Page 113 of Unfaithful

I nodded, fully certain of my decision. Even if Archie and I somehow couldn't be together, I knew this was the right choice. Cole and I had changed too much, and we were no longer the same people we once were.

"There's a reason why we've changed, Cole. You might not see it now, but getting back together is not the best decision for both of us."

He gave a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. "Honestly, I still can't imagine letting go of you, Sara."

I smiled softly. "You'll find happiness someday, Cole. Just hold on to the man you are now, and don't let yourself slip back. You'll be fine."

He leaned back in his seat, slouching slightly, and I did the same. We sat in silence for a while before he finally spoke.

"Archie..." His voice was a whisper. "He has your heart, doesn't he?"

I glanced at him, uncertain of how to respond. But before I could find the right words, he continued. "I could see it. The way your eyes lit up when his name came up. Even when you jumped at that article online with his name on it. And how worried you were when he went missing." He looked at me, his eyes gentle. "I could see it even before you realized it. But I thought, since you and he weren't together, I still had a chance."

"Cole..."

"I also noticed how hard it was for you to let me back into your life, Sara," he continued. "I could feel the distance, the hesitation, even though you were still kind and polite. I knew you wanted to see if you still had the same feelings for me. But you couldn't, could you?"

Cole let out a long sigh before taking my hand and standing, pulling me up with him. He enveloped me in a tight hug that almost stole my breath. As he held me, his voice was full of emotion. "I'll always love you, Sara. But I want the best for you. I just regret that it won't be me. Be happy, Sara."

Then he walked out, his head hanging low, hands shoved deep in his pants pockets. He left the roses on the table in front of me, a last gesture of what once was.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Sara

At 4:30 p.m., a text from Emma lit up my screen."Will pick you up at five. Be ready."

I typed a quick reply."Okay." But the moment I hit send, the nerves crashed into me again.

Eighteen months.

Eighteen months since I last saw him.

Would he be there tonight? And if he was... what would I even say?

Our last conversation still echoed in my mind. It had been heartbreaking.

I broke his heart.

And in doing so, I broke my own.

But it was the only choice that made sense.

I couldn't ask him to wait in the dark, counting the days for me. It wouldn't have been fair.

And someone like Archie shouldn't have wasted his time waiting for me.

I still remember every single word we said that day. He came to my house the moment I asked, standing at my door with an expression that said he already knew, like he had beenbracing for this moment long before I found the courage to face it.

He knew we were going to have the talk.

The one I had been avoiding.

The one that would change everything.

Then he sat beside me on the sofa, looking exhausted, his head resting against the backrest as if the weight of the world had drained him of strength.

He was silent. Waiting.

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