelled, standing up from the table. She continued to cry, not even bothered by the fact that her eyes had started to turn red and puffy, a delicate matter she would have preferred to avoid. "Please stop! I can't have you sacrificing everything you have for me, Chris! This has to end!"  

Chris remained calm. People had always pointed that peaceful quality about him - Chris was the calm half of the relationship while Lindsey was the fiery half. She understood it more than ever now in a confrontation she never thought Chris and her would have.  

"We can do this," Chris said softly.  

"Maybe you can! But I can't! I can't stand seeing you like this! I'm sorry."

Her boyfriend was quiet. He was always a good listener.

"Chris, all my life, I—no, not just me, the two of us, have always been described as the perfect couple but I want to break free of that bubble! I've never had a life outside of us and I want that!" She calmed down a little but Chris still wasn't helping.  

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked.  

"Thank you! Yes, I am! This is for the both of us! I can't understand how you were able to stand me for the past ten years! But whatever magical power you possess that allowed you to do that... I don't have it!"

"Lindsey," he raised his voice. "I'm not giving up on us. We can get through this. If you need some air—"

"I don't need air! I want to live a life without you!"  

"I thought you loved me!" Chris shouted along with her.  

"I do! And this is me loving you—I'm letting you go! You may not know it, but if I don't prevent this from happening, one day you will wake up in bed next to me and all you're ever going to feel is regret. Regret that all your life I was the only one you had. Chris..."  

Chris closed his eyes. "Get out."  

Lindsey was taken back. Chris had always been a sweet guy and in the ten years they had been together, she had never seen Chris like that. More tears streamed down her face.   "Goodbye, Chris. I'll never forget you."

She gave him a kiss then left the house. Splashes of emotion burst from her face.   Was it regret? Was it triump? Anger? No, she had to assess her feelings some other time. She looked back at the handsome face of Chris Reed. She would never see his rough blonde hair, ocean blue eyes and wonderful smile ever again. She could only take their memories with her - the memories she was sure she would never experience again after their messy break-up.  

It was difficult to imagine that about a year later, they would have to stand face-to-face again.