Page 45 of Keeping Skylar (Fractured Hearts #1)

Skylar

The sharp clicking of my heels echoes off the marble floor as I stride into the hotel’s restaurant, my heart pounding beneath a carefully composed facade.

Across the room, my eyes instantly land on my ex-husband, already seated at a corner table.

The moment he spots me, he springs to his feet, a wide, overly eager grin stretching across his face.

I don’t rush towards him. Instead, I take my time crossing the room, every step carefully measured.

He quickly pulls me into a gentle hug; the first touch I’ve allowed from him since I walked away.

His eyes sweep over me with a look that’s equal parts lust and admiration, lingering on the short, form-fitting burgundy dress I’m wearing that clings on to every curve and dip.

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner, Skylar. Aren’t you a vision tonight. ” He smiles appreciatively.

I lower myself into the chair he pulls out for me, a smile escaping my lips as a silent thank you. “I do apologise for the late notice. I hadn’t planned on doing this until the very last minute. So, thanks for agreeing to come.”

He settles into the seat across from me, and his smile blooms with a warmth I haven’t felt or seen in so long, a genuine affection that brings to mind the early days of us, before he went and destroyed everything. “It’s my pleasure. You know I’ll do anything for you,” he promises.

Being in the same room with him feels so different now. It’s as though we’ve transformed into strangers, our connection so frayed that we’ve forgotten how to interact with each other.

“I hope you don’t mind; I’ve ordered us some white wine and the Venetian crab linguine for dinner?”

I nod and smile. “Sounds great.”

Two minutes later, the waiter arrives with a bottle of Pinot Grigio and two glasses, setting them down in front of us. He fills each glass, and we thank him as he retreats.

Just as I reach for my glass, Kaden’s hand unexpectedly closes around mine, pulling it gently towards his lips. “I’ve missed you so much,” he says softly, keeping his eyes tethered to mine as I pull my hand away. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but what made you suddenly want to see me?”

“Well, I’ve had some time to think things over, and I’m finally ready to talk.”

He flashes a broad smile. “I’ve been waiting patiently to hear from you. I thought you might’ve needed some time to reflect on our last conversation. Now I can see I made the right decision, because here you are.” He gestures to where I’m sitting.

“Here I am,” I repeat.

In the same moment, our waiter appears, setting our food on the table. The mouthwatering aroma wafts from the dish, instantly making my stomach growl. I glance back to Kaden, who hasn’t taken his eyes off me since I walked into the restaurant.

“Before we get straight into things, let’s just enjoy our meal first. I’m a little famished and would rather start the conversation on a full stomach.” He winks.

Throughout the meal, we sit in a near-comfortable silence, savouring each bite and sipping our wine, exchanging the occasional glance and quiet, tentative smile.

As I stare at the man I once believed was my soulmate, I realise the deep love I once held for him has slowly withered, leaving behind only a faint shadow of what it used to be.

The time I’ve spent alone and with Heath over the past few months has shown me that I can survive even the deepest wounds. With the right person, I know I can discover a love built on trust, loyalty, and respect—qualities I no longer see in my husband.

Once we finish our meal, Kaden proposes dessert, but I graciously decline, opting for a mojito instead. With a soft chuckle, he mirrors my choice and orders one for himself as well.

A few minutes later, our drinks arrive, and I clear my throat, lifting my cocktail with a gentle smile. “To new beginnings,” I toast.

With a wide grin, Kaden lifts and taps his glass to mine. “To new beginnings, my love.”

We take a slow, generous sip of our drinks, our eyes locked, and I feign a polite smile. It’s showtime!

“So, let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Let’s begin with the obvious questions. How long ago did it start? And why Lucia?” I ask point blank.

Kaden shifts uncomfortably in his seat, yet his eyes remain rooted on mine, as if he anticipated these questions were coming.

“It started a few weeks after you stopped training at the gym with us. Usually, we’d just work out together, then go our separate ways afterward.

Lucy rarely crossed my mind when we weren’t at the gym.

Then one night, after we grabbed something to eat and drink post-workout, I dropped her home and .

.. that’s when she came on to me. I tried to stop it, but she was relentless, a little drunk, and eventually, I gave in.

” His expression is filled with guilt and remorse, and while it might seem sincere, it changes nothing. I still hate him for what he did to us.

“What happened when you dropped her home?” I ask calmly.

“When we got to her place, she invited me in. I tried talking myself out of it a million times over. I knew it was wrong, but she just got to me. I was fucking weak, and I’m so sorry, Sky. I never intended to sleep with Lucy. I never wanted to betray you. You have to believe me—it just happened.”

I nod wordlessly, my silence probing him to continue.

“When I came home that night and watched you sleep, I felt sick in the gut over what I had done and threw up in the bathroom. The guilt was so overwhelming. I hated myself for a long time. In a way, I still do for how much I’ve hurt you.”

“Why did you go behind my back and continue seeing her, if you felt so guilty?”

“As I said before, I was too weak. Lucy knew exactly how to seduce me, how to wear me down with her persistence. She was skilled at temptation, and I was the fool who gave in every single time.”

“When did it start becoming serious?”

He lets out a heavy sigh. “A couple of months after we first slept together,” he admits, his voice low and soft.

“At first, it was purely physical. But over time, we started opening up about things we’d never shared with anyone else, and it brought us closer.

There were so many moments I thought about ending it because the deeper our connection grew, the more it scared me.

But I was too much of a coward ... too selfish to walk away.

Before we knew it, we started catching feelings.

” He lowers his head, as if hoping to hide the shame and guilt etched across his face.

As painful as it is to sit here and listen to the full account of their betrayal, it’s exactly what I need to hear to finally find closure. The deceit and utter disrespect that tore our relationship apart are unforgivable, and it’s about time Kaden understands that.

“Why didn’t you just file for divorce once you and Lucia started developing deeper feelings for each other? I would’ve gladly walked away.”

His expression tightens at the mention of me walking away, but quickly softens again.

“I loved you too much, Sky,” he confesses.

“You’re my wife, my soulmate, the one woman I’ve always loved and admired through all the years.

I couldn’t bring myself to leave you. Even the thought of it made me sick to my stomach.

I know it sounds selfish, admitting I fell for two women at once, but please understand .

.. it wasn’t something I ever intended, or something I could control. ”

I let out a bitter scoff. “Then, I guess I made the right decision to leave you instead, seeing you were incapable of doing so.”

Kaden frowns and shakes his head. “No, I was able to finally come to my senses. Since you left, I’ve been absolutely fucking miserable.

Not having you around made me see how badly I fucked up and ruined the only good thing in my life.

Those months you were gone I was barely living.

I was drinking myself into a stupor almost every night, and my relationship with Lucy and Jase quickly strained.

I felt lost and empty without you. I no longer found joy or peace in my life. ”

He closes his eyes and releases a long, sharp breath.

When he opens them again, they’re glazed over, raw with emotion.

“I’m ending things with Lucy, Sky. It’s you I truly love—the one I can’t imagine my life without.

You have my heart, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.

I’m determined to earn back your trust, no matter what it takes. ”

Kaden reaches for my hand, his palm warm against mine. I don’t pull away, letting him believe his words are having an effect. But deep down, the truth is clear: no matter how hard he tries to convince me, I will never take him back. Trusting him again would be the greatest mistake of my life.

After a brief pause, I pull my hand back and meet his sad, remorseful gaze.

“I appreciate your honesty, Kaden,” I say, my voice steady but cold.

“I’m relieved to see you finally taking responsibility for your mistakes and acknowledging how badly you fucked up.

I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses and realised that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

That in the end, all those lies and deceit you indulged in only led you to emptiness and misery. ”

Kaden nods, his lips parting as though to speak, but I quickly cut him off, determined to hold my ground.

“One thing we can certainly agree on is that I was the only good thing in your life. Want to know why, Kaden?” I don’t allow him the chance to respond.

“Because I was a damn good wife. Loyal, devoted to you, never once tempted to step out of our marriage. You were the only one I loved, the only one I needed. And I foolishly believed you felt the same way. So, you can imagine the devastation that tore through me when I found out you were sleeping with my fucking best friend!” I finally snap.