Page 82 of Always Been You
I am furious.
But the worst part?
I believe him.
And that scares me more than anything.
I stare at him, searching for any sign of a lie, any hesitation, but all I see is raw honesty. Devotion.
Still, I can’t stop the question that slips out next.
“Was our meeting staged?”
Eddie’s brows pull together instantly. “Of course not.”
I exhale, shaking my head. “You understand why I need space, right? I’m questioning everything now.”
His face falls. “Lynx…” His voice is quiet, almost pleading. “I’m so sorry.”
I nod, swallowing against the lump in my throat. I don’t trust myself to say anything more. If I stay, if I let him talk me down, I might forgive him too easily.
So I turn, walking toward the door.
“Where will you go?” he asks, voice careful.
I pause, gripping the handle, then answer solemnly.
“Anywhere but here.” I say then, without another word, I walk out.
“I’ll wait for you,” I hear him say but I don’t turn back.
Chapter Thirty -One
Eddie
I crash down into my chair, the weight of everything pressing into my shoulders. Closing my eyes, I rub my forehead, willing the pounding in my skull to ease. Everything is crumbling.
I knew Lawliss would react this way if she ever found out, but I hoped—God, I hoped—she wouldn’t. I did everything to keep it from her, to shield her from the truth. And now? I’m the one who put tears in her eyes. The same tears I swore I would destroy anyone for causing.
My chest tightens, my heart clenching at the memory of her standing in front of me, looking so hurt, so betrayed. I should be the one in pain, not her. I should be the one suffering. I wanted to marry her for the second time with everyone present. I never wanted her to find out about this. She loves me. I know she does. But what does love matter when she can’t even look at me without seeing a lie?
I drag a shaky breath and pick up my phone. My fingers hover over the screen before I press the number I’ve been avoiding for weeks. It barely rings before he picks up.
“Finally, you decide to return my call,” Grandpa’s voice booms through the line.
I hesitate, gripping the phone tighter. “I need your help.”
A sharp inhale crackles through the speaker. I haven’t asked him for anything since the day I showed up at his door after my parents died. I still remember how I trembled in his presence, a kid drowning in grief, and how he guided me through it. Even when he disapproved of my choices, even when he spoke against my revenge, he was there.
“What is it?” he asks, his voice steady.
I exhale slowly. “My wife is in pain because of me.”
A pause. Then, “Care to start from the beginning? How do you have a wife? I’m lost here.”
So I do. I tell him about Lawliss and how we ended up getting married, leaving out the gritty details. I tell him everything leading up to this moment, my voice heavy with the weight of it all.
He listens, silent until I finish. Then he exhales, his tone thoughtful. “Son, you can’t force everything, especially love.”
