Not The Fool I Once Was Novel by Silas Night _ Novel




Not The Fool I Once Was Chapter 01

Briley's POV
Three years after Dereon Leighton and I remarried, he cheated on me again—with the exact same woman.
When I ran into them at a restaurant, he actually tried to tell me she was a client.
A second later, he stepped in front of his "client," immediately on the defensive.
I knew exactly what was going through his head—he was terrified I was going to make a scene and hurt the love of his life.
Instead, I stepped right up, straightened his crooked tie, and kept my voice gentle. "Okay, I understand.
"Don't drink too much. And remember to use protection."
Then, realizing that was probably a moot point, I added, "Or don't. It doesn't really matter."
I thought I was being perfectly accommodating.
But for some reason, Dereon looked pissed.
***
The restaurant was hushed, filled with low, intimate murmurs.
The loudest sound was the occasional clink of silverware against the plate.
They'd clearly laid it on thick with the ambiance—there wasn't a single flower in the place that wasn't a rose.
Naturally, it was packed with couples.
Or maybe couples like Dereon and his mistress, just hiding their secrets and playing the part of devoted lovers.
Ignoring Dereon's dark glare, I gave the woman behind him a polite nod, turned around, and walked away.
My friend, who was with me, leaned in and whispered, "Why aren't you furious?"
Furious?
I honestly wasn't.
I might have been angry once upon a time, but I'd learned the hard way that it doesn't solve anything.
In fact, I'd paid a massive price for lashing out in the past, and I wouldn't survive paying it a second time.
I just gave her a calm smile. "No reason to be upset. He's just meeting a client."
She stared at me, her expression totally torn.
I knew exactly what she was thinking, but I couldn't tell her the truth—learning to look the other way was the very first lesson Dereon had ever taught me.
After dinner, Dereon was waiting out front in his car.
My rideshare app was still showing a ridiculous wait time, so I didn't argue. I just opened the back door and climbed in.
Just as I expected, the passenger seat was taken.
She twisted around, flashing a smile that was perfectly split between polite and smug. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Leighton. I get terrible motion sickness, so Dre felt bad and let me sit up front.
"It doesn't mean anything, so please don't read into it."
Dereon opened his door and slid behind the wheel, throwing in a casual, "It's just a seat. If it bothers you, I can ask Lina to switch."
I gave a slight nod, keeping up my polite front. "It's fine, I totally get it.
"I actually have a motion sickness patch in my purse, Ms. Glyn. Do you want it? It might help."
Selina Glyn didn't say a word.
Dereon went silent, too.
A heavy quiet settled over the car.
Outside, the rain had started, adding a sharp chill to the night.
My phone buzzed—a text from my friend, Adalyn Harford, checking to make sure I'd found a ride and didn't need her to come get me.
I looked down to type my reply, completely missing the white-knuckle grip Dereon had on the steering wheel.
After a long pause, he finally started the engine, right as the rain really began to come down.
Selina broke the silence. "Let's drop Mrs. Leighton off first. She lives closer."
Dereon and I answered at the exact same time. "Fine," I said.
"No," he said.
I paused, instantly realizing what he meant, and rushed to fill the silence. "Actually, you're right. It's late and the rain is awful. Making two trips is just inconvenient.
"You two should just stay at our place tonight. I can text the maid to get the master and a guest room ready—"
Dereon slammed on the brakes before I could even finish the sentence.
The tires screeched against the wet pavement, and my forehead slammed hard into the back of the passenger seat.
Before the pain even registered, Dereon's voice cut through the dark. It was low and absolutely furious. "Get out of the car."
Realizing I had completely misread him yet again, I kept my mouth shut.
I just pulled a compact umbrella out of my bag, opened the door, and stepped out into the pouring rain.
The rain was coming down so hard that my flimsy umbrella was practically useless.
I was soaked to the bone in minutes.
Dereon blew right past me, his tires kicking up a wave of muddy puddle water that plastered my pant legs.
I stared down at the mess. By the time I looked back up, his taillights were already out of sight.
Humiliated, I finally gave in and texted Adalyn for a ride.
She pulled up quickly.
She took one look at my dripping clothes, shaking her head with an expression caught somewhere between pity and pure frustration. "You do this to yourself, you know," she muttered.
I forced a smile. "Thanks, Addy.
"I know you're just looking out for me, but I don't have a choice. I can't leave him."
It wasn't love keeping me tethered to him anymore.
It was cold, hard cash. I was broke, and walking away just wasn't an option.

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