Call me when you hate me - I Had an Ex Too

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📞 Call Me When You Hate Me

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Episode 8 — "I Had an Ex Too."

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The office felt strangely peaceful.

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For the first time since the contract began, Liam wasn't avoiding Adrian.

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And Adrian wasn't avoiding Liam.

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They were simply...

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Professional.

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Nothing more.

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Nothing less.

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Or at least, that's what they kept telling themselves.

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---

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That afternoon, Adrian and Liam were on their way to a business meeting.

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Nathaniel drove while the two sat silently in the back seat.

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Liam glanced at Adrian.

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"Can I ask you something?"

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"You just did."

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Liam rolled his eyes.

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"You know what I mean."

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Adrian looked away from his tablet.

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"What is it?"

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Liam hesitated.

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Then asked quietly,

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"...Have you ever been in love?"

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Nathaniel nearly missed a red light.

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He quickly recovered.

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Pretending he hadn't heard anything.

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Adrian was silent for a long moment.

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Finally...

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"Yes."

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Liam blinked.

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"You have?"

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Adrian nodded once.

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Liam looked genuinely surprised.

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"I thought you only dated your work."

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Nathaniel snorted.

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Adrian ignored him.

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"I had someone."

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His voice was calm.

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Too calm.

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"We dated for three years."

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Liam frowned.

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"What happened?"

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Another silence.

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Then Adrian looked out the window.

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"He left."

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---

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Liam expected Adrian to stop there.

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Instead...

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Adrian continued.

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"He hated the attention my position brought."

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"The endless meetings."

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"The reporters."

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"The late nights."

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"He said..."

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A faint smile appeared.

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"...that he was dating a company, not a person."

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Liam listened quietly.

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"He broke up with me."

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Nathaniel's smile disappeared.

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Even he had never heard this story.

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---

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Liam looked at Adrian carefully.

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"...Did you love him?"

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Adrian answered without hesitation.

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"Very much."

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Liam lowered his eyes.

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"I'm sorry."

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Adrian shook his head.

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"Don't be."

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"It happened years ago."

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"But..."

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A small pause.

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"He taught me something."

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"What?"

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Adrian smiled faintly.

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"When I forgot to eat..."

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"He always brought me dinner."

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"When I worked all night..."

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"He waited until I finished."

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"When I got sick..."

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"He stayed beside me."

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Liam could almost picture it.

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A version of Adrian...

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Who smiled more.

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Who laughed.

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Who let someone take care of him.

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It was hard to imagine.

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---

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Adrian chuckled softly.

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"He used to scold me."

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"'Adrian, stop working.'"

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"'Adrian, go to sleep.'"

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"'Adrian, take your medicine.'"

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Nathaniel smiled.

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"I would've liked to meet him."

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Adrian's expression softened.

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"You would've liked him."

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---

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The car fell silent.

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Liam stared out the window.

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His chest felt strangely heavy.

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Not because he was jealous.

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But because...

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For the first time...

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He realized Adrian wasn't born cold.

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Someone had loved him once.

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Someone had cared for him.

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Someone had left.

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Just like Nathan had left Liam.

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Maybe...

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They weren't so different after all.

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---

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As the car stopped outside the meeting venue, Adrian reached for the door.

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Before getting out, he said quietly,

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"Mr. Hart."

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Liam looked at him.

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"You once said you still loved your ex."

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"...I did."

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Adrian gave a small nod.

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"I understand."

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Then he stepped out of the car.

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Leaving Liam sitting there.

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Thinking about the man behind the cold CEO.

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And wondering...

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What kind of person could walk away from someone like Adrian Cross?

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To Be Continued... 🖤📞21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryUphPWMUG

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