Page 76 of Unfaithful

Archie exhaled slowly. "There's nothing to pretend about." His gaze remained hard on me. "I love her. And I will not apologize for that."

"And now you see your chance to swoop in and play the hero," I bit out, my frustration spilling over.

Archie didn't so much as flinch. "No. I was there for her. She was hurt, Cole. By you. Deeply disappointed with Bobby, with Steve. You didn't see how much you shattered her, but I did. And I refused to let her face that alone. Because when you lovesomeone, you don't walk away. You stand by them. You make them your priority."

My jaw tightened. "You think you love her more than I do?"

"Perhaps I do," he said, tilting his head as he searched my face as if he genuinely wanted to know if I really loved Sara. "Because if you really loved her, you wouldn't be doing this to her."

I flinched. His words hit like a slap.

"You fucked up, Cole," he continued, his voice edged with disbelief. "I don't know what the hell was going through your head when you cheated on Sara. Because it'sSara, Cole. Do you have any idea how fucking lucky you were?"

I knew exactly how lucky I was. I always had.

Sara was everything—beautiful, intelligent, and kind. She possessed a quiet strength, the kind that didn't demand attention but held everything together. She loved with her whole heart and gave without hesitation, and somehow, against all odds, she had chosen me.

And I ruined it.

I let my selfishness, my own weaknesses, shatter something I should have protected. She had been my light, and I had been the one to snuff it out. And every fucking minute of my life, I was reminded of that.

"Why are you here?" Archie asked, his voice quieter now, though the edge hadn't completely faded.

My eyes narrowed. "Do I need your fucking permission to see Sara?"

"No." He shook his head. "That's up to her. I just want to know your intention."

I hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. In the end, I told him the truth.

"I need her," I admitted, exhaling a heavy sigh. "I'm at the lowest point of my life, the most painful phase I've ever been through, and all I could think about was getting to her."

Archie looked thoughtful as he listened, waiting for me to explain more.

"She's the only thing that gives me peace," I said, dragging a hand down my face, exhaustion sinking deep into my bones. "Just one minute with her. That's all I need."

Archie was quiet for a moment, absorbing my words. "You've seen her. What now?"

Yeah. What now?

One minute with her was a drop in an ocean of longing. A cruel taste of something I could never get enough of.

I met his gaze, my voice raw with desperation. "It's not enough," I growled. "I need more."

Archie's jaw tightened, his expression hardening.

"I'm going to win her back, Archie."

It's not just a choice. It's the only path forward, the only way to breathe, to exist. Without her, I was a ghost, wandering through a life stripped of meaning.

"I'm going to prove to her I'm not the same man who hurt her. Every day, for the rest of my fucking life, I'm going to show her I'm the man she needs. And I won't make the same mistake again. I will devote myself to her. I will worship her." The thought of losing her was fucking unbearable. "I've learned my lesson the hard way, and I won't lose her. I love her too much."

Archie remained silent, but I saw the shift—the slight softening of his expression, the crack in his armor. Despite everything, a part of him still cared about me. We had been through so much together, Archie and I. Once, we had each other's backs, inseparable like brothers.

And now, here we were. On opposite sides of a battle I never thought I'd have to fight.

Desperation clawed at my chest, sinking its talons deep. I swallowed my pride, my voice barely more than a breath as I pleaded, "You can't take her away from me."

Archie crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze never leaving me as he asked, "What kind of man do you think she needs?"

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