He Paid My Debt, Then Claimed My Heart / Chapter 5: The Garden After Goodbye
He Paid My Debt, Then Claimed My Heart

He Paid My Debt, Then Claimed My Heart

Author: Jonathan Cox

Chapter 5: The Garden After Goodbye

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Some time later, I saw news about Harrison again.

His name popped up on my phone, uninvited. I hesitated before clicking.

He got caught with an actress. Headlines everywhere—cheating, scandal, you name it.

The internet exploded. I watched from a distance, detached.

One day, the news flashed on TV just as I turned it on. Embarrassed, I switched it off.

I didn’t want that world in my living room anymore.

For a moment, the air was silent.

Caleb looked at me, waiting. I could see the question in his eyes.

Caleb looked at me and asked, “Should we get out of here?”

He said it gently, like he didn’t want to push. I knew he meant it—he’d go anywhere for me.

I thought for a moment and asked, “What about your work?”

I didn’t want him to give up everything for me. I needed to know he’d be okay.

“I do construction contracting. I can get jobs anywhere,” he said easily.

He shrugged, smiling. I believed him.

This was Harrison’s city. I knew Caleb minded, even if he didn’t say it. If he could leave his established business behind, determined to start over, how could I hesitate?

He’d never ask me to choose, but I wanted to choose him.

My channel had a million followers, but the best part? I could work anywhere.

I could film tomatoes in Texas, cucumbers in Colorado. It didn’t matter.

Within a few months, we wrapped up everything—property, work, all of it.

Scary, but exciting. Packed up everything that mattered.

We settled in my state’s capital.

It felt like coming full circle—back to where I started, but not the same person.

The city was beautiful and slow-paced—perfect for growing old together.

We found a house with a big porch, a yard for the dog Caleb always wanted, and neighbors who waved hello. It was everything I never knew I needed.

With him by my side, life finally felt right.

Some days, I look out at my garden—Caleb’s laughter in the air, the sun on my face—and I know I’m finally home. The past is behind me. The future is ours.

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