Caelen mentioned over breakfast he has an important meeting across town. Some acquisition deal that needs his personal attention.
"I'll be back in two hours," he'd said, kissing my forehead. The casual, domestic gesture was confusing as fuck.
Our strategic alliance is feeling less fake daily, especially after that almost-kiss last night that I ran from like a coward.
After he leaves, I'm alone in the office going through contracts. Trying to focus on merger clauses and acquisition terms instead of the way his thumb traced my knuckles.
Failing spectacularly.
My phone buzzes. Security downstairs.
"Mrs. Welch, there's a Kael Dareth here to see you."
My stomach drops. Literally plummets like I'm in free fall.
"I'm not—" I start.
"He says it's about divorce papers," the voice says. "That you're expecting him."
Divorce. The word hits me. I should call Caelen, should have security throw Kael out.
But I hear myself say, "Fine. Send him up." I need to see this through. I need to get those papers signed.
Five minutes of pacing. Hands shaking. Heart pounding like it's trying to escape my chest.
Then he's here.
Kael enters looking wrecked. Thinner than at the engagement party—cheekbones sharp, suit hanging loose on a frame that used to be athletic bulk.
Shadows under those blue eyes. Dark circles like he hasn't slept in weeks. Probably hasn't.
None of that polished billionaire shine remains. He just looks like a man who's been through hell. He's holding the divorce papers like they weigh a thousand pounds, his hands visibly trembling.
"I came to talk." His voice is rough. Unused. "Before I sign. I need you to understand—"
"Understand what?" I cross my arms. Defense mechanism. "That you're finally doing what I begged you to do months ago?"
"Why I did it. Why I couldn't tell you. Why—" He swallows hard. "Why everything went so wrong."
"Why you used me?" I keep my voice flat. Emotionless. "I understand perfectly. Your family's broke. I was the meal ticket. Transaction completed."
"It wasn't like that." His voice breaks. Actually breaks. "I'm leaving them. I'm done with all of it. Walked out three days ago. Told them to figure it out themselves."
I blink. That I wasn't expecting.
"I should have done it sooner." He steps closer. I should step back. Don't. "I should have chosen you from the beginning. Before the wedding, before everything. Should have told my family to fuck off and married you anyway."
Too fucking late. Way too fucking late.
But he's looking at me like I'm oxygen and he's suffocating. Like I'm the only thing keeping him tethered to earth.
That look used to work on me. Used to make me believe anything he said.
"You can't just—" I start.
"I love you," he says desperately. Raw. "I never stopped. Not for a second. The cold shoulder, the distance, all of it—I was drowning in guilt. I couldn't touch you knowing I was lying. Couldn't kiss you knowing what I was hiding. But I'm not lying now."
He's closer now. Close enough I can smell his cologne—the same one from Princeton, from our engagement, from our wedding night.
"I'm yours," he whispers. "If you'll have me. If you can forgive me. I'll spend the rest of my life making this up to you."
I laugh. The sound is unhinged, borderline hysterical.
"You're mine? Two months ago I was begging you to sign these papers. Now that I'm successful, now you remember you love me?"
"It's not about the money—"
"Bullshit!" I'm screaming now. Volume control completely gone. "Everything's about money with you! Your family, Gia, me—all of it transactions! All of it calculated!"
"That's not fair!"
"Fair?" I'm in his face now. "Neither was you announcing a second wife at a fucking gala! Neither was two months of cold shoulders and locked doors! Neither was making me think I was crazy for wanting my own husband to touch me!"
"I was trying to protect you—"
"By destroying me?" Tears streaming down my face. Angry tears. Hurt tears. Years of resentment exploding. "By letting your family tear me apart while you watched? By giving my ring to another woman?"
"I fucked up!" He's shouting too now. Both of us screaming. "I know I fucked up! I was weak and stupid and I chose wrong! But I'm here now! I'm choosing you now!"
"Too late!" My hands shove his chest. Hard. "You don't get to choose me now that it's convenient!"
He grabs my arms. Not hard—desperate. Holding on like I'm the only solid thing in his universe.
"Please." His voice breaks again. "Please, Maeve. I'll do anything. Anything you want. Just don't give up on us."
"There is no us!" I shove him again. He doesn't let go. "You killed us when you married Gia! When you chose them over me!"
"I'm choosing you now!"
"It's too late!"
We're both breathing hard. Faces inches apart. The air between us charged, violent, electric with everything we can't say.
Years of resentment. Years of love. All of it colliding in this moment.
His eyes drop to my mouth. Mine drop to his.
Muscle memory. Three years of knowing exactly how to move together.
His eyes drop to my mouth. Mine drop to his. Then he kisses me.
His hands are in my hair, my nails digging into his shoulders, our mouths crashing together like we're trying to hurt each other.
He tastes like scotch and desperation. I taste like coffee and regret.
It's furious. Angry. Everything we couldn't say with words bleeding into this kiss.
He backs me against my desk. Papers scatter. My laptop crashes to the floor.
Don't care. Can't care about anything except this.
His mouth on my neck. My hands yanking his shirt. Three years of training, of knowing exactly where to touch, how hard, what makes the other lose their mind.
"Maeve," he breathes against my skin. Like prayer. Like absolution. Like coming home.
I hate how good it feels. Hate that my body remembers before my brain catches up. Hate that some part of me still wants this, still wants him, still believes in the Princeton library version of us.
The version where he loved me without conditions. Where I was enough just by existing.
His hands on my waist. Familiar. Known. Everything Caelen's touch isn't yet.
And fuck. Caelen.
I should stop this. Should push Kael away. Should remember I'm engaged to someone else, someone honest, someone who doesn't use love as a weapon.
I don't stop.
Just kiss him harder. Punish him. Punish myself. Punish everything that brought us here.
We're on the desk now. Contracts beneath us. My skirt riding up. His hands everywhere.
"Tell me you don't want this," he demands against my mouth. Hitting that spot on my neck that makes me gasp.
I can't. Can't tell him anything except yes, more, don't stop.
Even though I should. Even though this is the worst decision I've made since believing his lies in the first place.
Even though Caelen's coming back in two hours and I'm about to blow up everything we're building.
I kiss Kael anyway.
Because I'm weak. Because I'm confused. Because some self-destructive part of me needs to feel something real even if it destroys me.
His forehead presses against mine. Both of us breathing hard.
"I love you," he whispers. "I never stopped."
And God help me, I almost believe him.