My Sweet Punishment by Amelia Brooks (best book club books of all time .TXT) 📕

It hurts so much that I want to howl. I hate him! Everything was fine in my life until I met him! He is the cause of all my troubles and frustrations.

I cried all night, and in the morning, I decided that I didn’t want to have anything more to do with Collins. I diligently ignored his calls and texts all day. Let him go to hell, to his fine fiancée. I’ll do him a favor.

And after all, it’s time to return to my usual life. I’ll go home first. Until the end of the so-called “vacation”, I will definitely stay there. And on Monday, I will write a resignation letter and finally be out of his life forever. And if he tries to blackmail me again, I’ll get a loan from the bank and give him those damn money. Let him choke!

All the way home, my heart was scratching and a lump rose in my throat. Am I doing the right thing? Maybe I should have talked to him after all. To find out everything from him? Every time I asked myself these questions when the phone came to life and his number appeared on the screen.

But then those photos from the article, which are only a week old, popped up in my head again, where smiling Collins holds a spectacular young woman by the waist so thriftily, and I turned off the bursting phone with a clear conscience. That’s better. I closed my eyes and sighed, admiring the gloomy autumn landscape outside the window of the minibus.

On the second floor of my house, almost in front of the apartment door, I tried to wipe the sour look from my face and return him at least some semblance of a smile. They say that everything is easier at home.

“Hi, sweetheart,” my mother opened the door, bustling around me. “You’re just right in time!”

“Hi, mom,” I said, smiling back at her.

While I was taking off my shoes, I noticed some man’s pair of shoes in the hallway, which surprised me very much. Did my mother have someone?

“We have guests?” I raised my eyebrow questioningly, pointing with my chin at the black men’s sneakers.

“Oh yeah,” my mother said, looking at me slyly. “And what a guest!”

Yes, my mother can create interest.

And what was my surprise when in the kitchen I came across not a man of my mother’s age, but a young guy. Sitting here, you know, quietly sipping tea on my chair. And on the table was a gorgeous bouquet of white roses.

I looked at my mother in bewilderment. Of course, I wanted her to fall in love again and be happy. But this guy looks only a couple of years older than me! Well, mom really amazes me! You could have knocked me down even with a feather.

“Hey, Mia,” the poodle-faker finally said.

“Hey yourself,” I answered, almost politely, and narrowed my eyes. He reminded me of someone.

“Didn’t you recognize me?” the guy was genuinely surprised.

“Should I have?” I asked coldly.

Why would I recognize my mom’s boyfriends?

“Darling, come on,” said mom as if I’d asked a stupid question. “It’s Liam!”

“What Liam…”

Suddenly he smiled, and I noticed the dimples on his cheeks and a small scar at the corner of his temple. Those dimples… and the same scar that my neighbor and childhood friend received about ten years ago, when he climbed the tree to take me an apple and, catching on a branch, fell. And then it finally dawned on my stupid head.

“Liam!” I screamed and rushed to embrace him, almost spilling the hot tea on the table.

 “And it hasn’t been a hundred years since you realized it,” my childhood friend commented with a grin on my earlier bewilderment.

Eight years ago Liam left with his parents for permanent residence in France. The guy did not even finish school, although he had only six months left. His father was offered a good job abroad, and the man decided to take a chance. After all, such invitations are not made every day.

My mother suddenly got a call, and she went into another room to answer it.

“But how did you...? When?” the words stuck in my throat.

“Back? Two months ago,” replied Liam as if nothing had happened, slowly chewing a cookie.

“And I’ll only find out about it now...” I muttered under my breath, being offended. What a friend he is.

“I’ve settled in the capital,” said Liam, changing the subject. “Your mother told me that you are also studying in New-York now. That’s great. We’ll be able to see each other more often.”

I looked down at my cup, still sulking at the guy.

No wonder I didn’t recognize him right away. In eight years, there was no trace of the scrawny bloke I’d spent most of my childhood with. Right now, there was a strong, good-looking guy sitting next to me. Wow, I think he broke more than one France woman’s heart.

“You’ve changed a lot,” I admitted.

“Yeah? You like it?” the guy’s eyebrows rose and he flexed his arm muscles, showing me some biceps. “Try it, try it.”

I pinched Liam’s side, and we burst into laughter together. I can't stay mad at this fool for long. I missed him. So much.