Shayla asked Anthony if Amber took divorce back, would you move on with her?😱

Scene: A quiet evening at a lakeside cabin. The sun has dipped below the horizon, leaving the sky awash in purple and orange hues. Shayla and Anthony sit on the wooden porch, each with a warm mug in hand. The sound of distant loons echoes across the water.

Shayla shifted in her seat, her fingers nervously curling around the edge of her mug. For a long moment, the only sound between them was the creaking of the rocking chair Anthony sat in. The air was thick — not with the scent of pine or the chill of evening — but with the weight of unspoken questions.

She finally broke the silence.

Shayla:
"Anthony... can I ask you something? And I need you to be real with me."

Anthony turned to look at her, his expression calm, but not unreadable. He took a slow sip from his mug before nodding.

Anthony:
"Of course. Always."

She took a breath, steadying herself. Her voice was quiet, almost drowned out by the wind rustling through the trees.

Shayla:
"If Amber took the divorce back... if she came to you tomorrow and said she wanted to fix things — would you go back to her? Would you... move on with her?"

The question hung between them like a ghost, weightless and yet suffocating. Anthony didn’t answer right away. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, mug dangling from one hand. He stared out at the darkening lake, jaw clenched.

Finally, he spoke — slowly, deliberately.

Anthony:
"That’s a hard question. Not because I don’t know the answer... but because I know exactly what it means to answer it."

Shayla watched him closely, her heart thudding in her chest. Every word felt like a match lit too close to a fuse.

Anthony:
"Amber and I... we were fire and ice. There was passion, yes. But also damage. Years of trying to turn broken pieces into something whole. I loved her. I can’t lie about that. I probably always will in some complicated, far-off way. But what we had... it wasn’t sustainable. It wasn’t kind."

He turned to face her, and there was something in his eyes — not regret, but the sober reflection of someone who’d walked through fire and come out scarred.

Anthony:
"If she came back? I think a part of me would want to believe we could fix it. But another part — the part that’s finally found peace, that’s started seeing what love looks like when it isn’t chaos — that part would say no. Not out of anger. Out of self-respect."

Shayla didn’t move. Her throat felt tight, but she waited, needing more than vague closure.

Shayla:
"And what about... us?"

Anthony didn’t hesitate this time. He reached out, gently taking her hand in his.

Anthony:
"You’re not a rebound, Shayla. You’re not a placeholder for what I lost. You’re what’s real right now. And you’ve shown me that love doesn’t have to hurt to be real. If Amber walked in right now with tears and promises... I’d still be sitting here, holding your hand."

Shayla blinked rapidly, fighting the well of emotion rising in her chest. She exhaled a shaky breath and looked out at the lake, the darkness now complete, the stars beginning to flicker into view.

Shayla:
"I needed to hear that."

Anthony:
"I needed to say it."

And in the stillness that followed, there was no more doubt. Just the sound of the wind, the water, and two hearts daring to heal together.