Page 41 of Keeping Skylar (Fractured Hearts #1)

Kaden and I stand face to face, locked in a silent standoff. Our expressions are taut, guarded, neither of us bothering to hide the mutual disdain simmering just beneath the surface.

“If I had known you were the star chef, I wouldn’t have bothered with any of this.” His hand gestures between the two of us.

“Well, Kaden. The thing you should know about me is that I couldn’t give two fucks about your opinion. So, why don’t you do yourself a favour and take your measly compliments and shove it where the sun don’t shine.”

“Wow, and you’re the guy Skylar replaced me with,” he huffs before adding, “just a bitter, foul-mouthed thug, desperate enough to steal another man’s wife.”

“Whose wife are you referring to, exactly? Because if you mean the one whose lowlife husband spent months lying and sneaking around behind her back, sleeping with her best friend no less, then I’d say she deserves a hell of a lot better. Don’t you think?”

For the briefest moment, a flicker of guilt and shame crosses Kaden’s face, but he quickly masks it with a sneer.

“You really think you’re the better choice?

” he growls. “Let me tell you something, Heath , Skylar might be caught up in all the heat and excitement right now, but sooner or later, reality will set in. She’ll remember what we had, the life we built, and the love we still have for each other, deep down.

And when that happens, I’ll be right there, reminding her exactly who she belongs to.

” His smirk creeps back, sharper and more venomous than before.

Making him believe he’s won this round; I hold his gaze and smirk. “Does your so-called plan to win you wife back also include your mistress? Or is it, girlfriend now?”

He winces at the mention of his lover, who he seems to have suddenly forgotten about. “I’ve already told Sky that she means more to me than anyone else. If she chooses to stay with me, she knows I’ll always put her first. She’s the only woman for me.”

“Right. And what does your girlfriend think of that?” I jab.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you!” he spits out.

“You’re just a temporary fix for Sky, a distraction.

Someone who she can fool around with for now until she gets bored.

Then once it’s all out of her system, she’ll come running back to me—her husband, and I’ll be right here waiting, with arms wide open. ”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Kaden, but you could be waiting for a very long time.

You see, I won’t be going anywhere unless Skylar asks me to.

Unlike you, she actually trusts me, and I’d never betray that.

And just so we’re clear”—I take a deliberate step closer, meeting his gaze head on— “every night when she’s curled up in my arms, she’s not thinking about you.

Not once does your name cross her lips, not once does she reminisce about the life you two had.

Honestly, it’s like you’ve been wiped from her memory—erased, as if you never existed at all.

” I lift one shoulder in a lazy shrug, fully aware I’ve landed the blow right where it hurts most.

I catch a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, fleeting, but unmistakable.

“I didn’t know you two were living together,” he says softly, his voice catching slightly before he exhales a heavy sigh.

But just as quickly, the vulnerability vanishes behind a hardened mask.

“It doesn’t matter,” he continues, voice steeled.

“I’m going to fight like hell to get my wife back.

And there’s nothing you, or anyone else, can do to stop me. ”

He turns sharply and strides towards the door, but just as he reaches it, Kaden pauses. He spins back around, locking eyes with me, his gaze glinting with challenge. “Oh, and Heath,” he says with a smug grin, “may the best man win.”

My frown deepens, and I raise my voice just enough for him to hear. “She’s not some goddamn prize to be won, dipshit!” The words hang in the air, slicing through the tension and stopping him dead in his tracks.

He doesn’t look back at me or utter another word. He simply shakes his head and chuckles under his breath like the arrogant prick he is, and saunters out of the restaurant, leaving me to dwell on his final words.

I would never manipulate Skylar into picking me. She’s a strong, intelligent woman—more than capable of making her own decisions. What Kaden doesn’t realise is that, no matter how hard he tries to charm her with sweet nothings, his words no longer hold any weight with her.

For someone like Skylar, who finds it hard to trust others, what she needs most are genuine actions—someone who demonstrates respect, kindness, honesty, and loyalty. And that’s exactly what I’m determined to do: show her that she’s truly worth it and deserves to be treated like the queen she is.

If Kaden wants a fight, I’m more than ready to give him one.

He may have a long history with my girl, but I’m the one who’s earned her trust. And I’m the one who’ll help her piece together her fractured heart.

No matter how this plays out, I’ll do whatever it takes to prove to her I’m not going anywhere, that I’m exactly where I belong—right by her side.