Chapter 3 Moving On .. Not Really

Three years later

Rita's hands ached as she kneaded the dough for the next batch of croissants. The bakery had been unusually quiet today, the soft hum of the refrigerator the only noise in the background. The air smelled like fresh bread, a comforting aroma that, over the years, had become both a source of solace and a reminder of everything she had lost.

She paused for a moment, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The clock on the wall showed it was already past four. Max would be calling soon, like he always did. He was a good guy, really. He treated her well-better than Leo ever had, at least.

But still... there was something missing. A spark.

She shook her head and went back to the dough, pressing it down with a bit more force. No point in thinking about that now. Max was here, and he loved her, right?

Her phone buzzed against the counter, breaking her thoughts. She wiped her hands on her apron before picking it up and seeing Max's name on the screen.

"Hey, babe." Rita greeted him, trying to push the familiar weight in her chest aside.

"Hey, how's your day going?" Max's voice was warm, smooth like honey. Rita could hear the smile in his tone, even though it made her stomach twist a little.

"It's fine. Just the usual-baking, working, trying to get everything done," she said, her voice tired but trying to sound upbeat. She wasn't sure why she even bothered anymore. She wasn't really happy, but he didn't need to know that.

"I get that. You've been working a lot. You need to take it easy, babe," he said. Rita could hear the concern in his voice, the same concern that had made her gravitate toward him after Leo disappeared.

Rita forced a smile, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "I'll be fine. Just need to get through the day. You know how it is."

Max let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I know how it is. You're always working. I don't think you ever stop."

"I have to, don't I? You know how tight things are."

"Yeah, I know. But hey, how about we go out tonight? Dinner. Just the two of us. I'll pick you up at seven."

Rita hesitated for a moment. It had been a while since they had done anything special together. But she knew she was just going through the motions. Max was good to her. He wasn't Leo, but he was here now, and that had to count for something. Right?

"That sounds nice," she said, even though her heart wasn't really in it. She had tried. She really had. She had tried to move on, but something kept dragging her back. To him. To Leo.

Max sounded happy to hear that. "Great! I'll take you somewhere nice. We'll make it a fun night, just you and me. It'll be perfect, I promise."

Rita bit her lip, fighting the instinct to tell him she wasn't sure about this. Instead, she pushed the thought down. He was being nice. He wanted to make things work. He was here.

"Sounds good," she said again.

"I can't wait to see you, babe. You're everything to me." Max's voice softened, the words flowing with sincerity.

Rita closed her eyes for a second. She wasn't sure how she felt anymore. She cared about him, yes. But love? Love was different. Love was something she hadn't felt in a long time.

"I love you." Max's words made her chest tighten. She hadn't been expecting them.

Her hand tightened around the phone. She stared at the wall in front of her, hearing the steady hum of the bakery's oven. The words lingered in the air, but they felt foreign.

She hadn't said it back. Not because she didn't care, but because...

She still hadn't forgotten him.

She hadn't loved anyone since Leo. Max was a good guy. A nice guy. But she wasn't sure if she was in love with him. She had been in love with Leo. She had loved him like she thought she would never love anyone else. But that had been three years ago, hadn't it?

She was tired of waiting. Tired of holding on to the past. Leo had left her with no word, no explanation. He just vanished. He hadn't reached out once. Not a call. Not a text. Nothing.

And maybe, just maybe, she had given up on him. For real this time.

But hearing Max say those words-hearing him love her-made her realize something. She hadn't moved on. She hadn't stopped thinking about Leo. She couldn't even bring herself to say it back to Max.

Her chest felt heavy. She knew what she had to do.

"I... I'll see you tonight, Max," she said, her voice flat. She didn't want to say more. She didn't want to lie.

"Alright, babe. I love you." Max's voice was gentle, but there was something in the tone that made her stomach twist.

But she didn't say it back.

She ended the call quickly, her finger tapping the screen to disconnect the line before the words she hadn't spoken could haunt her even more.

For a moment, Rita just stood there. Her phone slipped from her hand and fell onto the counter with a dull thud.

She took a deep breath, pushing the waves of emotion aside. Get it together, Rita, she thought. She had done so much to move on, so much to survive. But in the quiet of the bakery, surrounded by the smell of bread and the hum of machines, she couldn't help but feel like she had been lying to herself.

She still loved Leo.

The stupid motherfucker.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing her hands to her face. Three years, and he hadn't even tried to reach out. He'd left her without a single word. He had promised her everything-forever-but now it was like none of that ever mattered. Like none of it ever happened.

But maybe that was what hurt the most.

She hadn't loved anyone else. And maybe she never would.