Page 102 of Unfaithful

I had nothing to say, words slipping away under the heavy impact of her confession.

"Perhaps I should get to the point," she continued, her gaze locking onto mine. "Let me explain why I'm here."

"Please," I urged.

She sighed deeply before speaking again. "Archibald. He's the love of my life. He broke my heart, and yet, I could never hate him. Not even when he told me there was someone else in his heart." Her words carried a quiet ache, a testament to a love that endured despite the pain.

"Despite his cold, quiet demeanor, he's always been the best guy for me. Because when he's truly present, when he gives you his full attention, nothing else compares. It's like being wrapped in a rare kind of affection, something extraordinary, almost irreplaceable. In a world full of assholes, he's a unicorn."

Nicole paused, letting her words hang for a moment. "But what he felt for me," she continued softly, "was nothing compared to what he feels for you." She watched me absorb her words, my silence lingering. "I felt blessed just to have a fraction of his attention. I can't imagine what it's like to have his heart—all these years, even now, quietly loving you."

I stared at her, my mind racing, but I couldn't speak.

Nicole's eyes glistened as she turned her gaze away. "Even after we broke up, I kept hoping he'd come back. I couldn't let go." She exhaled shakily. "Then last night, I walked past a restaurant and saw you two. I watched from outside, through the window. And the way he looked at you..." Her voice falteredbefore she swallowed hard. "I knew right then. There's no hope for me—or anyone else. It's you. It's always been you."

Her words, heavy with resignation, settled over me as I sat there, stunned.

"I..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I'm leaving the company, Sara. Moving back to Italy," she said, her gaze heavy with sadness. "It's too hard, seeing what I've lost every day. Maybe that's why he stayed away so much, why he threw himself into the most dangerous work. It was the only way not to feel broken because of you."

She paused, her eyes sharpening as they locked onto mine. "Here's the point," she said firmly. "Sara, you've already broken his heart, even if it was unintentional. Don't break it further. He doesn't deserve that."

She rose, never breaking our gaze. "I'm here because I need to make sure of it. Because I still love him. And I'll always want to protect him, even if it's no longer my place."

I sat frozen, watching her walk away. She was so beautiful, confident, formidable, and yet, for Archie, her vulnerability was raw and unguarded. She loved him that deeply.

It took a while before I finally stood, my mind heavy with everything. Slowly, I made my way back to my office. By the time I sat at my desk, a decision had formed. I picked up my phone and typed a message:

"Archie, can we talk? Can you come to my house tonight?"

His reply came instantly."Of course. I'll be there."

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Elsa

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my knuckles aching from the pressure, as the neon motel sign faded in the rearview mirror. The road stretched endlessly before me, dark and desolate, the only sound the steady hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of the baby shifting in her car seat. Elena let out a soft whimper, but I barely spared her a glance. My mind was too consumed with everything that had gone wrong, every miscalculation that had led me here.

I had nothing left. No home, no safety net, no money, not after draining every cent I had into my legal defense. My mother was furious with me for taking out a loan using her house as collateral. And for what? A losing battle.

Cole and Leo had boxed me into a corner, stripping away every excuse, every escape route. If I stayed, I'd be dragged into court and shredded apart by their lawyers. The fraud case alone would ruin me. But worse than that, I'd lose Elena. I wasn't stupid—I knew the moment I stepped inside that courthouse, the judge would hand her over to Leo. He had Cole on his side, the law on his side, hell, even the moral high ground.

But I had something they didn't.

Elena.

She was my shield. My leverage. My last bargaining chip. As long as I had her, neither of them could push too hard. Theycould throw their accusations and threats, but at the end of the day, I was the one holding the baby. And as long as I had her, I still had some control.

I had been running for two days, and exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. My frayed nerves and aching body pushed me to the brink of madness over this baby. Elena's cries were relentless, high-pitched and desperate, piercing through the stale silence of the car like a knife. I had tried everything—feeding her, rocking her in my arms, even singing the lullabies Nancy used to hum. But nothing worked. Her tiny fists flailed, her face scrunched up in frustration, and the more I tried to soothe her, the louder she wailed.

Panic clawed at my chest. What if she was sick? What if something was wrong, and I didn't know how to fix it? I wasn't Nancy. I knew I wasn't an exemplary mother.

By now, either Cole or Leo had to have realized that I took Elena and ran. Cole didn't stay overnight at the house anymore, but Leo was there almost every fucking day. There was no way they hadn't noticed. No way they weren't already looking for me. My stomach twisted at the thought. I could picture Leo's rage. And Cole, though not Elena's father, had been very invested. He'd been there. He must be furious that I had taken Elena away. I knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up to me. But I couldn't stop.

I exhaled sharply, drumming my fingers against the wheel, my pulse hammering as I took the next exit. I had a plan. It wasn't perfect, but it was all I had. A fake name waiting for me at a run-down motel in another state, just enough cash to last a few weeks, and no intention of stopping until I was untouchable. No credit cards. No phone calls. No trail. Cole thought he had control, but he didn't. Leo thought he had rights, but he didn't. This was my game, and I wasn't about to lose.

The gas light blinked on, and I cursed under my breath. Fuck! I was too focused on running to notice my empty tank. The next exit came up, and I veered off, pulling into a deserted gas station. A single flickering light buzzed overhead, casting eerie shadows across the cracked pavement. I killed the engine and took a deep breath. I just needed gas. In and out. Then I'd be gone before anyone knew where to look.

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