Page 194 of Love Me

I halt, my eyes taking in all the paintings, the priceless art, and bars of gold stacked behind glass.

“I don’t have much time left. I won’t even attempt to repair my relationship with either of you. You see me as cold, but I was raised in a different time. Love was perceived as a weakness. And you found what I couldn’t give you among yourselves.”

She opens another door, and I step inside what looks like a jewelry museum.

“I want you to choose a piece. You all will get something, but you will be the first to pick.”

I look around, but none of the pieces interest me until I stop. My eyes land on a solitary ring. The craftsmanship is astounding. It’s made of three gold colors, topped by a diamond heart, sparkling like a rainbow. I have never seen something so precious like this before.

“I knew you’d choose this one. It’s a fantastic choice for an engagement ring.”

“Does it have a story?”

“A boy fell in love with a girl. The ring was a gift from a prince for his chosen one. The parents and the court didn’t want her for him. He said he would renounce his legacy to be with the woman he loved.”

I smile at the words that ring true and pocket it.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you under my rule, but I’m not sorry for the man you have become despite everything.”

“Thank you.”

“Enjoy college because leading this family into the future is up to you. Not only is it your responsibility as firstborn, but the others have also chosen you for the position. That has never happened so smoothly in the history of the Family.”

There’s no point denying my legacy or renouncing my duty. But I will make sure the corruption is in the past.

When I get back to the house, I go to my bedroom and pull out the ring. I roll it on all sides, contemplating it. It’s unique and perfect, like my wife.

Now, I wait for the perfect moment to give it to her.

Mia storms inside without knocking. “I hope you’re happy.”

What the fuck happened now?

“Blake’s gone.”

“He’ll come back,” I say through a gulp, placing the ring on my desk, and go to his room.

It’s empty of some of his clothes, and even the picture of us from our childhood is on the table, faced down.

I call him, but the phone rings from under his bed.

Fuck.

Needing to hear my wife’s voice, I call her, and she picks up immediately.

“Blake is gone,” I tell her, dropping on the edge of the bed. “I should have talked to him. But I’m still furious with him. I’m supposed to hold the group together. Fuck, I failed.”

“No, Kaden, you didn’t. What we went through hasn’t been easy for any of us. Your feelings are valid, but so are his.”

“It’s my fault. I basically pushed him to leave…”

“Baby, he has lived a lie for a long time. It’s his right to come to terms with that and be on his own for a while.”

Everything my wife says sounds logical, but I have to find the asshole and bring him back where he belongs.

I thought nothing could break the two of us apart. I have been aware of something plaguing him. Maybe I shouldn’t have given him space and time, but I thought he would confide in me when he was ready. I should have fucking confronted him. If I did everything else would have been avoided and he wouldn’t have crossed the only hard limit I have, Celine. He fucking knew that.

“Baby. I can hear you thinking. We can’t go back in time and change things. We can only learn from our experiences and try to do things differently in the future.”

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